Known as the Peach State, Georgia is the state of southern hospitality. If you prefer the traditional southern culture, Georgia real estate is certainly worth a look.
Georgia
The largest state east of the Mississippi, Georgia has a long and glorious history. Civil war monuments are rife throughout the state as are small towns with turn of the century homes. Notwithstanding this culture, Georgia is also a very modern state with growing cities such as Atlanta.
Atlanta
The most populous city in Georgia, Atlanta is a growing metropolis. From a sports perspective, the city has Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons, the Braves, basketball, hockey and has even hosted the Olympics. Raised in 1865 by General Sherman, the city has a newish feel and has grown to a population of over 3.5 million people. The city can be classified more as a modern city than a traditional southern one.
Savannah
If you’re looking for a true southern city in Georgia, Savannah is the place. Located on the border with South Carolina, Savannah is a step back into the past. With tree-lined streets, the city hosts a variety of architecture from the 18th and 19th century including Victorian homes and old manor. Streets are dwarfed by huge, ancient Oak Trees. To see Savannah, rent of buy “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” which was filmed in the city.
Athens
Roughly an hour north of Atlanta, Athens is a mix of southern culture and college town. Home to the University of Georgia, the town has a population of 30,000 plus students. This influx of students gives the city a liberal feel, which is unique for the south.
Georgia Real Estate
Georgia real estate prices vary by location with the metropolis of Atlanta dwarfing smaller town real estate. A single family home in Atlanta will set you back $300,000 on average, while $250,000 will do the trick in Savannah and $230,000 in Athens. The appreciation rate for Oregon real estate depends entirely on the location, but averages a moderate six percent for 2005.
If southern hospitality is your ideal, Georgia may be your destination. With reasonable real estate prices, you can pick up a good deal.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Cayman Islands a fascinating piece of paradise with fine dining and Caribbean hospitality
Cayman dining is surely a vital part of your trip to Cayman Islands. The British colony with three islands - Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are gradually becoming the hot favorites among the tourists. This island paradise, famous for its beaches, diving and other water sport activities, is only a 70 minutes flight away from Miami. The pleasant weather, welcoming people with fine hospitality arrangement, are helping Cayman Islands to make a room in the heart of the travel enthusiasts.
Accordingly with the hospitality industry of the Cayman Islands, the Cayman dining facility has flourished to a great extent. All the three islands now serve the tourists with huge variety of good quality foods. The Cayman dining ranges from elegant dining arrangements of big hotels like The Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman to the fast food eateries. With these, you actually have a wide choice of Cayman Island's exquisite dining solutions at your disposal.
Traditional Cayman cuisine is hugely influenced by Jamaican jerk, curry and other vibrant seasonings. These local varieties of Cayman's dining feature conch, lobster and local seafood and complemented by coconut, plantain, breadfruit, yams, cassava, rice and peas and with other West Indian side dishes. Along with Caribbean and Central American dishes, your Cayman dining experience at Grand Cayman can include European, Italian, Mexican, German, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and "American Tex-Mex" variety. The Cayman dining industry also boasts of fast food chains featuring hamburgers, tacos, chicken, pizza, subs and salads.
So to speak, dining at the Cayman Brac can be extravagant and expensive if you choose the two hotels Brac Reef Beach Resort and Divi Tiara Beach Resort. Both these hotels offer their service to non-borders but we will recommend prior booking in this case. There are five restaurants at Cayman Brac and they serve American as well as Cayman dishes in good casual atmosphere. They are Aunt Sha's, Captain's Table, Edd's Place, G & M Diner, La Esperanza and Sonia's Restaurant.
In addition, there are relatively fewer Cayman dining options at the Little Cayman. You can enjoy the food at the Southern Cross Club, Little Cayman Beach Resort, Pirates Point and Sam McCoy's Lodge restaurants with advance reservations. Else you can enjoy your meal at the Hungry Iguana restaurant at the small airstrip opened in December 1994.
So, whatever your taste buds do desire, you have it all with Cayman fine dining at the exotic tropical coastal locales of the Cayman Islands!
Accordingly with the hospitality industry of the Cayman Islands, the Cayman dining facility has flourished to a great extent. All the three islands now serve the tourists with huge variety of good quality foods. The Cayman dining ranges from elegant dining arrangements of big hotels like The Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman to the fast food eateries. With these, you actually have a wide choice of Cayman Island's exquisite dining solutions at your disposal.
Traditional Cayman cuisine is hugely influenced by Jamaican jerk, curry and other vibrant seasonings. These local varieties of Cayman's dining feature conch, lobster and local seafood and complemented by coconut, plantain, breadfruit, yams, cassava, rice and peas and with other West Indian side dishes. Along with Caribbean and Central American dishes, your Cayman dining experience at Grand Cayman can include European, Italian, Mexican, German, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and "American Tex-Mex" variety. The Cayman dining industry also boasts of fast food chains featuring hamburgers, tacos, chicken, pizza, subs and salads.
