Does your Hotel struggle to think outside the box? Is your Hotel obsessed with thinking outside the box but still reluctant to put it into practice?

Don’t worry, you are not alone! Discover 7 ways for Hotels to think outside the box to fit new customer success inside the box.

The challenge often for many Hotels is that their team members don’t know what the box is, or what it means to think outside it.

Thinking outside the box often represents a shift in mindset. As Hoteliers, we have to be willing to leap of faith.

Today Hotels are operating in such a dynamic environment where there is a huge possibility of overnight changes in how customers respond to their offers. Therefore, Hotels must respond to changes in an adequate, effective, efficient, and rational way.

The dynamic environment drives will drive Hotels to develop the strong ability of adaptability, as change is essential for the survival of the Industry.

There is a great deal of value in disrupting conventional thought processes, breaking through complacency as a means to thinking differently about Hotels.

Choose the right place to start

Often the most challenging part of the change is not to get started, but where to start. And it is critical that the new start actually replace old patterns and behaviors.

The change represents a journey and not quick fixes. Hotels will need to create a map that identifies key roadblocks and traps the team faces. And when identified apply new strategies to avoid them.

A change represents a transformation. And as part of this transformation, you have to start with construct the best team for your Hotel’s new journey.

Start with identifying the right skills and talent that are capable of working in a new set together with the Hotel leadership and customers.

The pursuit of Happiness

When your Hotel creates a map for the new journey include a path that leads your team away from failure and setbacks.

In many cases we see team members are stuck in the current path and journey, or even worse they get down a journey towards further negative consequences.

Hotel leaders today need to start to embrace and implement Happiness in the work environment and all team members.

Research has shown a 12% increase in productivity as a result of happiness. And unhappy workers were 10% less productive.

And happy team members solve problems better and are more creative.

As a result of this, Hotels that embrace and implement Happiness experience new positive growth.

Connectivity and Community

Today human beings are connected to the entire world 24/7 through various devices.

This has resulted in new disruptive customer demands. Today customers anticipate instant response either they face a concern or just seek some information about your Hotel.

And this can for many Hotels be very intimidating.

I have over the years studied and done several types of research on the various challenges Hotels face in today’s disruptive markets. The biggest challenge is typically related to the content, and the number of outcomes Hotel strives for is improved online visibility.

And we know that today it is the disruptive markets that control the content, and the Hotels response or lack of response will directly impact their online visibility.

It is critical to start nurturing your Hotel’s connections and community. This will have a direct impact on your relationship marketing strategies.

As part of new skills and talents your need team members that are effective listeners.

Content today is not about the content in itself, it becomes relevant when it is put in context by influencers.

Building an effective community will then ultimately impact your Hotel’s reputation management.

The community will help your Hotel build a new ecosystem of valuable customers.

Identify pain points

At some point, both Hotels and customers became numb to various pain points. And over time all everyone accepted them as the way things are.

Pain points represent one of the biggest opportunities for Hotels to tap into new uncontested markets.

In many cases, pain points limit demands and customer experiences.

To start on a new journey Hotels, need to look at six areas where they either need to eliminate something, reduce something, raise something, or create something.

  1. Productivity – anything to do with creating more effectiveness with happiness, less time, effort, and/or money to meet fulfill the customer experience
  2. Simplicity – eliminate or reduce complexity
  3. Convenience – raise when are where Hotel and customers want something 24/7/365
  4. Risk – reduce financial, physical, and elements jeopardizing the reputation
  5. Fun and Image – create a new look and attitude that supports the customer experience
  6. Environmental friendliness – create green and eco-friendly products

Make every micro-moment matter

Today every customer experience represents a series of micro-moments.

With new advanced mobile technology customers can access information that will add value to important micro-moments anytime and anywhere.

The key for Hotels today is to show up during these micro-moments and help the customer through their decision process.

And today some tools and services can help both Hotels and customers during these important micro-moments. Even more important with dedicated Social Marketing Frameworks Hotels can take control of these micro-moments.

Helping customers during these important micro-moments also helps you with building successful customer relationships.

Imagine where you and your customers could be

Social Media Marketing Funnel

On one side of a dedicated Social Marketing Framework, we look at processes that drive the customers into the Hotels community. And once the customers get inside the Hotels Community will look at the processes that amplify their experiences.

