August to October marks the corporate contracting season across Asia — an annual period when key accounts revisit their hotel partnerships and finalize rate agreements for the year ahead. Most hoteliers focus on the usual suspects: pricing and availability. And while these are important, they’re not the endgame.
As someone who works closely with both ownership groups and operators across Asia-Pacific, I can confidently say: corporate account retention hinges on far more than competitive rates. In fact, many corporate relationships are lost not because of pricing, but because of unspoken issues that slowly erode trust and confidence over time.
Highlights
Beyond the Room Rate: What Corporate Buyers Really Value
Corporate travel managers operate with a specific mandate:
- Ensure the safety, comfort, and productivity of their traveling employees
- Minimize friction in every aspect of travel
- Avoid reputational risk from poor guest experiences
So while a hotel might boast attractive rates and availability, decision-makers are asking more nuanced questions:
- Will our employees feel safe walking into this hotel late at night?
- Is the Wi-Fi strong enough for a video call without dropouts?
- How quickly does the hotel respond when something goes wrong — like a late-night check-in or missing towels?
Seemingly minor service gaps — like inconsistent housekeeping, broken elevators, erratic breakfast service, or unresponsive night staff — can result in a quiet departure from the preferred vendor list. No negotiation. No second chances. Just silence.
Silent Red Flags That Cost You Business
Over the years, I’ve observed patterns in how corporate clients assess properties beyond RFP responses and rate sheets. Here are the silent deal-breakers most frequently cited:
- Unmaintained Facilities: Aging lifts, unreliable HVAC systems, and inconsistent hot water are unacceptable in 2025.
- Front Desk Inconsistencies: Corporate guests often arrive outside standard hours. An untrained or inattentive night shift sends the wrong message.
- F&B Reliability: A drop in breakfast quality or unannounced changes to hours can spark dissatisfaction that quickly spreads internally.
- No Dedicated Point of Contact: Not having a named GM or operations lead for key accounts can make your property seem unresponsive or uncommitted.
- Visible Decline in Upkeep: Corporate guests often return to the same hotel multiple times a year. They notice if things are slipping — even if they never complain.
These red flags rarely surface in formal feedback. But they are shared within client organizations and influence renewal decisions. In many cases, hotel teams don’t even realize they’ve lost an account until the next RFP cycle — when it’s already too late.
How to Retain Corporate Accounts This Season
If you want to do more than just win corporate accounts — if you want to retain them — consider these proven strategies:
- Conduct a Corporate Guest Walk-Through: Review your property through the eyes of a frequent business traveler. Check late-night access, in-room connectivity, elevator reliability, water pressure, and breakfast setup. Bring in someone external if needed — they’ll spot things your team has normalized.
- Prioritize Consistency: It’s not just about delivering five-star service occasionally — it’s about doing the basics well, every time. Clean rooms, working AC, polite staff, and on-time breakfast matter more than surprise upgrades.
- Assign a Named Point of Contact: Every corporate account should have a dedicated liaison — ideally at the GM or senior ops level — who can field feedback, resolve issues, and build rapport.
- Train Staff on Corporate Traveler Expectations: Early check-ins, ironed shirts, quiet rooms, power outlets by the bed, grab-and-go breakfasts — all these matter. Ensure your team understands the expectations of business travelers, not just tourists.
- Follow Up Proactively: Don’t assume that silence means satisfaction. Schedule regular check-ins with your top accounts. Ask them what’s working and what’s not. Showing that you care — before the contract is up — can go a long way.
Final Thoughts: Mastering Corporate Account Retention
Corporate travel may not yet be at pre-pandemic highs, but momentum is building across Asia. Every corporate account matters more than ever — particularly in a region where repeat business, loyalty, and brand reputation are intertwined.
Yet too many hotel operators stay overly focused on rate cards and availability grids. They overlook what drives real loyalty: operational reliability, perceived safety, and the confidence that their hotel won’t let a guest — or a client — down.
At JLL, where I currently advise on the performance of hospitality assets for high-net-worth individuals, private equity groups, and sovereign funds, we regularly evaluate not just the P&L but the long-term health of key relationships. Corporate clients are part of that equation.
Editor’s Note:
This article, originally titled “How Not to Lose a Corporate Account: The Silent Red Flags That Matter Most,” was contributed by Pierre Maréchal, Vice President of Strategic Advisory & Asset Management at JLL, with over 20 years of experience across Asia Pacific and beyond, advising hotel owners on asset performance, operator selection, and commercial strategy.
Views expressed are the author’s own. To pitch your story or share insights on hospitality, leadership, or business in Asia, contact the NIA editorial team.
Highlights
Read the Chinese article here.