So to speak, dining at the Cayman Brac can be extravagant and expensive if you choose the two hotels Brac Reef Beach Resort and Divi Tiara Beach Resort. Both these hotels offer their service to non-borders but we will recommend prior booking in this case. There are five restaurants at Cayman Brac and they serve American as well as Cayman dishes in good casual atmosphere. They are Aunt Sha's, Captain's Table, Edd's Place, G & M Diner, La Esperanza and Sonia's Restaurant.
In addition, there are relatively fewer Cayman dining options at the Little Cayman. You can enjoy the food at the Southern Cross Club, Little Cayman Beach Resort, Pirates Point and Sam McCoy's Lodge restaurants with advance reservations. Else you can enjoy your meal at the Hungry Iguana restaurant at the small airstrip opened in December 1994.
So, whatever your taste buds do desire, you have it all with Cayman fine dining at the exotic tropical coastal locales of the Cayman Islands!
Old Sturbridge Village is a Dose of Yankee Hospitality
Old Sturbridge Village has both feet planted firmly in 19th century New England. You’ll experience the dawn of prosperity and modern commerce and what life was like in a typical New England village of the time. Role playing staff in period costumes recreate authentic discussions, and demonstrations of thoughts and skills, found during this exciting era in American history.
Once described in a 1950 article as "The Town That Wants to Be Out of Date," Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts is a lovingly recreated village of early 19th century New England. The Village opened to the public in 1946 and received 5,000 visitors in its first year of operation. Today nearly half a million visitors a year experience the authentic buildings and wonderful collections of artifacts on display.
OSV has been a survivor. New England weather and accidents can be destructive to outdoor museums and Old Sturbridge Village has seen blizzards, hurricanes, flooding, and the occasional fire. Look for the high water mark notched on Gristmill on the millpond from Hurricane Diane.
Located 60 miles west of Boston off exit 9 on Route 90, Sturbridge Village is set among 200 acres of rural Central Massachusetts. Many of the structures are original and moved here from villages in Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Reconstructed and restored with painstaking care they tingle your senses with their rustic charm, and simple Yankee designs.
Unpaved country roads lead you around the common and to outlying areas of inviting barns and craftsmen establishments, such as the shoe and tin shops. Here you’ll see and talk to role-playing 19th century craftsmen. Marvel as they skillfully produce goods using only the tools and resources available in the 1830s. Take the opportunity to discuss with them their skill and work and what they think about life - just remember their response will be from a 19th century viewpoint.
Both a museum and educational resource, Old Sturbridge Village is primarily a place to explore for all ages. The centerpiece is the recreated New England town and outlying areas containing more than 40 buildings to visit, experience, and enjoy.
Sturbridge Village contains residential homes, a printing office, a bank, and stores and shops. You’ll learn why banks didn’t do personal loans in those days - but who did. And why the buildings called Meetinghouses, weren’t called churches - even though each Sunday most villagers spent four hours worshipping in them.
Stop by the Salem household in their handsome Towne House, and then visit and have tea at the Parsonage before calling on the Fenno and Fitch dwellings. These residential homes on the common in Sturbridge Village are full of surprises and homely comforts. And they’re always open and welcoming to you.
And if you need to stop for refreshment, Sturbridge Village has plenty of picnic areas if you’ve brought your own food, or you can purchase hot and cold fare at Bullard Tavern, or treats at Little Cakes. Options to eat change with the seasons so be sure to check the guide the day you visit.
The vision of the original founders of Old Sturbridge Village was for a place to learn by doing and direct experience - an active outdoors museum. I’ve always found Sturbridge Village a welcome change of pace and reminder that quality of life has nothing to do with the latest wide screen TV or iPod.
Plan to spend at least 3-4 enjoyable hours at Old Sturbridge Village. Remember a ticket to Sturbridge Village is good for two days within a 10-day period.
Old Sturbridge Village is one of my favorite three living museums in New England. The other two are Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, eastern Massachusetts, and Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. All three for different reasons are marvelous experiences of New England’s contribution to American history.
Once described in a 1950 article as "The Town That Wants to Be Out of Date," Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts is a lovingly recreated village of early 19th century New England. The Village opened to the public in 1946 and received 5,000 visitors in its first year of operation. Today nearly half a million visitors a year experience the authentic buildings and wonderful collections of artifacts on display.
OSV has been a survivor. New England weather and accidents can be destructive to outdoor museums and Old Sturbridge Village has seen blizzards, hurricanes, flooding, and the occasional fire. Look for the high water mark notched on Gristmill on the millpond from Hurricane Diane.
Located 60 miles west of Boston off exit 9 on Route 90, Sturbridge Village is set among 200 acres of rural Central Massachusetts. Many of the structures are original and moved here from villages in Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Reconstructed and restored with painstaking care they tingle your senses with their rustic charm, and simple Yankee designs.
