Karen Stephens: Hi and welcome everybody to the Resort Second podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Leader Earnings Officer of Revinate. And as of late I’m excited to be joined by means of Tobias Koehler, who’s the Leader Industrial Officer for BIG MAMA Resorts. Hello Tobias. How are you?
Tobias Koehler: Hello Karen. Thanks for having me. I’m excellent. How are you?
Karen Stephens: I’m superb. I’m so excited to look you. We’ve, we’ve had a previous historical past along side every other manufacturers that you just labored for, maximum particularly Ruby Resorts in Germany, and I’ve all the time regarded as you any person who’s at the vanguard, the vanguard of more or less the virtual transformation inside of hospitality. So it’s a real excitement.
Tobias Koehler: Thanks such a lot. That is in point of fact more or less you.
Karen Stephens: Oh, very good. After all, after all. So ahead of we get going, I’ve a couple of questions that I ask all of my visitors simply to heat us up. So I’ve were given 5 questions. They’re in point of fact simple, you’ll know the entire solutions, so we’ll get started with the primary one, which was once, when did you get started running within the hospitality business, and do you consider your first day at the task?
Tobias Koehler: Smartly, I in point of fact needed to, to consider it as a result of I already got to work, um, within the hospitality business right through my college time as a result of sooner or later, we made up our minds to make– we wish to make a commute with out lecturers, with out oldsters or anything else. So I stated, ok, let’s simply arrange it ourselves. And so I put in combination a snowboarding commute for, yeah, to begin with, 20 colleagues of mine and pals. And this has grown over time to an tournament with as much as 120 folks and I constructed my very own, uh, reserving site in 2001.
Karen Stephens: Oh my gosh.
Tobias Koehler: And that’s how I, yeah, began to be told. I in point of fact like to create reviews and likewise mixed with generation. And since I’m in fact in point of fact lazy, so I all the time wish to make it simple for myself and, the use of generation for that’s tremendous useful and, yeah, saves me a large number of time.
Karen Stephens: That’s nice. So the combo of generation and visitor enjoy. That’s best.
Tobias Koehler: Easy. Yeah. And from that on, I, I all the time attempted to, yeah, paintings in bars and, um, came upon, yeah, tournament control is lovely cool. And, yeah, took some internships at a, airline as an example, and, sought after to be told extra. That’s why I studied tourism control in my grasp’s stage as neatly. And yeah, by hook or by crook, stopped, uh, on the motels and yeah, came upon that is in point of fact a great spot to, to paintings and, for me, mixed such a lot of issues with, hospitality, generation and, um, yeah.
Karen Stephens: That’s nice. That’s very good. K. Query quantity 2. What was once probably the most uplifting second up to now on your occupation?
Tobias Koehler: Oh yeah, there have been such a lot of loopy moments and um, such a lot of reviews. And what I discovered for myself is that opening a brand new lodge is all the time very particular, particularly, you realize, when you get thinking about the place you’ll in fact position a lodge or, uh, the place you’ll signal a lodge and get started with the preliminary be offering and cross into, uh, the development web page, after which seeing it full of folks, full of the furnishings and, the primary visitor arriving.
That is tremendous particular. And, yeah, for me additionally very attention-grabbing and related with, construction, um, new generation. Um, issues within the background. Like as an example, uh, at Ruby, we switched to a, a brand new PMS which was once a venture of virtually 3 years, and till we had a rollout, rolled out for all the ones motels.
And it’s nice to create one thing after which seeing it’s delivered to lifestyles. Um, or being full of lifestyles, with the visitors, as an example.
Karen Stephens: Sure, the ones are large initiatives, in order that’s thrilling. Um, we do so much over right here at Revinate as neatly. So the massive, giant venture launches, which require a large number of coordination throughout a large number of groups. Yeah, that’s thrilling. K, so the 3rd query. That is extra non-public now. So what’s the maximum putting enjoy up to now relating to a private meals enjoy or vacation or keep?
