Think Tank

Think tank

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Class Review

SOCIAL REWARDS + SOCIAL NETWORK - TOP GUEST + INSTAGRAM

1.     What customer groups - communities of interest are being targeted

·         Iphone users

2.     What actions are being provoked

·         Take a picture and share it on Facebook, Twitter or Flickr

3.     Are the incentives appropriate

·         Bonus points

4.     Will these campaigns work - yes, why - no, why not

·         No, because they reward only the best users.

5.     Do commercial campaigns change the essential nature of the social network used.

·         No, because it is still a question of sharing pictures

SOCIAL NETWORK + OTA - EXPEDIA + FACEBOOK

6.     What customer groups - communities of interest are being targeted

·         Smartphone users

·         Facebook users

·         Travelers

·         Expedia customers

7.     What actions are being provoked

·         Like Expedia

·         Invite Facebook friends

·         Make sure that your Facebook friends accept your invitation

8.     Are the incentives appropriate

·         Expedia Travel Credit

9.     Will these campaigns work - yes, why - no, why not

·         We could say that it works thanks to the large number 184 320 of likers

10.  Do commercial campaigns change the essential nature of the social network used

·         The essential nature of Facebook is still the same. All about sharing, inviting friends and win prizes

Knowledge Recap 2010-2011

Travelocity launches "Top Secret Hotels" Iphone App

Today, the article which retained my attention was the launching of the "Top Secret Hotels" Iphone App by Travelocity.

In fact, I already adhere to secret hotels tendance and the way to decline it in a new app is a great idea. I tried this new concept when I booked a trip to Budapest. I only knew that the hotel was a 4 stars hotel, its location was in the center, and of course the price. Well, it was a good surprise as it was a wonderful hotel.

The secret hotel tendance is very successful and thanks to this new app, Iphone users will appreciate it.

For a traveler who likes last minute, he definitely has to download this app.

On an other hand, to book a secret hotel could be a bad experience as far as we do not know the category, and the location.

Here is the article

Georgen Hospitality Industry: SOCIAL MEDIA ROI

Georgen Hospitality Industry: SOCIAL MEDIA ROI: "1. What is meant by 'Social Media is not free'? access to social media is free but not everything: the company has to hire someone to manag..."

Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing

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Ten ways to continue the conversation with customers

Today, I found this article really interesting as I am working in Hospitality. American Express Forum gave us the opportunity to think about the link between customers and us after a service or a purchase.

Actually, they give us some keys to maintain the contact with the customers.

In Hospitality, especially, it is really a plus to keep in touch with a guest. It is a way to make him loyal. When I was guest liaison at Pangkor Laut Resort in Malaysia, everyday we had to send "thanks letter" to guests. At the beginning it was the same letter for all of them, only the name of the guest was added and at the end we have decided to add in each letter a personal experience that they had. For example "Dear Mr Winston... We hope that you enjoyed your Spa Treatment and keep a memorable experience...".

I could say that every time we received an answer to this letter. Guest really enjoyed the fact that we still take care of them even if they left the hotel, to be sure that their return trip was safe.

In other words, in Hospitality, the service has to be memorable during the stay of the guest but also before their arrival and after. This is my vision of services.

Regarding the commercial point, it is also a way to make them loyal and to give them a reason to come back to our hotel.

Here is the article

Mid-Term Questions / Influence Marketing

Open publication - Free publishing - More sim

How the Four Seasons Hotel Palo Alto uses social media for customer service.

Today, this article retained my attention as it is rarely to read a customer experience in terms of social media than an essay on the way to use social media.

Effectively, in this article, Mr Thomas Marzano informed us regarding his customer experience in the Four Seasons Hotel Palo Alto after a tweet.

Before arriving to the hotel, je just expressed thanks to a tweet how much he was looking forward to relax at their spa and the hotel directly answered by a tweet, by asking him if they should make any reservation. Thomas Marzano had a great welcoming and tweeted everyday.

It is very nice to see that some hotels are concerned by social media and react immediately. In my mind, so many hotels are too late on this trend.

Four Seasons Hotel Palo Alto was very clever as this guest kept a memorable stay in their hotel. 

Hotels really have to work on social media and be everywhere on the Web. Guest are looking for attention and for them to see that the hotel is reactive is a positive point.

Here is the article

How can a hotel use Klout scores to improve customer communications?

Klout is a online software which permits to measure your influence online.

In other words, you could use it as a tool in terms of following and waking of your brand.

Indeed, it helps you to get an approach of the subscription of the internet users around your hotel and also the influence of your hotel on them.

This software permits you to ameliorate the online communication because you could refine the influence and increase the membership.

Starwood launches comprehensive online booking in Chinese

Starwood is conscientious about the importance of China by launching on their website the possibility to make reservation on Chinese.

It is a revolution as in general booking on hotel website is available in English, French, Spanish, and Italian but usually not in Asian language.

More than this possibility, Starwood opened the largest Customer Contact Center in China. They are the only one who provides 24- hour customer support, 365 days a year for its Chinese-speaking customers.

In my opinion, China will be by 2015 the world’s largest tourism market and it is obviously a necessity to take care of those actual and future customers by make their reservation and customer experience easy.

Starwood is one of the first ones who offer this type of possibility and it will be a plus for their Chinese market.

Chinese do not speak English for most of them, and they will appreciate the way that Starwood makes their life easier.

It is a really good initiative from Starwood !

Here is the article

Think Tank 2011

Think Tank 2011

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Final Exam

Open publication - Free publishing - More marketing

How to reduce your hotel’s dependency on OTAs?

OTA (online travel agency) has a real importance for hotelier and especially for the revenue management department.

