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Google Makes Facebook Pages a Higher Priority for Businesses

Google announced via Twitter this week, that public status updates from Facebook are now included in the search engine's real-time search feature. That means the largest social network in the world is getting play in Google's real-time search alongside Twitter, MySpace, and others, and these real-time results are often featured prominently on the first page of search results for the hottest queries.

Apparently only updates from Facebook PAGES are indexed, and according to Danny Sullivan, that includes links, status updates, photos, videos shared by page owners (not comments made by the fans).  Any Facebook update (from regular user profiles) can be shared publicly, so I wonder why these aren't being pulled. Results from Twitter and other places aren't only from branded sources.

This seems to indicate that brands should be getting a good amount of play for Facebook appearances in Google's real-time search results, and possibly in the real-time search results in general (due to Facebook's huge user-base). Right now, Facebook isn't dominating the results, but that is bound to change with it being the largest (by far) social network on the web.

A lot of brands who don't have Facebook pages in place are likely going to consider this a new reason to create one. Here are some tips for making a good one and promoting it.

This should also lead to Facebook Pages getting more fans, due to the increased exposure. Beware, however, that running a promotion on your Facebook Page may cost you ten thousand dollars, because Facebook's policy guidelines indicate that you must get written approval from a Facebook account rep. In order to get one of those, you must spend that much in advertising, according to Eric Eldon of Inside Facebook.

Now Google's real-time search results include (as listed by Sullivan) Facebook, MySpace, Twiter, Google Buzz, FriendFeed, Jaiku, Identi.ca, TwitArmy, Google News links, Google Blog Search links, new web pages, and freshly updated pages. At this point, Google generally only shows the real-time results for newsy/trending topics. 

'American Idol's' Elliott Yamin tweets from Chile during earthquake: 'I swear I thought this was the end of my life!!!!!'

A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 hit off the coast of Chile early Saturday morning (Feb. 27). And "American Idol" season 5 finalist Elliot Yamin was tweeting from the country during the horrible disaster.

The "Idol" contender first tweeted: "Huge earthquake just now in Chile!!....I swear I thought this was the end of my life!!!!!"

Followed by these subsequent tweets from Yamin detailing the moments as it happened:

"[Bleep]!!!!!! I take it all back everybody!!....I just escaped w my life,from an 8.3 earthquake!!!...is everybody ok?...where was the epicener?"

"Complete and utter choas on the streets...no power...my heart is beatin outta my chest!....tsunami warnin...I am only a mile inland!"

"Hey everybody...we r totally safe and sound 4 the time being...I'm finally calmer,and dawn is approaching,which will help!..thx 4 ur prayers."

"Oh [bleep]!!..here come some more aftershox....sweet jesus,and baby jesus!!"

Reports indicate that the earthquake is the largest to strike the country since a record-shattering 9.5 quake hit Chile in May 1960. The quake reportedly killed 1,655 people, according to the U.S. Geological Service.

A tsunami warning was reportedly issued for Chile and Peru shortly after the earthquake struck, though Yamin tweets: "Whoa!!...my bro just informed me that cnn is relayin my tweets!!...please knw that we r safe, and there is currently no threat of a tsunami."

Yamin traveled to Chile to perform in the Competencia Internacional music fest in Viña del Mar. The singer became a household name during the fifth season of "American Idol" when he placed third behind runner-up Katharine McPhee and winner Taylor Hicks.

'Lack of communications' in Chile after earthquake

A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 has struck central Chile, the country's largest in 25 years.

The quake struck at 0634 GMT about 91km (56 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 317km south-west of the capital, Santiago.

Chilean television is reporting 16 deaths so far. Outgoing President Michelle Bachelet called for calm as she went into an emergency meeting.

The US issued an initial tsunami warning for Chile, Peru and Ecuador.

That was later extended to Colombia, Antarctica and Central America. Japan's meteorological agency warned of a potential tsunami across large areas of the Pacific.

Aftershocks

President Bachelet called on people to remain calm and contact the authorities if they needed help.

She said: "The country has just experienced an enormous earthquake... we are in the process of finding out about the effects of the quake across the region, the state of the roads and hospitals, the damage to buildings and of course the number of those killed and injured."