Tobias Koehler: Yeah, that may be a in point of fact excellent query as a result of, um, I traveled so much, and since I like touring, I like experiencing different cultures and, um, had some stops at some superb motels in my previous. Additionally, I love to suppose again to the Honeymoon Resort the place we stayed in roads on, uh, on an island in Greece. Alternatively, what struck me probably the most is the hospitality that individuals give to their visitors that don’t have a lot. Like, as an example, I, what I skilled in Cambodia or Indonesia, the place, I used to be, uh, in instances ahead of Airbnb, yeah, there was once, there was once, um, a platform referred to as Sofa Browsing. And, um, I used to be, uh, hosted by means of a pleasant individual. And he confirmed me round. He introduced me to his relatives amassing. He, he introduced me to a rite, uh, which was once superior, and so uplifting to look with how little issues, superb reviews can also be created. And um, yeah, that is one thing we generally tend to overlook with all the ones subject matter gorgeous, glossy issues we, we now have.
And, um, thanks for bringing again this reminiscence.
Karen Stephens: Yeah. And the place was once this in Indonesia? The place was once it in Bali?
Tobias Koehler: That was once in, in Bali, proper. In, uh, close to Ubud.
Karen Stephens: Sure. Ah, that’s a paranormal a part of the planet. What a groovy tale. That’s nice. K, so quantity 4. Have you ever met any celebrities whilst you’ve been within the trenches running in motels?
Tobias Koehler: Smartly, realizing you, you’re from the U.S. you, you may now not know them.
Karen Stephens: K. That’s ok. We will take it.
Tobias Koehler: They’re, so that they’re, they’re, they’re, soccer avid gamers. Uh, football, uh, you can say.
Karen Stephens: Yeah, we now have a, you realize what? We’ve an workplace in Amsterdam and a large number of Ecu shoppers, so let’s cross.
Tobias Koehler: SLo I met, so I met Lothar Matthäus and Rudy Feller, which might be, um, I believe they, they received the, uh, international Championship in 1990, uh, right through my time at Jumeirah and Frankfurt, the place we hosted them. And, um, yeah, the place I had a, the place I did have a handy guide a rough chat with them and was once more or less shy, but additionally annoyed as a result of they have been in point of fact small compared to what I used to be anticipating from the, the images at the TV and so forth.
Karen Stephens: Oh wow. K. Very cool. That’s great. All proper, neatly, we’ll give a shout-out to all of our Ecu visitors who’re inspired or inspired by means of that, in order that’s excellent. K. After which the final query, who’re the ladies at paintings you’ve got been maximum, impressed by means of?
Tobias Koehler: Excellent query, and I in point of fact love that you just’re, uh, looking to display feminine individuals in, in our business in point of fact make a distinction. And for me, um, I didn’t need to suppose lengthy about this, uh, is, Isabella Owen, which is or was once my Director of Gross sales and Advertising and marketing right through my time in at Jumeirah. And I discovered such a lot, uh, from her relating to advertising, branding, but additionally learn how to hustle. You already know, after I idea, “I’m getting up so early as of late, no one else is within the workplace. I’ll be the primary one.”, she was once already sitting there. And, since, yeah, Jumeirah was once principally my first lodge task. I in point of fact had a large number of questions and I will consider they weren’t all the time the neatest, and he or she all the time took the time to, um, provide an explanation for me the whole lot.
And, yeah, it in point of fact made a distinction. And within the, relating to pondering, relating to, um, learn how to means advertising and, I’ve been taking a large number of that from that have. And yeah, there’s such a lot of different girls I’ve labored with, it’s, it’s laborious to say all of them. I do wish to point out additionally Anna Hoyer. Um, she’s the CEO if you are going to, from, the HSMA affiliation in Germany. She’s doing this kind of nice task in bringing in combination the business. She’s all the time tremendous certain and, and a perfect sensible mind. Um, yeah, I discovered additionally so much from her learn how to counter laborious reviews or um, not-so-friendly folks in an overly certain approach.
Karen Stephens: Yeah, international relations. That’s proper, that’s proper. Wow. And we’ve surely observed our justifiable share of, of attention-grabbing instances, specifically within the DACH area, you realize, now not best with Covid, however now with the whole lot that’s happening with with heating bills and their power and all of that. So, and we’re gonna communicate somewhat bit about HSMA right here in a minute, however ahead of we get onto that, I wanna discuss BIG MAMA Resorts. Cuz, to begin with, I like the identify. I imply, proper out of the gate, what a logo, however are you able to let us know somewhat bit about what the logo is, and the place the motels are, and all that excellent stuff?