Unpaved country roads lead you around the common and to outlying areas of inviting barns and craftsmen establishments, such as the shoe and tin shops. Here you’ll see and talk to role-playing 19th century craftsmen. Marvel as they skillfully produce goods using only the tools and resources available in the 1830s. Take the opportunity to discuss with them their skill and work and what they think about life - just remember their response will be from a 19th century viewpoint.
Both a museum and educational resource, Old Sturbridge Village is primarily a place to explore for all ages. The centerpiece is the recreated New England town and outlying areas containing more than 40 buildings to visit, experience, and enjoy.
Sturbridge Village contains residential homes, a printing office, a bank, and stores and shops. You’ll learn why banks didn’t do personal loans in those days - but who did. And why the buildings called Meetinghouses, weren’t called churches - even though each Sunday most villagers spent four hours worshipping in them.
Stop by the Salem household in their handsome Towne House, and then visit and have tea at the Parsonage before calling on the Fenno and Fitch dwellings. These residential homes on the common in Sturbridge Village are full of surprises and homely comforts. And they’re always open and welcoming to you.
And if you need to stop for refreshment, Sturbridge Village has plenty of picnic areas if you’ve brought your own food, or you can purchase hot and cold fare at Bullard Tavern, or treats at Little Cakes. Options to eat change with the seasons so be sure to check the guide the day you visit.
The vision of the original founders of Old Sturbridge Village was for a place to learn by doing and direct experience - an active outdoors museum. I’ve always found Sturbridge Village a welcome change of pace and reminder that quality of life has nothing to do with the latest wide screen TV or iPod.
Plan to spend at least 3-4 enjoyable hours at Old Sturbridge Village. Remember a ticket to Sturbridge Village is good for two days within a 10-day period.
Old Sturbridge Village is one of my favorite three living museums in New England. The other two are Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, eastern Massachusetts, and Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. All three for different reasons are marvelous experiences of New England’s contribution to American history.
Private Label Water for the Hospitality and Lodging Industry
Private Label Water for the Hospitality and Lodging Industry
Building Brand Awareness and Customer Loyalty in a Competitive Environment
The Hospitality and Lodging Industry in the United States is booming with strong growth in overall revenues and average price per room. Notwithstanding external factors such as international terrorism and the rapid rise in fuel costs, most industry forecasts predict continued growth in revenue.
Recent studies show however, that the industry suffers from a considerable loss in revenue and profits because of ineffective differentiation of service offerings and branding. This trend is recent because historically hotel customers have demonstrated brand loyalty.
Private label drinking water has been proven to be a powerful, cost effective method of promoting quality brand images and differentiating service offerings.
Opportunity Lost
The Hospitality and Lodging Industry plays a major role in the U.S. economy with business travelers alone accounting for $40 to $50 billion in annual revenue. A recent study however, by a recognized research firm, concludes that up to $20 billion in additional revenue is lost because frequent travelers are not loyal to specific hotel brands.1
This revenue deficit represents an opportunity lost for profitability and continued cash flow for the industry.
Brand Loyalty Means Greater Profits
Most analysts and academics agree that loyal customers constitute the basis of a successful business because of new sales cost savings, the ability to sell additional higher margin features to loyal customers and word of mouth or informal referrals to new customers.2
The creation and maintenance of brand loyalty therefore is the strategic objective of many industries with no exception to the Hospitality and Lodging industry. As one study concluded “Loyal customers are logically at the heart of a company’s most valuable customer group.” 3 Therefore, the overall importance of customer loyalty could realistically benefit or impede the industry itself.
Without brand loyalty firms in the industry are forced to compete on the basis of price instead of quality; history has shown this to be a losing proposition.
The challenge to the individual manager is the best use of resources in order to create the highest level of customer loyalty. This applies to mid-market hotels as well as major chains and franchises.
Traditional Efforts Are No Longer Effective
Reward programs and superior customer service are no longer enough to establish brand loyalty. Studies have concluded that hotels are failing to increase brand loyalty due to a lack of differentiation and traditional efforts such as rewards and points programs have become commodities in the industry. Because they are offered by most firms in the industry, rewards programs have changed from service differentiators to service requirements and cost centers. As a result, some analysts have concluded that rewards systems and points programs have become no more than a cost of doing business.4
As a result, there is increased concern that customer loyalty programs are failing to achieve their objectives of increasing customer loyalty and profits.5
Customer service and satisfaction is less of a factor now in establishing and maintaining brand loyalty primarily because competition has created a culture of exceptional customer service. Studies have also concluded that high levels of customer satisfaction do not guarantee brand loyalty unless competitors fail to offer the same level of service.
Many hotels are seeking better ways to create customer loyalty and are exploring the inherent desires of individuals to be loyal to brands they are comfortable with. All industry participants, whether large high end hotels or mid-market firms, must develop more effective ways to develop and communicate their brand propositions.
