Customers need help identifying their “problems” and finding solutions. If managers can satisfy patrons' needs (i.e., problems) creatively, managers can greatly increase an operation's profits. The first step is to put together a team of creative employees who will develop ideas for making more money. The team will brainstorm ideas and develop a plan for implementing them. For example, 10 of this paper's 20 suggested money-making opportunities are these: examine your discounts, train your front-desk clerks to sell, book a room at checkout, recommend your own restaurants, centralize your dining reservations, maximize profit from the minibar, offer commissions, get in on the college-sports market, provide incentives, and make use of guest histories. Some of the suggestions may not work for every hotel, but they should inspire the creative team to generate other possibilities for making more money.

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