Tobias Koehler: Positive. Uh, so, I joined BIG MAMA Resorts about one and a part years in the past, and, um, David, one of the crucial founders, um, approached me as a result of he desires to, um, develop. And with BIG MAMA Resorts–BIG MAMA is a Berlin-founded relatives lodge in fact. In order that they, they have been based in 2013, principally with the theory to make a hostel and lodge out of this construction right here in a possibly not-so-friendly group in Berlin, and let’s take it from there. And, yeah, what they’ve created is a in point of fact cool position to, to get in combination, to enjoy a in point of fact excellent time as a result of, what’s on the vanguard of the whole lot in, in there, is the enjoy with folks.
the design of where may be very attention-grabbing. Um, you get a large number of impressions, uh, within the public spaces, uh, the place you’ll discuss. However you meet such a lot of nice folks ranging from the receptionists over to the housekeepers. Everyone has their very own tale to inform and are so pleasant and satisfied to proportion their non-public reviews with you as a visitor within the vacation spot.
And 2019, they, um, took over some other lodge in Leipzig, which is in Jap Germany. And simply this 12 months we opened some other lodge in Dortmund, in Jap Germany. A few of you may know the, um, soccer membership, Borussia Dortmund.
Karen Stephens: K. Very cool. Yeah, neatly I’ve to mention Berlin is considered one of my favourite towns simply cuz it’s so cool and eclectic. And I’ve had the honour of being there more than one instances for ITB, which expectantly it’s again this 12 months–ITB Berlin. I’m hoping it’s gonna be an enormous display. We’re in point of fact excited to be there yeah, however what a perfect town. It’s, it’s all hours. It’s a large number of nice folks. So I will see how um, a lodge that’s a lodge hostel, you realize, a large number of other types of folks coming via can be a in point of fact nice enjoy.
Tobias Koehler: Yeah. Yeah. And the identify on its own is, uh, derived from David’s mom, uh, Clarissa. She’s, uh, the OG “giant mama”, if you are going to.
Karen Stephens: That’s so cool.
Tobias Koehler: That began with a nickname, you realize, um, she’s, uh, having, uh, around the nook of the lodge there’s additionally, uh, ho, house for aged folks, which she controlled. And, her nickname is, Large Mama and, whilst they have been brainstorming in regards to the identify of the lodge, and requested such a lot of folks, sooner or later you simply made up our minds, let’s simply name it BIG MAMA.
Karen Stephens: I like it. Smartly right here, shout out to Clarissa, the, the OG giant mama. I like it. I like it. K, so that you discussed ahead of the Hospitality Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Affiliation, so HSMA in Germany. Are you able to give our listeners a greater concept of what sort of paintings HSMA does and why hoteliers will have to have HSMA of their toolkits.
Tobias Koehler: Positive. So HSMA is an affiliation, uh, the place you’ll get a member, uh, or develop into a member and, be a part of, sharing wisdom and, bringing wisdom to, to our business. Um, the wonderful thing about HSMA is I believe, that now not best motels sure, uh, can develop into a member, but additionally, um, companions from the business.
Like I do know that Revinate, as an example, is a spouse as neatly, and is a part of HSMA, and HSMA, uh, lifts maximum of it from the occasions, and bringing folks in combination. Um, as an example, on the once a year HSMA day, while a large, congress, um, with attention-grabbing keynotes, with, uh, workshops, with a wide variety of, um, details about the business, about generation.
And, what we’re looking to do is, um, accumulate wisdom and to everyone. And that’s possibly a very powerful factor to grasp, um, Germany or the German-speaking spaces, additionally in Austria and, uh, Switzerland is, pushed by means of small and medium-sized, lodge firms reasonably than in america, so far as I do know, maximum of them are giant manufacturers. And all the ones small chains, all the ones family-run companies, they in point of fact want some extra enter relating to generation, relating to learn how to do gross sales, possibly relating to learn how to do advertising or only a position to replace data, to replace concepts. And, that’s the place HSMA brings everyone in combination.
Karen Stephens: I simply sought after to mention, you realize, I believe this is so necessary as a result of you realize, as we more or less highlighted on the most sensible of this, you’ve had a, a deep love for generation from the soar in addition to reviews in, in hospitality. However a large number of, while you’re speaking about smaller to medium-sized, both unmarried motels or smaller teams, in some spaces they’re in point of fact simply hospitality targeted.
They may well be relatives operated, so that they haven’t had sufficient publicity. And to have a company the place you’ve were given spouse motels that may are available in and perform a little schooling, and naturally, distributors are there as neatly. However, you realize, I believe hoteliers wanna have the entire scope.