Focus on Design, Services and Amenities to Help Build Brand and Loyalty
To create a memorable lodging experience and to better distinguish their brand proposition, many hotels and franchises are investing in redesigned facilities, new value added and telecommunications services and a broader array of amenities to create brand awareness and customer loyalty.
According to a recent analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers, guests at hotels across the country are now greeted by a myriad of new amenities ranging from increased choices for checkout methods to high quality drinking water and in-room exercise equipment. Hotels are adding and improving amenities to achieve incremental revenues, respond to increased consumer expectations and create customer loyalty through quality branding.
In addition to investing in new services and amenities a unified and clear branding message must be developed and conveyed.
Design and the Brand Message
Developing an effective brand message is more than creating a brand statement. The brand message must appeal directly to the emotions of the customer in order to create enduring brand loyalty; and design is one of the most powerful tools for publicizing the brand. It is important to understand that quality of design will significantly improve the quality of the brand message and the resulting brand loyalty.
Therefore, extreme care must be exercised during the brand design and communication process to ensure that the brand message is not diminished.
Private Label Drinking Water
Private label drinking water is an ideal and powerful way to promote a quality brand. Essentially, private labeling allows businesses to design and develop a label with a custom message, which results in the creation and promotion of a brand with a clear, high quality message along with superior bottled water. Because of the immediate and permanent nature of the bottled water product, consumable advertising is created that leaves a lasting message in the mind of the consumer.
Some of the benefits of private label water include:
• A high-quality, custom message created that can be used or resold at a profit.
• Modifiable designs and messages to reflect events such as tournaments and promotions.
• Individual users who often carry the water with them, which extends the promotion of the product.
• Pure water that is popular and universally accepted as contributing to good health. The message of the private label effectively reaches more prospects as consumption increases and more hotels include high quality water in amenities packages.
• Effective cost that is low and results in a rapid response to the brand message.
• Consumable advertising, which creates a lasting message and impression that appeals to the consumer.
What to Look for in a Private Label Water Supplier
There are a number of private label water suppliers but they vary significantly in the quality of their product offerings. There are three areas to investigate when choosing a supplier, which include quality of water, quality of label design and production and quality of customer service. Each are expounded upon below:
Quality of Water
High-quality water in terms of health and taste is critical for the acceptance of the product and brand message. If the water is of low quality or tastes bad then the branding will fail. The best quality water on the market today is purified using a distillation, filtration and oxygenation process that removes all impurities including all toxins and bacteria, which ultimately results in a light, refreshing taste.
Quality of Label Design and Production
The label or message portion of the product is significant in the production process, whereas poor-quality labels send a poor-quality message and high-quality labels send a high-quality message. Production of a poor-quality message is a waste of money and adversely affects the brand image.
It is very important to acknowledge that the vast majority of the private label opportunities in the United States come from water resellers (not bottlers) with desktop-model “thermal” (or “thermal wax”) printing devices. These “thermal” devices have a quality level that cannot compare to even consumer-grade inkjet printers, which are very cheap in both quality and cost, typically ranging from $10-$20 thousand depending on configuration. Although the quality is decreased many companies use these printers because of the low cost, which will ultimately produce poor-quality labels.
In sharp contrast, a quality label, i.e., one that looks like a top-shelf brand that you might find in your local gourmet grocery store, needs to be produced with professional-quality equipment using professional-grade printing equipment. There are three types of printing equipment that can produce a high-quality label. These three types are as follows:
1. Rotary offset lithography
2. Flexography
3. High-quality digital presses
For the majority of smaller runs (approximately 10,000 units), digital equipment offered by Heidelberg or HP is the most cost effective solution, but instead of $10-$20 thousand, the minimum equipment costs for these professional solutions range from $750 thousand to $1.25 million per station.
These facts are very important to understand when choosing a private label bottler. Those who sell low-quality labels will have you believe that nothing better is available because of the short runs required by private label customers. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
In order to succeed, your label must be professionally designed and produced with high-quality materials using a printing process that renders a high-quality result. Waterproof lamination is also required for long-lasting labels. This is easily achieved for an affordable unit cost using the right equipment for the job.
Quality of Customer Service
The design and production of private label drinking water is complex and requires intense interaction between the customer and supplier. Communication and a culture of customer service excellence is a prerequisite to the creation of an effective brand message and a successful product. Without a significant commitment by the supplier to customer service, the branding exercise will fail.
Choose a quality supplier to help develop your quality brand offering and realize greater revenue and profits.
Building Brand Awareness and Customer Loyalty in a Competitive Environment
The Hospitality and Lodging Industry in the United States is booming with strong growth in overall revenues and average price per room. Notwithstanding external factors such as international terrorism and the rapid rise in fuel costs, most industry forecasts predict continued growth in revenue.
Recent studies show however, that the industry suffers from a considerable loss in revenue and profits because of ineffective differentiation of service offerings and branding. This trend is recent because historically hotel customers have demonstrated brand loyalty.
