April 2022 – Hospitality Inc

Keep Your Cameras On…

Stunning stat: 92% of executives at medium to large businesses think team members who turn cameras off during meetings don’t have long-term futures at the company, according to a new survey from Vyopta, a software company.

Why it matters: The data adds grist to the worry that hybrid and remote employees have expressed about the post-pandemic world — that those who choose to work from home some, most or all the time will be out-of-sight, out-of-mind for bosses.

In a separate finding from Vyopta, 93% of execs said that people who frequently turn off their cameras probably aren’t paying attention.
Those employees are perceived as less engaged with their work overall.

The big picture: Most companies around the world are moving to a hybrid working model, which means more video meetings in the future.

But the casual, camera-off and microphone-muted way of taking a meeting might be harming employees’ career prospects.

Context: There are a slew of reasons people hide their faces during video meetings.

We’re dealing with “Zoom fatigue.” It’s tiring to stare at a screen and look at yourself all day, critiquing your appearance in real time.
We’re working at home, which means family members or roommates may be around. We may have to care for children or elderly parents during a call — or we may not feel comfortable showing our bedroom or a messy kitchen.
Our schedules are flexible, so we might be joining a meeting in our comfies or after a workout.

Between the lines: While workers may turn off their cameras at their own peril, it’s a two-way street: Executives and managers need to adapt to an evolving workforce need, particularly with the “great resignation” as a backdrop.

Just like forcing people to come into the office may push team members to quit, mandating “camera on” could do the same.

BLOGS

The great Wendy’s burger flip-out

The Benefits of “Minimalist” Leadership

When Charismatic CEOs Are an Asset — and When They’re a Liability

Netflix Fatigue & Peak Streaming

For one brief, not-so-shining moment, CNN+’s collapse stole the spotlight from Netflix’s loss of subscribers. The two events have different triggers, but one unifying theme.

Why it matters: We seem to be hitting peak streaming (if we’re not there already). That has implications for password sharing and in-stream advertising, both of which could alienate viewers as streamers struggle to keep paying customers.

Netflix may be able to squeeze additional revenue out of some of the primary households, but others will look at the new sharing fee as another pricing increase and cancel.

Driving the news: Netflix’s grim quarter drove a vertiginous stock swoon, and it led at least one major investor to exit left.

Consumers are maxing out on streaming, making it hard for platforms to optimise revenues as competition stiffens.

Yes, but: Other corners of the market are strong, even if Netflix isn’t.

HBO Max improved last year (but still lags Netflix and Disney).
Apple TV+, which doesn’t disclose its streaming numbers, has buzz-worthy content that’s winning awardsand resonating with viewers.

What we’re watching: Both Disney and Apple will report earnings soon. They may confirm peak streaming or show Netflix is the odd one out.

Thought bubble: Taken together, the events of the last week (and what looms on the horizon) may show whether the industry’s woes are endemic or specific to a certain behemoth.

It may also be a harsh reality that consumers are tired of staring at their screens in the evenings and also all day on zoom/teams if they are still in WFH mode, so now is the moment for hospitality to step back in and capture a lost consumer to the epidemic and amplify their offering, reminding what they have missed and how they have raised their game while they were away.

This doesn’t mean a race to experiential either, we simply must remember why we love what we do, and why consumers choose us… being hospitable and welcoming, surprising, and delighting guests who choose you over another and making them feel every visit is a treat.

Netflix is losing its grip and it’s time to reclaim your relevance in the consumer space, show up and be amazing!

BLOGS

The great Wendy’s burger flip-out

The Benefits of “Minimalist” Leadership

When Charismatic CEOs Are an Asset — and When They’re a Liability

The Pickleball “experience”

Pickleball keeps going upscale: Now in Charlotte, North Carolina, there are plans for a new “food-meets-sports” concept in early 2023.

What’s happening: Rally Entertainment will launch Rally, an urban pickleball and entertainment experience, with eight pickleball courts (four indoor, four outdoor).

It will span two buildings over 1.9 acres, consisting of 27,650 square feet of indoor space.

Details: Rally will include a full-service restaurant. Its menu will be inspired by global street food and designed by an award-winning hospitality team based out of Washington, D.C. Expect premium signature cocktails, plus twists on local and international classics.

There will be two cocktail bars, private and semi-private event spaces, plus lounge and spectator seating.

Context: Megan Charity co-founded Rally. Charity, a world-ranked professional pickleball player, will lead their pickleball program, which will include events, social leagues, and tournaments.

Why it matters: Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the US, with 4.8 million players.

But it’s not just about seeing more neighbourhood courts pop up: Hospitality entrepreneurs are recognising that pickleball is good for business.

What they’re saying: “What’s so incredible about this game is that literally anyone can step onto a court and have a fun, competitive game their first time out,” Charity said in a statement. “But we’re designing Rally to be about so much more than pickleball. We’ve got a top-notch culinary program that will be a draw in and of itself.”

What’s next: Charlotte will be Rally’s first location, which they plan to expand to cities across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast in the coming years.

It will be interesting to see if pickleball picks up this side of the Atlantic and adds to an ever growing list of options for consumers looking for an experiential hybrid hospitality environment.