And I do know that you just lately gave a presentation there. Are you able to communicate somewhat bit in regards to the, the e-newsletter that you just did in the course of the group about digitization and entering that trendy position?
Tobias Koehler: So, so what, what we’ve, put in combination, uh, right through the final, uh, 3, 4 years are so-called “skilled circles”-uh, the place we attempt to accumulate mavens, as an example, from HR, from gross sales, from distribution, e-commerce. And one section may be the skilled crew generation that I’m a part of.
And what we’ve been running on over the past 12 months or part 12 months is, a venture that we name “again workplace automation”, the place we wish to put a focal point at the normal digitization of this time, now not the buyer, visitor, or the visitor adventure, reasonably than what’s going down at the back of the lodge. Like what’s going down in HR, what’s going down in housework, and so forth, and the way can digitization lend a hand to strengthen processes and, uh, prices or, um, a number of different issues as neatly.
Karen Stephens: Yeah. And that’s nice. And I believe what was once attention-grabbing when I used to be more or less going in the course of the presentation itself is this in point of fact improves now not best the potency of the lodge, but additionally the delight of the workforce. Proper? As it is helping to eiminate one of the crucial monotonous tasked issues that they’re doing and transfer that into extra, you realize, I believe they may focal point extra at the extra amusing portions in their task, which need to do with visitors.
Tobias Koehler: Completely. That is, that is one thing, I believe Covid taught us the laborious approach, that, we wish to make house for our colleagues to in point of fact care for the visitors, to take care, or to, benefit from the amusing a part of our jobs higher. And, additionally having a look at, um, what number of people left our business right through the ones laborious instances. Other people don’t have an excessive amount of time on their arms anymore, and it is helping to have a look at all the ones processes, and learn how to lead them to more uncomplicated, to lead them to possibly sooner, or to even get rid of them with the assistance of generation.
Karen Stephens: Completely. Completely. So I do know that we’re, we’re speaking so much about, you realize, even simply fundamental tech adoption, which is one thing all of us hope to come back alongside, convey in the course of the business, however then, you realize, it’s converting very speedy, and getting very complicated in no time. So the place do you suppose AI is gonna take us within the new international? So possibly communicate somewhat bit about what AI is, after which the place do you notice that going, as we begin to more or less come into 2023 and past?
Tobias Koehler: Excellent query. I imply, um, that is the subject of the 12 months I’d say or since, uh, and even final 12 months since ChatGPT, um, was once launched. And everyone’s now speaking about, uh, OpenAI. Now all the ones crypto guys have one thing new to discuss. And, what I in point of fact respect is how everyone’s in point of fact concentrating now on how can AI in fact lend a hand us.
Sure, there are some individuals who wondering the entire position of AI usually. Alternatively, let’s briefly take a look at what AI can do for us within the lodge business. So, synthetic intelligence is one thing that may be told from patterns, that may be told from textual content, that may be told from a wide variety of enter and create their very own concepts out of it. So if we’re having a look at our business within the lodge business, and in addition to, at the loss of workforce, we will be able to, as an example, have such a lot of cool, um, makes use of of AI. Um, let’s simply say once we communicate in regards to the again workplace, um, in earnings control, as an example–AI can simply determine, and I do know that one of the crucial, um, earnings control techniques already do that, um, at what date, um, there’s a top call for, and possibly to lift costs, or to possibly do one thing, um, for a distinct goal crew. And likewise relating to CRM to then, if the earnings control device realizes, “hiya, we do have a necessity of, extra bookings right through this and that point?”, possibly ask the AI to create a e-newsletter about this.
So possibly just a individual like the selling division or um, can take a look at it and say, “yeah, that sounds excellent.” Perhaps right here and there somewhat tweak, after which opt for it and ship out a e-newsletter that’s– as an example, something, uh, we’re recently making an attempt, with BIG MAMA to use ChatGPT, and create e-newsletter centered to other goal teams. Additionally, have it create touchdown pages which can be matching
Karen Stephens: Customized.