Private label drinking water has been proven to be a powerful, cost effective method of promoting quality brand images and differentiating service offerings.
Opportunity Lost
The Hospitality and Lodging Industry plays a major role in the U.S. economy with business travelers alone accounting for $40 to $50 billion in annual revenue. A recent study however, by a recognized research firm, concludes that up to $20 billion in additional revenue is lost because frequent travelers are not loyal to specific hotel brands.1
This revenue deficit represents an opportunity lost for profitability and continued cash flow for the industry.
Brand Loyalty Means Greater Profits
Most analysts and academics agree that loyal customers constitute the basis of a successful business because of new sales cost savings, the ability to sell additional higher margin features to loyal customers and word of mouth or informal referrals to new customers.2
The creation and maintenance of brand loyalty therefore is the strategic objective of many industries with no exception to the Hospitality and Lodging industry. As one study concluded “Loyal customers are logically at the heart of a company’s most valuable customer group.” 3 Therefore, the overall importance of customer loyalty could realistically benefit or impede the industry itself.
Without brand loyalty firms in the industry are forced to compete on the basis of price instead of quality; history has shown this to be a losing proposition.
The challenge to the individual manager is the best use of resources in order to create the highest level of customer loyalty. This applies to mid-market hotels as well as major chains and franchises.
Traditional Efforts Are No Longer Effective
Reward programs and superior customer service are no longer enough to establish brand loyalty. Studies have concluded that hotels are failing to increase brand loyalty due to a lack of differentiation and traditional efforts such as rewards and points programs have become commodities in the industry. Because they are offered by most firms in the industry, rewards programs have changed from service differentiators to service requirements and cost centers. As a result, some analysts have concluded that rewards systems and points programs have become no more than a cost of doing business.4
As a result, there is increased concern that customer loyalty programs are failing to achieve their objectives of increasing customer loyalty and profits.5
Customer service and satisfaction is less of a factor now in establishing and maintaining brand loyalty primarily because competition has created a culture of exceptional customer service. Studies have also concluded that high levels of customer satisfaction do not guarantee brand loyalty unless competitors fail to offer the same level of service.
Many hotels are seeking better ways to create customer loyalty and are exploring the inherent desires of individuals to be loyal to brands they are comfortable with. All industry participants, whether large high end hotels or mid-market firms, must develop more effective ways to develop and communicate their brand propositions.
Focus on Design, Services and Amenities to Help Build Brand and Loyalty
To create a memorable lodging experience and to better distinguish their brand proposition, many hotels and franchises are investing in redesigned facilities, new value added and telecommunications services and a broader array of amenities to create brand awareness and customer loyalty.
According to a recent analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers, guests at hotels across the country are now greeted by a myriad of new amenities ranging from increased choices for checkout methods to high quality drinking water and in-room exercise equipment. Hotels are adding and improving amenities to achieve incremental revenues, respond to increased consumer expectations and create customer loyalty through quality branding.
In addition to investing in new services and amenities a unified and clear branding message must be developed and conveyed.
Design and the Brand Message
Developing an effective brand message is more than creating a brand statement. The brand message must appeal directly to the emotions of the customer in order to create enduring brand loyalty; and design is one of the most powerful tools for publicizing the brand. It is important to understand that quality of design will significantly improve the quality of the brand message and the resulting brand loyalty.
Therefore, extreme care must be exercised during the brand design and communication process to ensure that the brand message is not diminished.
Private Label Drinking Water
Private label drinking water is an ideal and powerful way to promote a quality brand. Essentially, private labeling allows businesses to design and develop a label with a custom message, which results in the creation and promotion of a brand with a clear, high quality message along with superior bottled water. Because of the immediate and permanent nature of the bottled water product, consumable advertising is created that leaves a lasting message in the mind of the consumer.
Some of the benefits of private label water include:
• A high-quality, custom message created that can be used or resold at a profit.
• Modifiable designs and messages to reflect events such as tournaments and promotions.
• Individual users who often carry the water with them, which extends the promotion of the product.
• Pure water that is popular and universally accepted as contributing to good health. The message of the private label effectively reaches more prospects as consumption increases and more hotels include high quality water in amenities packages.
• Effective cost that is low and results in a rapid response to the brand message.
• Consumable advertising, which creates a lasting message and impression that appeals to the consumer.
What to Look for in a Private Label Water Supplier
There are a number of private label water suppliers but they vary significantly in the quality of their product offerings. There are three areas to investigate when choosing a supplier, which include quality of water, quality of label design and production and quality of customer service. Each are expounded upon below:
Quality of Water
High-quality water in terms of health and taste is critical for the acceptance of the product and brand message. If the water is of low quality or tastes bad then the branding will fail. The best quality water on the market today is purified using a distillation, filtration and oxygenation process that removes all impurities including all toxins and bacteria, which ultimately results in a light, refreshing taste.
