At the Evaluate stage, the focus needs to be on the root cause of a problem, not just its symptoms. We believe the majority of desired operational outcomes in the hotel industry are made up of a series of specific processes which can be boiled down to a unique subset of tasks or steps. When something is not performing effectively, it is likely that part of the process is broken, missing or occurring out of sequence. The evaluation of problems becomes quicker and more efficient when you have the experience and can easily identify all of the steps of a process or issue you are trying to diagnose. At Hotel Profitability Advisors, we have that knowledge stemming from years of experience overseeing a variety of asset types and multiple locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Depending on the client’s needs, and if the situation requires a site visit, Hotel Profitability Advisors will interview all appropriate stakeholders to ensure we are basing our advice on all of the pertinent information. Often, opportunities are multi-faceted and by utilizing the Pareto principle we can focus on the 20% of the causes that may be creating 80% of the consequences. By identifying which factors have the largest influence, we can help the client concentrate resources where they would have the most value and greatest ROI.

During the evaluation process, we work in tandem with you to answer these types of questions:

• What is the problem?
• Is the problem actually many problems?
• What is really the root cause of the problem?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Why did it happen?
• What is the problem’s total impact to each of the organization’s overall goals?

If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.

— Albert Einstein

During the Identify stage, we arrive at our diagnosis after a thorough evaluation process to be sure we will be addressing the client’s real issue(s). We will have framed the problem using creative and critical thinking and inductive, deductive and abductive logic while keeping all relevant information accessible. We will also be certain to manage all potential biases that may exist within the organization, such as confirmation bias where there is a tendency to search for and favor only evidence that supports one’s own prior intuition or beliefs.

With over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Hotel Profitability Advisors have likely already seen and solved a problem like yours or similar to yours. We will use our experience and expertise to quickly and accurately identify your needs.

Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.

— Albert Einstein

The Solve stage is where the recommendations come in to resolve issues and to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Solutions may come in the form of revising current systems and processes or creating new ones. Solutions may also come in the form of strategic plans and actions or training. Over the years, Hotel Profitability Advisors have developed very effective proprietary templates, programs, processes and systems addressing a variety of hotel-specific issues. Solutions need to be practical and affordable, keeping in mind the available resources of the organization. The key to any effective solution is to ensure there is a plan for execution and sustainability. All too often, viable plans are put in place but ultimately fail due to lack of clarity, lack of commitment to the goal and lack of a plan to weave in the discipline of team accountability so that people do not lose sight of the goal.

During the Solve stage, we work in tandem with you to answer these types of questions:

• What approaches have you already tried?
• What are the internal and external constraints on implementing a particular solution?
• What requirements must a solution meet?
• How will solutions be evaluated and success measured?
• What will be the execution and sustainability plan for change?

We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.

— Albert Einstein