An Asian lady-Mrs Ong, who owns the COMO group, dedicated and wondering business woman who traveled a lot throughout the world was not really content with the London's most popular hotels. By 1991 Mrs Ong acquired already had well established fashion business because of which she traveled quite often to London. In 1991, in one of her appointments to London she discovers a building in Central London with perfect location is for sale. Immediately she chooses to buy this building and turns into fantastic hotel which Halkin Hotel as a result becomes an gain access to for the COMO hotels and Resorts (Group Handbook, 2009). Thus starting her business to gratify her expectations on her trips to London she develops a fresh business which fulfils the needs of higher goals.
According to COMO reports of 2010 COMO hotels and resorts includes three hotels (and 18 aprtments in Metropolitan Hotel), two resorts, two umas and one shambala estate. Two of the hotels are situated in London and one in Bangkok. Parrot Cay (Turks&Caicos) and Coco Irelands (The Maldives) are very unique resorts of COMO. But the key differentiator of COMO from some other hotels and resorts is its Umas(Uma Ubud(Bali) and Uma Paro(Bhutan)) and COMO Shambala Property at Bagawan Giri(Bali) (Market share statistics 2010). Using its distinguishing business strategy COMO hotel &resorts has been able to attain uniqueness among its competitors within the last few years.
Three hotels which can be located in active metropolitan areas are developed to catch the attention of guest who travel to big towns for businesses. Because of this Sales and Marketing office of COMO hotels and resorts is located in London and correspondent office in Bangkok. These three five star hotels which can be located in hart of the busy cities is the way how COMO attracts its customers. The primary strategy of COMO is to create Resorts in the most rural, wild and strange places of the world (COMO hotels and resorts, 2010).
Focused differentiation strategies in Hotel industry looks for to provide high recognized service benefits justifying a considerable price high grade product and are usually heavily branded and provide benefits not the same as those of its rivals and that are widely valued by customers (Gerry et al, 2006). Implying this reality, due to its unique strategy and method of its customers COMO can be known as as a differentiator in Hotel and hotel industry.
Each COMO hotel and vacation resort is completely different, but it isn't difficult to identify the most common aspect. As an owner of the group Mrs Ong gives a huge attention to the wellness and health, as well as style. For example in Vital reports of COMO hotels and resorts (2010), Shambhala described as a health idea that has been built as centers of wellbeing at all estates. These include COMO's city hotel spas, known as COMO Shambhala Urban Escapes, as well as COMO Shambhala Retreats at the business's private islands and Uma resorts. Shambhala Yoga Centre in Singapore trains yoga instructors and therapists to be able to create personalized, holistic alternatives for the precise needs of different friends. It really is a consultative rather than prescriptive methodology, allowing consultants to respond to clients over a one-by-one, day-by-day basis. They illustrate the best of ancient Asian traditions and, where it is appropriate, more aged techniques are combined with Western enhancements. Bodywork is also another essential factor of the COMO Shambhala experience. In any way properties, yoga facilities are available. In addition, COMO Shambhala maintains on-going interactions with key medical researchers, including nutritionists. COMO Shambhala cuisine, available at practically all properties, targets energizing and organic and natural products. The difference of the products is the emphasis paid on organic ingredients (more easily digested as well as richer in vitamins and sea minerals) is coupled with old Asian influences. COMO Shambhala also produces a range of pores and skin and body care products, which is manufactured out of all-natural elements (available in-room at every property), together with an Active Living clothing collection (COMO hotels and resorts Vital information, 2010).
COMO Hotels and Resorts is developed by a distinctive Asian spirit: a peaceful commitment to servicing customers to be able to ensure their period of time with pleasure. In unlike many hotels COMO will try not to make a hotel like their home, instead it strives to bring the culture, along with all the current aspects of the united states to make sure that friends will remember the lodge as unforgettable. This aspect, interest and reliability makes each stay exclusive by defining not merely the service norms however the hart of each property. All this explained by the substance of the destination which can be within food, structures, and just how COMO helps friends to explore and go through the sightseeing's of the place. Because of these facts whether it's a private island in the sea or a hotel at the heart of UK, COMO Hotels and Resorts - an award being successful, an exclusive company - has learned how to make thoughts of the friends previous forever (COMO hotels and resorts, 2010).
Internal and External analysis
Chart 1:
Source: Gerry J, Kevan S, Richard W, "Exploring Corporate Strategy", texts and situations, (2006), pp. 64.
The Chart 1 gives a clear view of frameworks for understanding the environment of COMO hotels and resorts with the purpose of assisting to identify the key issues and ways of conquering the challengers and problems. There are a great number of factors which influence COMO hotels and resorts, but mainly for the right assumptions and good evaluation it's important to investigate those aspects by dividing them into interior and external factors. External- in other words environmental and competitive analysis-aim to recognize opportunities and threats which affects this company. Alternatively internal analyses seek to recognize advantages and weaknesses a COMO is facing in current competitive and challenging business environment.
