I went hunting for some new shoes the other day. It’s incredible how dragging your feet through Europe’s airports actually wears the soles thin. So, as I went through the effort of wandering out to the shops and trying on multiple pairs of shoes, all of which were either too big or too small, I reflected on the return on investment for the sales person patiently serving me. Surely the margin on those leather-soled shoes wouldn’t pay for his hourly salary, shop overheads and its advertisements in the local newspaper. Having finally settled on a pair of rather fetching brown shoes, I rushed to the sales counter to pay and tear off away from the world of shoe shops.  At that point I realised why the sales person had been so patient. Suddenly I found myself purchasing a shoe polish, a special brush for this specific type of leather and that all important water proofing spray that one absolutely needs for an English summer.

How often does that happen when you are at the reception counter in a hotel? Not very, but as some of our customers have proved to us, it can work. Tonight I am in a hotel room having benefited from a 20 euro upgrade which provides me with breakfast, HSIA and all you can watch PayTV. An easy up sell by the hotel reception. With Avatar released Europe-wide, hotels should surf on the hype and let their staff offer great deals to guests and generate some extra revenue for the hotel.