Ms Bachelet said there were areas of the country where communications were down and teams were working to restore them.

Many of Chile's news websites and radio stations were not accessible.

Buildings in Santiago were reported to have shaken for between 10 and 30 seconds, with the loss of electricity and communications.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck at a depth of about 35km.

It recorded a 6.2 magnitude aftershock in the same area soon after at 0652 GMT and another of 5.5 magnitude about 84km from Santiago at 0819 GMT.

The USGS said tsunami effects had been observed at Valparaiso, west of Santiago, with a wave height of 1.69m above normal sea level.

Reuters news agency later quoted the Chilean navy as saying the tsunami warning for southern Chile had been lifted.

One journalist speaking to Chilean national television from the city of Temuco, 600km south of Santiago, said many people there had left their homes, determined to spend the rest of the night outside. Some people on the streets were in tears.

Mark Winstanley, who contacted the BBC from Vina del Mar, 100km north-west of Santiago, said buildings had shaken and electricity and phone connections were cut but he could see no structural damage yet.

A university professor in Santiago, Cristian Bonacic, said that this was a massive quake but that the cities seemed to have resisted well. Internet communications were working but not mobile phones.

Chile suffered the biggest earthquake of the 20th century when a 9.5 magnitude quake struck the city of Valdivia in 1960, killing 1,655 people.

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Are you in Chile? Did you experience the earthquake? Send us your comments, pictures and video.

Tsunami alert in South America after Chile earthquake

The massive earthquake that rattled central Chile on the wee hours of Saturday measured 8.8 on the Richter scale not 8.3 as it was earlier reported by the US Geological Survey.

The epicenter of the earthquake was the city of Concepcion which lie 212miles away from the capital city of Santiago. Concepcion happens to be the second largest city with a population of 200,000.

Since Chile is situated on the coasts, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami alert for Chile, Peru and Ecuador which lies on the same stretch.

“An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicenter within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours,” the US National Weather Service said in a statement.

The reports about the casualties and the extent of devastation are yet to emerge. A guest staying at the Santiago Marriott Hotel told CNN about broken window panes and no large scale damage. No one was injured in the hotel, he said. But an employee of Hotel Kennedy in Santiago has reported about the disruption of power supply and nervous guests.

New Accor Executive Committee

As part of the project to demerge the Group’s two businesses, Hotels and Prepaid Services, Gilles Pélisson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, has created a new Executive Committee to lead Accor Hospitality, the world’s leading hotel operator, as it fulfills its strategic commitment to becoming Europe’s largest hotel franchisor and one of the world’s top three hotel groups.

As a result, the Executive Committee will now comprise:

Chief Operating Officers of the major regions:

• Yann Caillère | Chief Operating Officer, Europe, Africa and Middle East
• in charge of Sofitel Worldwide, Construction and Maintenance
• Michael Issenberg | Chief Operating Officer, Asia Pacific
• Michael Flaxman | Chief Operating Officer, Americas

Corporate functions:

• Jean-Luc Chrétien | Executive Vice President, Hotel Marketing and Distribution
• Sophie Goldblum-Flak* | Executive Vice President, Business Transformation, Innovation, Technologies and Sustainable Development
• Patrick Ollivier | Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources
• Olivier Poirot | Chief Financial Officer in charge of Motel 6/Studio 6 and Procurement
• Pascal Quint | Corporate Secretary and Secretary of the Board of Directors in charge of Legal Affairs, Insurance and Risk Management

In addition, Jacques Stern, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Services and Finance, will be responsible for Group Finance until the Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting voting on the demerger.

*Sophie Goldblum-Flak has joined the Executive Committee as Executive Vice President, Business Transformation, Innovation, Technologies and Sustainable Development.

Ms. Goldblum-Flak, 38, is a graduate of Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Strasbourg and EM Lyon.

After beginning her career at Unilever International Paris, she joined Accenture in 1998, where she became a partner in charge of innovation and sustainable development strategies.

At Accor, she will oversee change management programs to support the Group in the transformation of its businesses, particularly the shift to management and franchise contracts. She will also be in charge of information systems and of integrating new technologies into the hospitality offering, while strengthening the Group’s position as a leader in innovation and sustainable development.

Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees.It offers its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:

• Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Adagio, ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1, hotelF1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Thalassa sea&spa, Lenotre and CWL.
• Prepaid Services, with 32 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and motivation, and expense management.

ORGANIZATION

Accor Group
www.accor.com
Tour Maine Montparnasse, 33, Ave. du Maine
Paris , 75755
France
Phone: +33 (0)1 45 38 86 00
Fax: +33 (0)1 45 38 85 95
Email: comfi@accor.com

Restaurant jobs in London set for boost in 2010

Hospitality Jobs in London are set to be given a lift this year, with the majority of restaurant managers planning to maintain or increase staffing levels in 2010.

According to Business Link's Restaurant Barometer, confidence in the sector is high, with 89 per cent of owners maintaining or adding to their workforce and 57 per cent expecting an increase in takings.

Ashley de Safrin, business adviser for the hospitality sector at Business Link in London, said: "Despite a slow January, prospects are looking up for the restaurant sector. 2010 should give rise to increasing trade through more targeted marketing and innovation by restaurant owners."

The barometer also found that customers are planning to eat out more in 2010, with 83 per cent of respondents saying they plan to visit restaurants the same amount or more than in 2009.

Hotel jobs in London could also be on the up in 2010, with recent figures from TRI Hospitality Consulting forecasting that revenue per available room in the capital will increase by 2.5 per cent in 2010.

World Cup 2010: Nephew Of Robert Mugabe Nets Hospitality Contract

Robert Mugabe's nephew is an official hospitality agent for this summer's World Cup...

Robert Mugabe's nephew, Philip Chiyangwa, will be an official hospitality agent for this summer's 2010 World Cup. Chiyangwa was awarded the contract by FIFA's hospitality partner, Match.

Chiyangwa will sell packages of hotel rooms and match tickets during this summer's tournament. Rumour has it that Mugabe has played a role in the decision to award the contract to Chiyangwa, but the latter has denied any such rumours.

"This looks like some deal between me and Robert Mugabe and FIFA, but that's utter nonsense. Do you think the people at FIFA have contact with politics in Zimbabwe? Would Sepp Blatter talk to Mugabe and say who should we give the contract to? I'm the victim of 'demonisation'," said Chiyangwa to Digger.

Match has revealed that there was no bidding process for the Zimbabwean hospitality contract and stated that FIFA's hospitality partner has not received any payment to award the contract to Chiyangwa.

BA cabin crew strike date delayed

Cabin crew in dispute with British Airways have stepped back from announcing a date for strike action.

 

Instead they have called on the Unite union to try and negotiate a settlement with the airline over crew cuts and changes to working arrangements.

 

Unite members meeting yesterday unanimously backed the work of their negotiating team attempting to resolve the current dispute with the company, the union said.

 

The meeting empowered the union negotiating team to continue their work to reach a settlement in the row, and to propose strike dates for authorisation if it proves impossible to reach such an agreement through negotiation.

 

Unite’s BA cabin crew gave an overwhelming mandate for such action in a ballot.

 

Assistant general secretary Len McCluskey said: “Only negotiation, not intimidation or litigation can keep BA flying.”
 

 

by Phil Davies

Does filling the empty nest make financial sense?

When the children have grown up and moved away, many parents have plans for the rooms that become vacant in the family home.

But it seems that the lack of mouths to feed has ruffled the feathers of these so-called "empty nesters".

Some are turning to the internet to find interesting travellers happy to fill the space.

And a growing number are recognising the earning potential of these unused bedrooms.

Of course, the existence of lodgers is nothing new, but websites are now offering residents the chance to take in travellers more frequently and for just a few days.

Company

Christina Spencer, 52, has four children who are grown up and have moved on.

Many will be thinking about getting a lodger or lodging, especially young professionals who find they have a job in one area and a property elsewhere Matt Hutchinson, Spareroom.co.uk

Her house in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, which she shares with her husband and two cats, has views over the Chilterns and a couple of spare rooms. It has been home for 16 years.

"I work from home, so it is nice to have someone along in the evening," she says.

She advertises a double room with a television and internet access on a website that matches visitors to spare rooms. She charges £20 a night for the room - plus £5 for an evening meal.

"It is pleasant to have somebody there, and a few extra pounds always helps - but money is not the primary motivation," she says.