Quality of Label Design and Production
The label or message portion of the product is significant in the production process, whereas poor-quality labels send a poor-quality message and high-quality labels send a high-quality message. Production of a poor-quality message is a waste of money and adversely affects the brand image.
It is very important to acknowledge that the vast majority of the private label opportunities in the United States come from water resellers (not bottlers) with desktop-model “thermal” (or “thermal wax”) printing devices. These “thermal” devices have a quality level that cannot compare to even consumer-grade inkjet printers, which are very cheap in both quality and cost, typically ranging from $10-$20 thousand depending on configuration. Although the quality is decreased many companies use these printers because of the low cost, which will ultimately produce poor-quality labels.
In sharp contrast, a quality label, i.e., one that looks like a top-shelf brand that you might find in your local gourmet grocery store, needs to be produced with professional-quality equipment using professional-grade printing equipment. There are three types of printing equipment that can produce a high-quality label. These three types are as follows:
1. Rotary offset lithography
2. Flexography
3. High-quality digital presses
For the majority of smaller runs (approximately 10,000 units), digital equipment offered by Heidelberg or HP is the most cost effective solution, but instead of $10-$20 thousand, the minimum equipment costs for these professional solutions range from $750 thousand to $1.25 million per station.
These facts are very important to understand when choosing a private label bottler. Those who sell low-quality labels will have you believe that nothing better is available because of the short runs required by private label customers. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
In order to succeed, your label must be professionally designed and produced with high-quality materials using a printing process that renders a high-quality result. Waterproof lamination is also required for long-lasting labels. This is easily achieved for an affordable unit cost using the right equipment for the job.
Quality of Customer Service
The design and production of private label drinking water is complex and requires intense interaction between the customer and supplier. Communication and a culture of customer service excellence is a prerequisite to the creation of an effective brand message and a successful product. Without a significant commitment by the supplier to customer service, the branding exercise will fail.
Choose a quality supplier to help develop your quality brand offering and realize greater revenue and profits.
Amritsari 5 Star Hospitality
Punjab Real Estate: A Holy Trip and a 5-Star Stay
A trip to the Holy City of Amritsar will no longer mean putting up at the local serai or taking a room at the Gurdawara. With Radisson chain of hotels tying up with Concord Hospitality to market and manage the proposed 200-room hotel, after paying obeisance at Harmandir Sahib, one can stay in the 5-star comfort of Radisson’s hotel that is to be set up on 4.5-acres on Airport Road, all at a cost of Rs. 80-crore.
An important pilgrimage centre for the Sikhs in India, as well as, the Sikh Diaspora, Amritsar is also a major centre of trade, transportation and manufacturing. And, Mr. Gunbir Singh, CEO of Divine Destination anxious to promote the city as an important destination for tourists says: “There is big potential for the growth and expansion of the hotel industry here. As of now, there is a dearth of hotel rooms in the city, as the city sees a floating population of nearly two-lakhs, people who come daily to visit the holy shrine.” And, the NRI onslaught begins soon after the rains, in the peak season of October to March, when they visit family and relatives in India.
With nearly 58-flights out of Amritsar per week, and more scheduled to start operations, including an increasing number of incoming flights, the demand for hotel rooms is bound to rise. It is this, which causes Mr. Gunbir Singh to say, over the next few years, there is a substantial need for upgrading hotel accommodation, and some 1,500 extra rooms required in all categories to cater to the tourist inflow. As well, as multiplexes, villas, luxury apartments, service apartments and penthouses have changed the look of Amritsar, including the lifestyle of its denizens; so much so, the demand for upscale hotels and restaurants has been pushed up.
India with 26-world heritage sites and excellent beaches is expected to see domestic tourism touch the $121.4-billion mark. To reap the benefits of the tourist trade, it will have to build more hotels and motels to suit the pocket of every kind of traveller. For those in the hospitality trade, the time is ripe to expand by buying into Indian real estate and catering to the tourist trade.
Residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, the market demand for Indian real estate remains high, both from investor and end-user point of view!
A trip to the Holy City of Amritsar will no longer mean putting up at the local serai or taking a room at the Gurdawara. With Radisson chain of hotels tying up with Concord Hospitality to market and manage the proposed 200-room hotel, after paying obeisance at Harmandir Sahib, one can stay in the 5-star comfort of Radisson’s hotel that is to be set up on 4.5-acres on Airport Road, all at a cost of Rs. 80-crore.
An important pilgrimage centre for the Sikhs in India, as well as, the Sikh Diaspora, Amritsar is also a major centre of trade, transportation and manufacturing. And, Mr. Gunbir Singh, CEO of Divine Destination anxious to promote the city as an important destination for tourists says: “There is big potential for the growth and expansion of the hotel industry here. As of now, there is a dearth of hotel rooms in the city, as the city sees a floating population of nearly two-lakhs, people who come daily to visit the holy shrine.” And, the NRI onslaught begins soon after the rains, in the peak season of October to March, when they visit family and relatives in India.
