The Modern Hotelier #262: How Hotel Task Force Services Can Help With Labor Problems | with Peter Wenzell
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David Millili: Welcome to a special episode of The Modern Hotelier Hospitality's Most Engaged Podcast. We're here at the Hunter Conference in Atlanta, and I'm joined with Peter Wenzell, CEO of Wenzell and Fisher Hospitality Group. 
Peter Wenzell: Glad to be here in Atlanta, Georgia, my hometown, and thank you for having me, David. I appreciate it.
David Millili: So how did you get in the hospitality? 
Peter Wenzell: I think we all kind of just stumbled into it at some point, but back in, when I was growing up, my father actually started in the business and, he was in the restaurant side of this. And I traveled with him all throughout the country and saw what he did. He owned airport concessions and so by nature staying in hotels and traveling and all of that. I kind of just saw, hotels and I said, that is what I wanted to do. And I knew from a young age I wanted to do it. In high school, I did all the classes that you could do, and I just knew it's what I wanted restaurants were the first thing I did started at Texas Roadhouse here in Marietta, Georgia, and a small Italian restaurant in Marietta. From there, had an opportunity to work at a resort in Myrtle Beach on the beach packed up everything, and moved there and that's where my hotel career kicked off back in 2012. So it's been a journey, it's been fun. But there was purpose of how I got into the business. 
David Millili: So what are the issues that hotels are facing that your company is helping solve staffing?
Peter Wenzell: So, our group, we specialize in hotel task force services. And what is hotel task force services? Well, it could be used for multiple different things. It could be used for what probably everybody knows it for is fire drills. For example, if a front desk agent were to walk off tomorrow or put their resignation in or something, well you need somebody to cover the front desk.
We have team members who can come in that know the brand, know the systems, and they can start on day one to fill in that gap that way owners and management companies aren't pulling from other hotels. And know and not knowing what they're gonna do to fill it. It could be used for FMLAs, it could be used for many different things. So we solve the industry staffing needs here at Wenzell and Fisher Hospitality Group. 
David Millili: So what are some of the biggest mistakes that you're seeing hoteliers make when it comes to staffing mistakes?
Peter Wenzell: I mean, it's a tricky game nowadays, right? Staffing is not what it used to be, even when we started our company five years ago. We have great team members. They're all independent contractors, they work extremely hard, but there's so many options of where people can work. Look at Amazon, right? They're paying 20 plus dollars an hour, whatever the case might be for entry level roles. So our industry as a whole, not just task force, but we're fighting to get good employees and, and people who have left our business.
But we have such a great industry that we gotta keep everybody in it. I think the main problem is. How do we incentivize and make sure that they are being taken care of on property to make sure they stay, we fill the gaps. But I know owners and management companies, they don't wanna have to call us. But in order to do that, a lot of owners and management companies are really learning even more. So how do we get them to stay? And it's really working for a lot of groups I talk to. You gotta get creative. 
David Millili: Yeah, a hundred percent. So that kind of, that goes in line with my next question. So obviously there's staffing issues. We end up interviewing and going to a lot of technology shows. What role do you see technology having in really staffing today versus maybe a couple years ago?
Peter Wenzell: It's inevitable. You know, it's an inevitable I sincere, and as an industry, we have to get with it. I don't wanna see AI take over our business. And that is a fear I'm sure for a lot of people in our business, you're seeing automation used front desk check-ins. You know, I've seen ads where people in Miami are what whatnot are using people from overseas as front desk agents. We can't lose the human interaction. We gotta keep people in. But AI is real and we should use it to our advantage of how can we streamline systems and processes, how can we use it to get better? It's happening more and more than we see the mobile check-in on our phones and all of that. It's more than that now. It's technology. It's the PMS systems and in our business, we are sticking with our people. We don't use AI for the most part. But we definitely keep the people aspect in Wenzell and Fisher Hospitality Group, and I think the majority of our business wants to do the same, but understand how to incorporate AI when it's needed in the right ways.
David Millili: So what advice would you give to someone who is looking to start a company that is selling into hotels, whether it be a product or a service? 
Peter Wenzell: Take the risk. I was having a conversation with somebody with an owner earlier today. And he started his group five, six years ago and he was saying, his friend says, oh, I'm gonna start a business.
Well, if you wanna start a company of any industry, you have to take the risk. There's no good time. There's not a good time to, you know, wait for a website or wait for this. You have to do it. And then you have to network and meet people, and you have to have a good product to sell. It doesn't matter if it's, you know, accounting or staffing or consulting. You have to get to know your partners and the people in the business and be at events like this. I don't care what industry you're in. And to be able to, um, make net networking connections and, and make it right. So, and count. 
David Millili: So what's been your impression of Hunter and why was it important for you to be here at this event?
Peter Wenzell: Well, like I said, this is my first hunter and it's a pleasure to be here. Well, I met you guys, right? I mean, I didn't know you seven hours ago. I think it's about networking and also all the good informative sessions that are here, the session we had this morning to open things up was very, it just really made a lot of sense to what the day and age we're living in the business.
But the main thing for me, why I'm here, is to put faces to names. I've known a lot of these people that are here over LinkedIn for five years. We've only gotten to know each other over LinkedIn and phone calls. But to have a cup of coffee or, and or have lunch and, and put phases to name, it makes those personal connections so much more relevant because who you do you wanna do business with? Somebody you just know, right? 
Peter Wenzell: Through LinkedIn. Sure. But once you make that personal connection, that's what it's about. And that's why I'm here, is to, to celebrate our business, our wonderful industry, and put faces to names and make deals happen. 
David Millili: All right, great. Well, for those who aren't here, explain how they can get in touch with you, because obviously hotels have staffing issues. So how can somebody reach out to you, reach out to your company? 
Peter Wenzell: Absolutely. Well, I'm big on LinkedIn, so Peter Wenzell on LinkedIn, that's the number one way. So if you add me there, I'll respond back and we'll have a conversation. And also my email peter.wenzell@wenzellfisherhg.com. I know it's long, so LinkedIn will probably be the best way to get ahold of me. And I look forward to connecting with anyone that has, you know, any issues with staffing. It doesn't matter what it is. And if you just want to talk and network and. Candidates as well. I always love meeting people and seeing how we can help each other. That's what this, this is about. 
David Millili: Right. Well, that does it for this episode of The Modern Hotelier Hospitality's Most Engaged Podcast. Whether you're watching or listening, we appreciate you and we were happy to come to you from Hunter in Atlanta. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. 
Peter Wenzell: That was good. 
David Millili: Good. Thank you.