As the article says, hotelier need to focus on the strategy that can provide the most important revenue at the different time of the year. This is all about the revenue's strategy. Questions are always: Do we need to focus on  large groups? small groups? individuals? OTA?; all of these depending of  low or high season.

So at the question of how to reduce hotel's dependency on OTAs? the answer could be by focusing on the website to avoid the commision and have good contract with the OTA and also to sell on opaque and focus on packages like Hotel+flight.

Link to the article

Comment about Deborah's article

Facebook is a great tool but still many companies or hotels do not know how to use it. Marketing is really different than digital marketing, customers are the same but the tools to target them are different.

If we take the example of Schweppes, their facebook page is a disaster as they talk more about the app than their brand. Then, they want to show that they are interested by Art by showing pictures of for examples a man with Vuitton tattoos, Chanel condoms etc. They are doing publicities for other brands in their page. 

We could also cite the example of Mcdo with the "McDonald deals", they didn't hire a community manager to take care of their facebook page and now it is a mess as they got very bad comments and even insults.

Link to Deborah's article

Net Literacy

Net Literacy on Prezi

Consumers wary of location-based services

In this survey, we learn that 5% of people use location based service as Foursquare and Facebook places and this number increases to 10% in U.S. Those people are also concerned about privacy.

Many people do not understand the Foursquare interest for instance. If you are a company, Foursquare is a way to show that your company exists, you have to register it. Then, you have the possibility to attract new customers by offering gifts and special badges. Thanks to this kind of website, you could also make your customers loyal.

Moreover, Foursquare offers much information as statistics, which permit to know better our client, and obviously the clients of our competitors.

At the end, it is also a way to create a buzz by creating games and offering a gift to the winner.

These kinds of websites are useful especially professionally as the privacy is less important when we talk about location. As an individual it is nice to show where you are at the moment but it could be dangerous. 

So, I would say, use location-based, but with moderation! 

Link to the article

Link to the full article

Sixth Sense in Hospitality

Sixth Sense in Hospitality on Prezi

What consumers want more from a hotel in 2011 !

This study published by Orbitz retained my attention. What could be more interesting than learning the consumers expectations for a woman like me who wants to work in Hospitality ?! 

"Consumers are looking to get more for less", this sentence resumes perfectly the article.

In this study, we learn that promotional offers, swimming pool and extras are the TOP three in the consumer decision.

Obviously people are looking for more, and I won't disagree as I am the first one when I am looking for a hotel to check what could I have in addition for the same category and the same price. The swimming pool is also a key factor in my decision, as I am going to travel and wish to be able to relax and practice some sport.

With this information, we could say that having more facilities and offer amenities is for sure a success key.

As it was mentioned in the article, now you see more and more hotels which are welcoming pets. It is the proof that hoteliers are taking in account consumer wishes.

In other words, hotels have to offer more than others to be competitive.

Link to the article

Link to the full story

IMGuest.com, like Foursquare for hotels

IMGuest.com is a new social network which permits to people to create business and opportunities by check-in into a hotel.

The point where it is different from Foursquare for instance is that the average stay in a hotel is several days. Usually when you use Foursquare, it is to inform that you are in this airport or in this coffee shop but that's it.

It is very easy to sign up, you can use your Facebook or Twitter account. Then you could inform IMGuest users regarding the purpose of your stay and find people to meet.

IMGuest.com is interesting for guests but also for hotel owner. It is a way for them to be connected to their guests in a different way.

In my opinion, this social network dedicated to hotels is really innovative. As a professional, what a great gain of time ! Traveling for one business and find another there !

Link to the article

Link to IMGuest.com

Hotel Concorde Lafayette Paris

Hotel Concorde Lafayette Paris

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Affiliate Program Expedia Vs Amazon

Affiliate program

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Best Western launches Ipad App !

By launching an Ipad app, Best Western give the opportunity to their guests to plan their future stay. In other words, they could access for instance to restaurant addresses located near the hotel.

More than planning, this app permits to share with future guests our experience. It is possible to add pictures, comments, good deals...

"BestWestern2Go" was already available on Iphone, now it is possible to download it for free on Itunes Store for your Ipad. Android users have also access to this app.

Nowadays, it is impossible to get away from Hotel apps. More and more hotels have already launched their apps, and I am convinced that hotels which are resistant to are making a mistake.

It is so important to be able to share experiences in Hospitality, from anywhere.

525 millions of smartphones where sold in 2010. This statistic shows the reality of this market. People are not going to wait to be at home to be connected on the Web.

Best Western is doing a good job, now we are waiting for more !

Link to the article

Hotel SKT Petri copenhagen - comments review

Hotel SKT Petri copenhagen - comments review

Expedia offers free rooms upgrades for top customers

I choose this article because customer loyalty is really important in hospitality and it's necessary to constantly find a way to secure the loyalty of the guests.

Expedia is a very good example, as they reward their top customers by upgrading automatically during their stay.

To become a top customer and benefit of this upgrade, you have to book through Expedia at least 15 hotels or spend more than $10,000 in hotels and airfares annually.

Expedia is still working on this program by recruiting new hotels which accept to give free upgrades.

It is a small step but as we all know, it won't be enough. The problem still in the difference way of rewarding offered by different brands and independent hotels. If the traveler is staying in three different hotels and he is rewarding by upgrade and champagne in the first one and we could imagine with chocolates in the last one, it is pretty sure that he won't understand, because he is a top customer of Expedia.

In other words, I would say that Expedia is doing a great job but would it be enough ?

I am still convinced that hospitality and customer loyalty is a story of service quality. Giving amenities or upgrades is an option but a customer grades the entire stay. Even if a guest benefits upgrades, if there only one detail which he didn't appreciate, he won't come. 

In Hospitality, the service is the success key. Every employees have to be vigilant each second.

Link to the article

Link to the full article