Environmental (PESTEL) Examination.
COMO Hotels and Resorts is rivalling in the hospitality industry, which includes been effected enormously by the impact of battle, terrorism attacks, politics instability and visa legislation as well as economic turmoil like 2009th market meltdown. Additionally it is affected by technologies and globalization as well as environment.
By using PESTEL platform COMO Hotels and Resorts can categorize environmental affects into six main varieties: political, inexpensive, social, technical, environmental and legal. PESTEL provides a comprehensive set of affects on the possible success or failure of the strategy of COMO Hotels and resorts. Many of these factors are associated together which explains why it is crucial to identify the main element drivers for change. And these key drivers for change will be the high-impact factors more likely to have an effect on significantly the success or inability of strategy(Gerry et al, 2006).
COMO Hotels and Resorts methodology considers the impact on the economies, cultures, environment and areas of each destination in which it operates. Promises to sustainability is inlayed in the essential COMO commitment to passion, creativity and style. Creating unforgettable trip experiences for guests go as well as rewarding employees to increase their potential, targeted stewardship and adding to the local overall economy (COMO hotels and resorts, 2010).
Political/Legal Factors
As a worldwide Industry COMO is greatly affected by political factors of the united states where it manages. It really is comprehensible that visa polices effect significantly on COMO's sales. For instance it is more challenging to obtain visa to Bali making Uma less attractive for its friends. Nowadays people do not really want to complete extra paperwork and await results. All the Resorts and Umas as well as real estate is located either in higher mountains or in islands which narrows its customer segmentation to a luxury trip and leisure seeking guests. For example to visit Coco Irelands where one of the famous resorts is located a guest will need to feel extra paperwork proposed by the governments which influences the visitor decision to go to the resort. As COMO operates in several countries it is vital to invest in to the governmentally stable country. Another reason for that is the cost of closure of the business enterprise; this is because of costly possessions. Taxation is another aspect of consideration for any global company. Based on the experience of some guests, some grievance that these were charged higher duty on their third trip to Uma Ubud, but this is because of the governmental taxation guidelines which will not necessarily have an impact on COMO but discourages the trust of the clients (Trip Advisor, 2009).
Economical
Last time has been especially difficult for the tourism, hospitality and travel industry. War in Iraq, the rise of oil prices, the outbreak of different flu viruses because of which vacationing was limited or dangerous to some destinations has already established a devastating influence on the global hospitality industry. Those factors combined with the domestic situation in the united kingdom, such as credit crunch, a declination in consumer spending, the poor job and closure of many businesses made the last year very challenging for businesses.
As the monetary downturn is just a little picking right up, the hospitality and travel industry benefits from increased business journeys. And objectives for a more favorable hospitality and travel establishments are in sight and are proclaimed by various resources for the 2010.
According to the Profit and Loss assertion of COMO Hotels and Resorts for 2009 RevPAR has generally declined for 2. 3% but expected Profit and Reduction statement in 2010 2010 looks more healthy than this past year with 1, 2% upsurge in RevPAR.
Merrill Lynch analysts (10/30/2009) think that the hotel industry has strike the lowest characters of present lodging circuit which is disillusioned for an enormous rebound due to increasing demand, because of this of the strengthen economy, as well as very low resource growth over the next a few years. These results therefore should result in strong RevPAR. And accompanied by the improvement of RevPAR, RC(return on capital), ROCE and overall hotel analysis is often used.
According to the Ghassan Aidi, Leader of International Hotels & Restaurant Association, notes on U. N. World Tourism Group Resilience Committee conference in Berlin on September 2008, almost in parallel with currency markets turmoil, occupancy at luxury hotels start to go down 6% then 14% in October. Furthermore he mentioned RevPAR in '09 2009 dropped by 17% for luxury market while as it was mentioned above COMO Hotels and Resorts could keep its business in -2. 3%.
Moreover Mr Ghassan Aidi (2009) concludes his speech mentioning that in general 2009 and early on part of 2010 will be challenging for hotel industry, but he also thinks that hospitality industry all together must become positive and explore infinite opportunities. "Please understand that our industry is the most significant employer in the history and use more than 950 million of employees and we will be the last barrier and the major fighter against global poverty" says Mr Ghassan Aidi on his statement.
Social and Environmental
COMO has been trading and paying huge attention to the environmental factors such as global warming, poverty and discrimination.
For example COMO groundwork is specially designed program to support nonprofit organizations that tries to boost lives of women and young ladies. Without any geographical limitations to the building blocks portfolio COMO was able to grant jobs such as professional medical, skill development and education (COMO hotels and resorts, 2010).
COMO has integrated different recycling jobs in its hotels and resorts. Metropolitan Hotel in London was given as the best environmental caring hotel of 2009 (Staff handbook, 2010).