With nearly 58-flights out of Amritsar per week, and more scheduled to start operations, including an increasing number of incoming flights, the demand for hotel rooms is bound to rise. It is this, which causes Mr. Gunbir Singh to say, over the next few years, there is a substantial need for upgrading hotel accommodation, and some 1,500 extra rooms required in all categories to cater to the tourist inflow. As well, as multiplexes, villas, luxury apartments, service apartments and penthouses have changed the look of Amritsar, including the lifestyle of its denizens; so much so, the demand for upscale hotels and restaurants has been pushed up.
India with 26-world heritage sites and excellent beaches is expected to see domestic tourism touch the $121.4-billion mark. To reap the benefits of the tourist trade, it will have to build more hotels and motels to suit the pocket of every kind of traveller. For those in the hospitality trade, the time is ripe to expand by buying into Indian real estate and catering to the tourist trade.
Residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, the market demand for Indian real estate remains high, both from investor and end-user point of view!
Hospitality Marketing A Remedy to Problems of Hospitality Industry
This article will provide a brief overview about the concept of hospitality industry, the problems faced by this industry and importance of hospitality marketing to ensure customer satisfaction and business growth.
Hospitality industry has a long evolutionary history. In older times, analysts suggest that the concept of this industry was initially known with a synonym, hotel industry. However in modern era the terminology of ‘Hospitality Industry’ is more common that comprises those businesses that provide services such as accommodation, food, and beverages to travelers seeking pleasure as well as those who travel due to business reasons (Gray & Liguori, 1996). Moreover it is argued that to some extend components of leisure industry such as cruise ships restaurants and to some lesser degree airlines are also considered part of hospitality industry as well (Papers4you.com, 2006).
Though the industry is assumed to be in nevr lasting demand but there are certain problems that this industry regularly faces. These problems may include uncertainty to the costs of even most economic source of energy, increased trend of problems in maintaining profitable food and beverage facilities, comparatively more increase in labor costs as compared to productivity, customer dissatisfaction due to increase in size and number of rooms as it is claimed to increase registration and other services process time and more importantly very high competition that induces heavy rate cuts to survive (Gray & Liguori, 1996).
Keeping these factors in view, in particular customer’s dissatisfaction and profit reduction, Lewis & Chambers (1989) asserts that hospitality industry historically did not realize importance of marketing and a remedy to industry’s problem is encapsulated in ‘hospitality marketing’, both in its foundation and practices. It was further asserted that in 1950s and 1960s, industry focused on technology and updating their telephone reservation systems. Similarly in 1970s and later, businesses were focused to increase assets and forgot the essence of industry, that is, ‘customer oriented service’.
It was suggested that players in hospitality industry should realize that hospitality product is different, that is in fact, something intangible that they are selling and as both product and reasons for buying it are different also different so it demands a different marketing strategy, something like hospitality marketing that requires customer centered hospitality need identification, specific segmentation & positioning and ‘the hospitality marketing mix’.
Such trend can be observed around the world (Papers4you.com, 2006). Food chains like McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc are now focusing on customer’s service and taste rather than focusing on their own brand name only. McDonalds in India, for instance, operates differently while focusing on the ‘vegetarian aspect’ of their tradition than McDonalds in USA where focus is more towards an easy accessible food facility.
Hence the discussion may conclude that hospitality industry provided ever needed services. Nonetheless it may face certain specific issues that can be counterattacked through industry specific ‘hospitality marketing’
Hospitality industry has a long evolutionary history. In older times, analysts suggest that the concept of this industry was initially known with a synonym, hotel industry. However in modern era the terminology of ‘Hospitality Industry’ is more common that comprises those businesses that provide services such as accommodation, food, and beverages to travelers seeking pleasure as well as those who travel due to business reasons (Gray & Liguori, 1996). Moreover it is argued that to some extend components of leisure industry such as cruise ships restaurants and to some lesser degree airlines are also considered part of hospitality industry as well (Papers4you.com, 2006).
Though the industry is assumed to be in nevr lasting demand but there are certain problems that this industry regularly faces. These problems may include uncertainty to the costs of even most economic source of energy, increased trend of problems in maintaining profitable food and beverage facilities, comparatively more increase in labor costs as compared to productivity, customer dissatisfaction due to increase in size and number of rooms as it is claimed to increase registration and other services process time and more importantly very high competition that induces heavy rate cuts to survive (Gray & Liguori, 1996).
Keeping these factors in view, in particular customer’s dissatisfaction and profit reduction, Lewis & Chambers (1989) asserts that hospitality industry historically did not realize importance of marketing and a remedy to industry’s problem is encapsulated in ‘hospitality marketing’, both in its foundation and practices. It was further asserted that in 1950s and 1960s, industry focused on technology and updating their telephone reservation systems. Similarly in 1970s and later, businesses were focused to increase assets and forgot the essence of industry, that is, ‘customer oriented service’.