A sociable visitor with a story or two to tell and who leaves the room neat and tidy is the perfect fit, she says.

While good company - rather than cash - is the stimulus for Mrs Spencer, other homeowners have found that the financial crisis means they are looking for ways close to home to make money.

Some - especially younger homeowners - who bought when it was easy to borrow 100% mortgages and jobs were safer, are now aware that renting out a room can help pay the bills.

According to Mrs Spencer, the internet has proved to be a vital tool in bringing landlord and tenant together - even for just a few nights.

'Low-cost'

Stephen Rapoport lost his City consultancy job, with a six-figure salary, during the recession and decided to turn his "bedroom hobby" into a business venture.

Tracey Emin's bed would be worth more than most

Inspired by his experience in Sydney, when he could not find a hotel room during the Olympics and ended up paying to sleep in a friend's spare room, he set up Crashpadder.com.

The website matches guests to rooms offered by "hospitable locals". It now advertises rooms in 48 countries, including £15-a-night accommodation in London.

Guests search the site for suitable accommodation, the host checks the guest's profile on the website and decides whether to accept the booking - and the Crashpadder team take 10% of the fee for matching them up.

The business - run by a team of three all aged in their 20s - is yet to make a profit, but has won some venture capital backing and, according to Mr Rapoport, is growing by 100% a month.

Far from attracting backpackers and students looking for a cheap place to stay, he says that the average guest is aged 38 and 50% of them are travelling for business.

Most, he says, want to escape "sterile, overpriced and environmentally unsound" hotel rooms, and Mr Rapoport hopes the internet generation will come to the website which is similar in design to a social networking site.

"We have plans for forums and travel guides written by our members," he explains.

Miles Quest, spokesman for the British Hospitality Association, says homestay websites are still so niche that they do not offer a great threat to hotels or guesthouses.

He says the licensed hospitality industry offers more service and more extensive facilities, which make rooms more expensive.

Re-think

How many people really want strangers helping themselves from the fridge and blocking the bathroom in their own home?

Matt Hutchinson, of flatshare website spareroom.co.uk, said that the start of any year was a time when many people considered their domestic arrangements.

"Many will be thinking about getting a lodger or lodging, especially young professionals who find they have a job in one area and a property elsewhere," he says.

"Empty nesters tend to have bigger properties. Rather than downsize they want to use the space and tend to take on younger lodgers.

"They attract people who want to live a family-orientated life."

Handily for these hosts, the UK's tax rules can work in their favour.

People planning to rent out a furnished room in their main residence may be able to claim "rent-a-room" relief.

This means that no tax is payable if the gross rents for the tax year - before deducting expenses - do not exceed £4,250.

But the relief is not automatic and a declaration is still needed on a self-assessment tax return. More details are available in this guide .

There are issues to think about from the guest's point of view, in addition to the obvious consideration of personal safety.

Citizens Advice recently warned people to take greater care when searching for rooms or property online.

Some rogue landlords are requesting that tenants prove they have sufficient money for the rent or a deposit by sending a receipt from a money transfer transaction.

But this receipt would carry sufficient detail for the rogue landlord to withdraw these funds, before the prospective tenant realises that the room or property does not exist.

Finding that the bank account - as well as the nest - is empty could be a financial nightmare.

By Kevin Peachey

Should Your Guest Have "Rights"?

Both guests and hoteliers have the same goal in mind: a great hotel stay.

On the surface a hotel may just be a ‘place to sleep,’ but in truth it is much more than that. It’s a place of intimacy and privacy. It’s a place where customers must have absolute confidence in their surroundings to feel as comfortable as they do in their own home.

Also, aside from feeling at peace, guests seek their expectations to be met or exceeded. Hoteliers, meanwhile, are looking to earn a fair profit while simultaneously winning that customer’s future business. However, without developing trust first, nothing else matters.

Trust propels decision-making, trust allows people to embark on new experiences, and trust is the core relationship fundamental. Without it, folks, we’ve got nothing. But fostering trust is a lot more than just slapping a brand on the front door as proxy for a real promise. It’s a series of already met assurances and pledges. 

So how is a hotel supposed to build upfront trust about the level of service and guest experience that can be expected at a property? GuestRights founder Carl Schneider thinks he has the answer.