Technological Factors
To obtain bigger market talk about and to increase client satisfaction, hotels and resorts are constantly trying to offer high-tech technology. In the past few years have shown huge effects on telephone income and an elevated demand for high speed Access to the internet throughout hotels and resorts (Phillip et. al, 20/11/2003).
The overall change in customer arranging patterns was influenced by the way customers are looking, reviewing and choosing hotels and resorts. Travel companies such as Travelodge have increased their large market talk about and are carrying on to change the existing status of the market. It is not difficult to see how travel companies who offer vocational plans which include accommodation, airfare and vehicles are growing within the last couple of years, but at the same time this afflicted negatively on earnings in the hospitality. Furthermore Internet review web-sites such as interdependent hotel review webpages like www. cntraveller. com has impacted on customer's choice and decisions. Online scheduling is quickly increasing due to customers behavioral changes.
Moreover inexpensive changes persuaded Hotels and Resorts to put into action cost cutting techniques. On the next part of the report technical changes which can be effecting COMO hotels and resorts will be talked about more briefly.
SWOT analysis
The key 'tactical announcements' from business environment and tactical ability can be summarized by means of SWOT analysis. Matching to Mintzberg (1998, p. 406) SWOT evaluation summarizes the key issues from the business environment and the proper capability of an organization that are most likely to effect on strategy development. The aim of these analyses is to recognize the degree to that your current advantages and weaknesses can be applied to, and with the capacity of, simultaneously interacting with the threats and taking advantage of the opportunities in the hospitality industry. COMO business structure and development as SWOT research important talents and weaknesses within the industry and illustrates valuable opportunities and threats the hotel is facing currently:
Strengths
COMO has gain a good reputation from its existing customers
There is continuous upgrading of COMO management
Perfect and unique hotel locations
Differentiating facilities
Great hotel service and high customer value
Cultural staff/personnel relations with guests
Very popular restaurants located in each hotels and resorts
COMO shambala health treatments
Small chain which means better and easier management
COMO Foundation
Weaknesses
Lack of income maximization from other resources like for example, meetings and wedding locations revenues
Low employment over head revenue
Lack of differentiation of reception from other hotels
Difficulties to attain target customers
Tough visa rules in a few locations of the resorts
Lack of self owned or operated online sales channels
Opportunities
The existence of enough basic facilities to improve quality
Technological innovation
Refresh of hotel operators
The upsurge in sales anticipated to customer loyalty
The capability to be reliable as knowledge curve is changing
Customer Growth
Enhancement of Brand Name
Threats
Presence of better market positioning by hotel rivals
Constantly bringing up and tough competition because all the Hotels are positioned in big cities
Economic slowdown that could obstruct hotel development
Implementation of newer technology tools by other hotels
Unsuitable environment for keeping loyal customers
Change in Technology
Changes happen all over the world, each and every minute there is something invented or better and this business lead to the actual fact that nowadays life can't be dreamed without technology. Some companies use technology in some area of the production procedure, while others consist complete from technology and hugely depend on it. Among the hugely determined by technology and changes within scientific industry is hospitality industry. Beginning with achieving and making reservations for guests, completely till making the clients loyal requires technology. The next paragraphs of this report highlight most significant inventions and installations of technology in the COMO hotels and resorts.
Technological influences on plans and decision making
Starting from 1980s, strategy management scholars started to recognize technology as an important aspect of business explanation and competitive strategy. (Robert Burgelman, 2004). For instance Porter observes that technology has become the dominant factors that determine the rules of competition. But relating to one prescriptive institution of strategy is the fact that general managers need not have backgrounds in knowledge or IT, nonetheless they do need to get significant effort in understanding how to understand the technologies important with their business. But the most crucial fact for CEOs in todays constantly changing technical world is their capacity to frame the main element strategic questions in relation to technology (Robert Burgelman, 2004). The hyperlink between common competitive strategies and technological strategies is described in details below in Chart 1.
Chart 1
Technological Insurance policies and Common Competitive Strategy
Generic Strategy
Product technical change
Overall cost leadership
Overall
differentiation
Focus segment
Cost leadership
Focus segment
differentiation
Technological Policies
COMO's new product offer to reduce product/service cost by decreasing materials content.
COMO's product development to improve product quality
COMO's product development to create enough performance for the segment's needs
COMO's new product offer to meet the needs of this business segment request.
Process technological
change
COMO's process development to improve economies of scale
COMO's process development to support greater quality control, faster response
COMO's process development to tune development to portion needs in order to lower cost
COMO's process development to tune the development to portion needs in order to improve performance.