It was suggested that players in hospitality industry should realize that hospitality product is different, that is in fact, something intangible that they are selling and as both product and reasons for buying it are different also different so it demands a different marketing strategy, something like hospitality marketing that requires customer centered hospitality need identification, specific segmentation & positioning and ‘the hospitality marketing mix’.
Such trend can be observed around the world (Papers4you.com, 2006). Food chains like McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc are now focusing on customer’s service and taste rather than focusing on their own brand name only. McDonalds in India, for instance, operates differently while focusing on the ‘vegetarian aspect’ of their tradition than McDonalds in USA where focus is more towards an easy accessible food facility.
Hence the discussion may conclude that hospitality industry provided ever needed services. Nonetheless it may face certain specific issues that can be counterattacked through industry specific ‘hospitality marketing’
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Venturing Into a New Business
During this time of job instability, many individuals have taken advantage of lay offs or downsizing and started their own business. Starting your own business is a rewarding endeavor that allows an individual to control his or her own destiny. Instead of worrying about bosses, coworkers, or office politics, you run a one person show.
There can be different reasons for starting off a business of one's own. For instance, there are certain people, who start a business due to the compulsions at home. Like the mother of a newborn baby might contemplate starting a new business from home as she would like to dedicate time to the baby as well. At times, compulsions such as having to care for a partner, spouse or a sibling posing difficulties in going out might prompt someone to start a business. Starting a business at home means that all these factors can be easily taken care of.
If you're looking to begin your own business, you may choose from a variety of options such as open a retail outlet or become a consultant in your field of expertise. Once you take the initial step, you will be on the road to success, regardless of what goals you wish to pursue. The key to success is to grab the first opportunity that comes your way. You will have no regrets of missing the boat later on.
Begin saving towards your goal of starting your own business. Many types of businesses require a monetary investment. Remember the old adage, “you must spend money in order to make money.” Check with your bank to see if you qualify for any business related loans. Furthermore, there are a variety of grants available to individuals interested into opening a home business.
How much time and money is required depends entirely on the type of your business. Let's say, if you want to open a retail store, a restaurant, or a hospitality center you will need a much greater investment both in terms of time and money.
There are certain business that happen to be a relatively safer bet, such as selling brands like Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, or Mary Kay. These happen to be reputed brand names and the individual's stocking these products can sell these in home parties, shows, or even post them on the Internet. Thus with such a business in place, it is easier to maintain a fine balance between both personal and professional life.
One of the effective tools of marketing is by putting your network of friends, family and co-workers to build a feasible base of clients. The higher the base you are able to garner for yourself the greater is the scope for profits. However, once you have secured your client make sure that you have ready solutions for the clients.
If you decide to run a business from your home, make sure you delegate a specific area of your home as a business area. Whether this is a table, corner, or entire room, this business only area will ensure you treat your home as a business. Additionally, this business only area will allow other individuals to provide you with privacy necessary to do any business related tasks. Many entrepreneurs find themselves easily distracted by children, friends, spouses, or family members who disturb them during work time.
There can be different reasons for starting off a business of one's own. For instance, there are certain people, who start a business due to the compulsions at home. Like the mother of a newborn baby might contemplate starting a new business from home as she would like to dedicate time to the baby as well. At times, compulsions such as having to care for a partner, spouse or a sibling posing difficulties in going out might prompt someone to start a business. Starting a business at home means that all these factors can be easily taken care of.
If you're looking to begin your own business, you may choose from a variety of options such as open a retail outlet or become a consultant in your field of expertise. Once you take the initial step, you will be on the road to success, regardless of what goals you wish to pursue. The key to success is to grab the first opportunity that comes your way. You will have no regrets of missing the boat later on.
Begin saving towards your goal of starting your own business. Many types of businesses require a monetary investment. Remember the old adage, “you must spend money in order to make money.” Check with your bank to see if you qualify for any business related loans. Furthermore, there are a variety of grants available to individuals interested into opening a home business.
How much time and money is required depends entirely on the type of your business. Let's say, if you want to open a retail store, a restaurant, or a hospitality center you will need a much greater investment both in terms of time and money.
There are certain business that happen to be a relatively safer bet, such as selling brands like Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, or Mary Kay. These happen to be reputed brand names and the individual's stocking these products can sell these in home parties, shows, or even post them on the Internet. Thus with such a business in place, it is easier to maintain a fine balance between both personal and professional life.
One of the effective tools of marketing is by putting your network of friends, family and co-workers to build a feasible base of clients. The higher the base you are able to garner for yourself the greater is the scope for profits. However, once you have secured your client make sure that you have ready solutions for the clients.
If you decide to run a business from your home, make sure you delegate a specific area of your home as a business area. Whether this is a table, corner, or entire room, this business only area will ensure you treat your home as a business. Additionally, this business only area will allow other individuals to provide you with privacy necessary to do any business related tasks. Many entrepreneurs find themselves easily distracted by children, friends, spouses, or family members who disturb them during work time.
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