BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Developing Partnerships
by Dave Donaldson

Partnerships are a critical element in the success of any hospitality business. The ability to have timely, consistent supplies, marketing product that conforms to your image and budget, and shared resources of other companies and destination marketing organizations are essential components of any business and underscore the need for long-term relationships, i.e. partnerships.

Admittedly, the most critical partnership is that with your customer. Marketing dollars are scarce and once you have established a relationship you want to remain a partner with that guest when she considers a return visit, special event, or business meeting.

Partnerships with suppliers are also of critical importance. Ensuring smooth and timely delivery of goods required to maximize that guest experience is required, but so is immediate assistance when repairs or emergency orders are needed. Many long-term relationships are based on the ability to work cooperatively together - consistency and reliability are often more important than price.

Partnerships with your employees are essential to success. Employees who demonstrate the service qualities and customer service that you wish to present to your customers are invaluable to your operation. The provincial human resource agency, go2, has invaluable tools to assist you in retaining and rewarding these key partners to your success.

The above recap of key partnerships - customers, supplier and employees - is not new to most operators. However, developing initial relationships and maintaining those partnerships are also elements in three other areas which may not be as widely appreciated - destination marketing, associations, and education.

Destination marketing is available either through the community’s destination marketing organization (DMO) or through one of six regional DMOs. If an operator is interested in participating in large conferences, special events, or specific international activities, and their community supports an additional hotel tax for marketing, then a community DMO may be right for them. Most DMOs have a system in place to ensure that members are legitimate and fit with their marketing mix, but developing a relationship is as simple as contacting the local DMO and beginning a dialogue. 

Regional DMOs provide opportunities to participate in larger marketing campaigns (often in concert with community DMOs and Tourism BC). In addition to expanding the marketing potential of your business, DMOs provide an opportunity to network and attend workshops.

There are a number of sector-specific associations that provide a range of services from credit card rates, insurance, health benefits for employers and staff as well as advocacy. The choices are usually geared to your business, e.g. hoteliers look to the BC and Yukon Hotel Association, pubs migrate towards the Alliance of Beverage Licensees, but multiple memberships are common as well, e.g. pubs in hotels. The key determinants in deciding on a membership revolve around two issues - what immediate economic benefit you desire, and what specific legislative/government issues are important or of concern to your business. For the former, you need to determine the best return on your membership dollar. For the latter, you need to consider the association’s ability and affiliations to deal with municipal, provincial, and federal issues. For example, the BCYHA deals with many of the issues specific to its sector, but has strong relationships and can expand its success at the provincial level with its participation in the Council of Tourism Associations and at the national level with the Hotel Association of Canada. To develop a partnership with a sector association, determine what your needs are and what you hope to gain by joining. As well, you need to determine how active you wish to become in that association. Initiate a conversation to learn more about the benefits an association can provide to your operation.

The final partnership to consider is your local educational institution. In times of increasing shortages of skilled employees, the local college or university with courses in chef and hotel training provides an opportunity to supply your operation with potentially strong candidates. Consider participating in job fairs, joining a program advisory group, or guest lecturing. Any of these activities will allow you not only to market your operation, but to gain some insight into the young people joining our industry.

Partnerships are an important part of the tourism industry. Whether you develop relationships with your local college, suppliers, associations, or DMOs, they are staffed with people with a common interest in the success of the tourism industry, and can provide some key benefits to you and your staff.

Dave Donaldson is Managing Partner of Bo’ness Consulting Inc. He is the Treasurer of COTA, a board member of the BCRFA and a past director of Tourism Vancouver.