Source: Burgelman R. , Christensen C. , Wheelwright S. , 2004, "Strategic management of technology and innovation"
Being global means a lot of communication and quick react to the changes. Having properties in various parts of the globe is very hard to control without standardized property os's. The finance department in all of the properties of COMO uses the same system which in its change enables brain office to raised control the money of the business. All COMO hotels and resort's bank or investment company trades exceeding 10. 000 pounds are being prepared by head office in UK. Because of technology this procedure is reached high outcomes, because of this of the availability of the internet any resorts or Umas anytime can check the backup of the invoice and send to the top office. After this head office analyses the invoice and techniques repayment to the beneficiary with respect to the resort or hotel.
Effectiveness of COMO's response to improve in technology
COMO is constantly trying to be the first of new technological advancements on the market. Regarding to Mr Orchard-regional standard manager-a company's durability and competitive gain is its potential to constantly revise and match technology. Mr orchared says: "We could actually identify ourselves because of the passion, imagination and style. But the key behind this theory is our capacity to be first in launching new technical changes to our guests".
COMO hotels and resorts have integrated different technological advancements and those are being explored to increase its facilities within the lodge. For instance, Metropolitan was the first hotel in London who offered free cellular internet within the hotel. Additionally it's the first hotel in London who installed 42" and 32" smooth screen TV in all its bedrooms. And yes it offers vary products such as iPod docking station, electronic digital do not disturb button in every its bedrooms. Because of change in technology COMO can offers more services to its customers than ever before, for example:
IT Butler
Limousines
Foreign exchange
Business Centre with broadband broadband internet service
Secretarial service
Laundry, dry cleaning and pressing services
Express check-out
Mobile mobile phone rental
Flat screen TV with 67 channels
Extensive on demand music jukebox and movie selection
WiFi and broadband internet access
iPod docking train station (in Studios and Suites)
CD and Dvd movie player
Dual line, immediate dial telephone with speech mail
Air conditioning
Electronic 'do not disturb' sign
Private fax machine with chosen number
UK and US modem points
Video recorders, cell phones and printers (on need)
Sony widescreen TV
Wall mounted plasma screen
DVD player
Hairdryer
Iron and ironing board
Mini bar
In recent years the emerging of the internet as a new channel of circulation has provided some issues to the lodging industry. In react to this COMO partnered with e-commerce company which enabled better online booking systems. With installing these new systems COMO was able to offer international customers use the neighborhood language to produce a reservation.
Of course internet is a great tool to reach customers internationally but goal of the COMO is to tailor that distribution method to suit to each guest. And this lately developed e-commerce has and can further allow COMO to reduce the circulation costs, while promoting the brand throughout the world. The main aim behind this is to make COMO's web site and online sales programs to attain more customers and to promote the brand (Employee handbook, 2009).
Areas for improvement as a reply to the change in technology
COMO is continually looking and looking into for new technological improvements and improvements to satisfy the needs of its friends. But as possible observed in any business due to fast change in technology it is too difficult to maintain with changes in technology on a regular basis. There's always a gap or neglected part of the business that can be improved to carefully turn weaknesses and threats in opportunities and talents.
For example to enhance the syndication and increase customer commitment COMO uses online sales stations. But in order to raised compete, to own a better and stronger brand COMO will need its online sales stations.
COMO Hotels and Resorts must insure all its customers to have the best value by accessing the several distribution programs available.
As an advertiser of COMO hotels and resorts it co-operates with Design Hotels Inc, this type of companies advertise hundreds hotels and resorts. As a few of its competitors are already aware and became ahead COMO by building their own advertising web browser, COMO needs to keep up with this as well.
Biometric clock in and clock out system allowed organizations to automate payroll handling, eliminate unauthorized overtime and accurately reports worker time/ attendance to HR. Right now COMO is putting into action a time credit card which must be swiped to track record the attendance. But biometric attendance recorder can help to eliminate early punch ins and time of payroll computation. It can help and eliminates your time and effort and time required by the HR to monitor the time-clock activity and reduces the manual participation of payroll subsequently resulting in a cost benefits and improved efficiency.
COMO hotels and resorts is very narrowly geared to a very abundant friends, but is not COMO distancing itself from other guest demographics? Your time and effort to maintain with changing technology is working, but can COMO stay static in lines with further changes of technology and competition?
Conclusion
COMO hotels and resorts appears to be very well positioned and has made significant achievements and was able to expend very quickly by integrating of its brand by completing its strategic tendency in such turbulent monetary situation. Its culture, brand and global strategy are the key part of their success. While you may still find huge opportunities, such as technological innovation, reinvigoration of hotel providers, the increase in sales anticipated to customer commitment, customer growth and advancement of brand name these opportunities are also accessible over the period of time.
Nevertheless, COMO has had the opportunity to accomplish huge success in less than twenty years by nurturing a culture and reputation based on style, creative imagination and enthusiasm to navigate though challenging market segments and prosperous times. Thus the effectiveness of COMO became a synonym of luxury.
