With the current difficult hotel economy, hotel owners have dramatically cut back their refurbishment and new-construction activity. As the economy begins to recover, hoteliers are looking for ways to get projects back on line even while they continue to seek ways to hold down costs. Some ownership groups have attempted to circumvent the necessity of hiring all of the required disciplines (architect, interior designer and purchasing agent) by combining the work load, and having the architect do the design or the designer handle the purchasing. Concurrently, professional firms looking to make up for lower revenues in a world of fewer projects are expanding into related areas. As a result, the lines between disciplines are becoming increasingly blurred, and aren’t yielding the desired savings to the project. While short-term, this crossing over may appear to lower costs, but the opposite usually occurs. The “one-fee” concept looks great on the front end, but eliminating key components generally comes back to haunt you. Hotel renovation or new construction is one of the most complex operations in real estate and, as a result, requires a team of specialists to get the job done right and on time. Think of it this way: A championship basketball team requires the interaction of five different team members; each brings certain skills and specialties in different aspects of the game. But crossing over into other areas of expertise may produce unexpected or negative results. While the center may be able to dribble the ball up court, he certainly is not the most qualified person to do the job. The result can be inconsequential until he drops the ball when the game is on the line. The same goes for the FF&E process, with the owner losing out in a variety of ways. First, and probably most important, the project suffers when it does not benefit from the expertise that specialists bring to the table. For example, designers often can see architectural flaws because they have lived through them before. Purchasing professionals can make suggestions on product design that may be more cost-effective or work better in a specific hotel environment. He or she may know from previous experience that a specified carpet selection might look great, but the fabric may not be suitable for a heavily trafficked area. The result of that input is a carpet selection that doesn’t wear out prematurely. With everyone focused on their respective areas of expertise, the sum of experience and input becomes greater than the individual components. Ownership is best served when everyone is working toward the same goal. Each discipline— whether it be architecture, design or purchasing— must put in the required time to ensure that their portion of the work is well thought out and detailed in the specifications, drawings and orders. Reports must be complete and work delivered on time, with each completing their respective piece of the puzzle. The past year has been trying for the hotel industry. When times get tough, we often lose sight of our respective missions and business objectives. I’ve noticed a tendency in the current environment for professional firms to be more competitive than collegial in their dealings. Owners hire professional consultants expecting that the various disciplines will work together toward a common goal of completing the best project possible, an expectation that should be embraced and honored by all. In the long run, if we fail to work together, we do a disservice to the industry and our collective customer base, the hotel owner.