This week GuestRights unveiled its Guest Bill of Rights, a list of the top 10 customer service principles its creators feel a hotel should guarantee whenever someone stays at a hotel. The idea is simple: a straightforward list of promises that imbues guests with confidence that the hotel they booked will provide the experience they expect.

The hope is hoteliers will adopt this system as a third-party verification that a guest can rest assured their stay will be smooth, and if any problems do occur they will be resolved accordingly.

“I am a frequent traveler myself and had my share of problems with hotels. And I realized some handle problems better than others,” said Schneider. The idea came to him on a family vacation at a major resort on the Big Island in Hawaii. A predominant reason he booked that trip was because of the hotel’s four hot tubs. But upon arrival all were broken and it cast a pall over the trip.

He felt they made a promise in their sales collateral and felt snookered. “It occurred to me that something like a Guest Bill of Rights should be something hotels should honor and uphold,” he said. “We feel the guest bill of rights is going to provide guests with quality assurance and peace of mind. Hotels can set themselves apart but they can also show their guests they will make all good faith efforts to make their stay as enjoyable as possible.

“These are common sense principals, nothing someone hasn’t thought of before, but I put in a set of standards so guests can know what to expect,” he continued.

The most important of the ‘rights’ is that “Guests have the right to guaranteed reservations,” and “Guests have the right to clearly stated prices and policies.”

One of the biggest points of discontent expressed by guests is hidden fees. Many simply don’t feel they’re adequately disclosed and it creates a negative guest experience while increasing the odds the hotel has lost that guest forever.

“Hidden fees are becoming big in the airline industry and I hope it doesn’t become common. Resorts have questionable fees, too. Many fees are like a test to see if [guests] are paying attention. Most hotels will take them off if you bring it to their attention, but you shouldn’t have to. If they are clearly stated and the guest has had a chance to agree and disagree then it is fair. It is OK to charge what you want but it needs to be clearly disclosed,” said Schneider.

Guaranteed reservations are another point of contention. Schneider feels many guests feel shafted when a specific room type they reserved is not available. “If you reserve an ocean view room you should get an ocean view room. I realize something occasionally unavoidable happens, but hopefully the hotel will do something to make it right,” he said. “Rate, reservation type, discounts and any extra amenities should be honored.”

Schneider also said each of the Rights was written to be appropriately vague to make it easy for all hotels – no matter their classified category -- to be able to agree to them. But they still set standards for what a guest should expect.

1. Guests have the right to guaranteed reservations.
Reservations will include room type and will be available at the rates quoted. All approved discounts and other offers will be honored. Rooms will be ready at the stated time of check-in.

2. Guests have the right to clearly stated prices and policies.   
There will be no hidden fees or charges. Basic amenities will be offered at no extra charge. Prices for food and all additional products and services will be reasonable.   

3. Guests have the right to clean hotel rooms.   
Rooms will be regularly cleaned and kept to the highest standards.   

4. Guests have the right to well-maintained hotel rooms.   
All features, amenities and utilities will be in good working order. These include all televisions, lighting, electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning (where appropriate), among others.   

5. Guests have the right to clean and well-maintained facilities.   
All advertised features and amenities will be in good working order and available for guest use. Restaurants, grounds, and other common areas will be well-maintained and clean.   

6. Guests have the right to a satisfying dining experience.   
Food will be fresh and well-prepared. Restaurant and room service will be prompt and courteous.   

7. Guests have the right to be safe and secure.   
Reasonable measures will be taken to provide a safe and secure environment for guests and their belongings.   

8. Guests have the right to be treated with the utmost respect.   
Staff members will be well-trained and will make every effort to respond to guest inquiries accurately and in a timely and courteous manner.   

9. Guests have the right to have all reasonable requests honored.   
If a room is unacceptable to a guest for any reason, a good faith effort
will be made to move the guest to a room that meets the guest's satisfaction.
Efforts will be made to satisfy every guest in all other areas as well.   

10. Guests have the right to have all complaints properly addressed.   

A good faith effort will be made to promptly resolve all complaints and customer service issues in accordance with generally accepted good hospitality practices and to the satisfaction of the guest, whenever possible.  

By: Glenn Hausman

Source: Hotel Interaktive