Tobias Koehler: …what is claimed within the, within the e-newsletter. Precisely. And, for me, as recently, since we’re at BIG MAMA as an example, running on a, an overly lean construction, that means that we’re best 2 guys in advertising these days, and operating 3 motels, and feature a large number of different issues at the plate, this is helping us so much, uh, to show. So we recreate already some activates, that the factitious intelligence already can write in some way that we might. No longer best, uh, does it point out, yeah, do that, and that, and that; it says, it says no matter it has to mention in our tone of voice that we created for a BIG MAMA and with each and every different advised, with each and every different tweak, we inform it, it’s getting higher and higher.
And so, we save a large number of time. Additionally, as an example, uh, what we’re the use of it for is, these days, we’re translating our site to French. And sure, we did have any person translate it to French, however the individual didn’t, um, translate sale related, um, tags,as an example, or key phrases or, the sentence this is proven then in Google while you seek for, I don’t know, BIG MAMA Resorts crew bookings. And that’s the place ChatGPT is helping us to create a, a duplicate for one thing in, in seconds, which I must make my thoughts up, uh, for somewhat bit longer.
Karen Stephens: Proper. Yeah. Yeah. It takes a minute. Wow. This is in point of fact thrilling. This what I’m speaking about. You’re at the vanguard. You’re in point of fact state of the art with these things. And I stated it ahead of, jokingly once we talked a couple of years in the past, that, you realize, you could have a task at Revinate at some point. I’m simply announcing when you ever, when you ever wanna come to the darkish facet, come into generation over right here. Uh, we additionally leverage a large number of system finding out and AI and feature a large number of thrilling issues coming. As you stated, it’s thrilling as a result of a large number of those platforms are open now, so when you, you realize, when you’re now not afraid to more or less soar in and roll up your sleeves and, and, and tinker round, you realize, you’ll get a large number of issues achieved.
Tobias Koehler: Precisely. That’s, that’s the principle level. I’d recommend to everyone to only mess around. Check out issues out. You’ll’t damage anything else. That’s what I’m telling my colleagues. At all times. within the instances of, backups or whatnot, it’s in point of fact laborious to damage issues, and I’d reasonably restore one thing, by hook or by crook, uh, than you didn’t check it.
And, um, so. Yeah, I believe this is one thing that are supposed to be achieved by means of much more. No longer all the time announcing, “yeah, I don’t have time to check out this new factor.” It’s all the time excellent to check out new issues. Sure, infrequently it’s a waste of time, however, um, from my enjoy, you, all the time be told impartial of the consequences in fact. After which, you realize, it’s not anything for you.
Karen Stephens: Proper. Precisely. Yeah. A minimum of you realize what you’re doing. You already know, it’s attention-grabbing cuz I believe everyone is so busy, but when we carve out time in our day to suppose strategically or you realize, simply get a while away to, you realize, out of what you do day by day, and check and check out and poke round And, and likewise search out organizations like HSMA, whether or not you’re within the DACH area, or in different areas, discovering organizations the place you’ve got colleagues—folks on your box who’re prepared to proportion that data. It’s in point of fact value your time.
Tobias Koehler: Completely. No, I believe, um, that’s precisely the purpose we’re, we’re now not competing, um, in those phrases. And I believe there are sufficient visitors in the market. Uh, so we will be able to best be told from each and every different. And, um, it’s all the time nice to, as a result of I’m in point of fact tremendous all the ones issues, and I’m making an attempt them out. And it’s all the time additionally excellent to then speak about this with folks, and so they’re like, “Howdy, have you considered uh, phrases, I don’t know, privateness or one thing? Perhaps now not, however excellent that you just’re imagining it!”
Karen Stephens: Yeah.
Tobias Koehler: Yeah.
Karen Stephens: I like it. I like it. Smartly, hiya Tobias, this has been superior. So, so simply so our listeners know, the place can they in finding additional information on BIG MAMA Resorts? What’s the URL for that?
Tobias Koehler: So discuss with us on, uh, bigmamahotels.com or sign up for us on Instagram. That’s our maximum energetic channel there. And, hit us up on LinkedIn. I believe all people are satisfied to reply to any more or less questions or succeed in, uh, out to anything else. Um, it’ll be nice to stick involved.
Karen Stephens: Completely. This has been a satisfaction. Thanks such a lot Tobias, and I want you, a perfect 2023 and feature amusing in Berlin at ITB. Hope to look everyone there.
Tobias Koehler: Yeah, thanks.
Karen Stephens: Completely, thanks.
Tobias Koehler: Thanks for having me. Bye-bye.