First, we look at the different states the customers go through;

  • Cognitive – perceptions, judgment, reasoning dictated by emotions, learning
  • Affective – influenced by emotions and rationale
  • Behavior – actions as a result of rational

Second, we look at what role content plays in each state;

  • Awareness
  • Attention
    • Secure attention
    • Hold attention through interest
  • Interest
  • Desire
    • Arose desire
    • Create confidence belief
    • Secure decision and action
    • Create satisfaction
  • Action 

In the center, both the Hotel and the community puts data and content into context, and from there the amplification process starts.

This process will start amplifying;

  • Community
  • Value
  • Quality
  • Experience
  • Retention

Creating a map or a Social Media Framework for future customer engagement is just as important as creating one for the present. This puts customer experience in the right frame of mind to respond to customers during stressful or challenging situations.

Imagine where your Hotel and customer could be and start with proactive actions that create and universal experience that everyone can be proud of taking ownership of.

Ultimately this is the type of experience that the customer will share with their family, friends, and colleagues.

Take an active part in the customer journey

Many Hotels spend weeks creating a very detailed and highly visual customer journey map. They managed to get marketing, customer experience, sales, and the rest of the Hotel management team on board. Everything looks good.

But for many Hotels now it’s time to get back to the ‘real work’ of meeting the Key Performance Indicators your team is being measured by.

It is no doubt that it is very important to measure and take appropriate actions related to Key Performance Indicators. Data will help us identify some significant opportunities.

But besides, we need a process that helps us get a better understand of what really matters to customers during important micro-moments.

There is more than enough technology, tools, frameworks, and consultants available to help Hotels identify data points that help you create customer journey maps. And besides, it helps build effective Social Media Marketing frameworks.

What is important to understand in this perspective is that customer journeys are not created, they are discovered. Hotels will need a real understanding of customer needs.

The real data comes from new innovative customer interactions.

It is important to understand that Hotels will still need the human touch to create new delightful customer experiences.

Part of creating a new culture and mindset will require Hotels to think outside the box.

Introduce Hotel Experience Ambassadors that possess skills and talent to connect and respond to customers with simple acts of kindness to leads to gratitude.

Building customer relationships and customer interactions will happing during important micro-moments. The Hotel need to present during these micro-moments.

Hotel Experience Ambassadors will engage and learn what the local community has to offer, and how you together can add value to customers.

A shift towards Customer Experience is for Hotels one of the best things that could happen now as new disruptive markets keep developing.

Is your Hotel ready??

Are you ready for a new journey and learn how you can put your Hotels Conversation Experience Marketing on Autopilot?

Join our FREE Facebook Group for Hotels and Hoteliers to be part of a new journey => Start your Hotel Social Revolution!

And it will help identify micro-moments and recognize pain points and values utilizing Hotel Experience Ambassadors that knows where to look for them.

I have loved with all of my heart and soul serving customers, guests, and Hoteliers. As a Hotel Experience Ambassador, I gained a new passion for being a representative and messenger delivering new profound and delightful experiences.

If your Hotel wants to implement new effective success factors then now is the time to be part of a new initiative.

When your Hotel serves your community they will reward you back with serving you.

From a Hotel and Social Media Consultant’s standpoint, the Social Media Community can offer Hotels a one-stop-shop for managing their Social Media marketing such as the community infrastructure, database, listening functionality, profile management, collaboration, content marketing and management, and of course, the analytics.

A Social Media Community will help your Hotel to grow smarter and faster when you focus on the value proposition and collaborate in effective ways.

If your Hotel needs help to put it all together then make sure to let us know.

With the right team behind your Social Media efforts, it can become cost-effective and generate a new revenue stream for your Hotel.

We are in this together!

I need to let you all know that we are in on this together.  If you need to vent, talk, cry, or just have some to talk with then I am here listening. Since I am working part-time at the local Kroger, I will to the best of my ability to work it out around my schedule.

But you can reach me here:

Email: hotelblogger@aremorch.com

LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn Page

Also, join us at our Facebook Group – Hotel Social Media Community

We will get through this unprecedented event together! #hotelstrong #hospitalitystrong

For any specific information on COVID-19, I recommend go to CDCWHOAHLAAAHOA, and HSMAI. Also, follow information from your local authorities.

NOTE

We are starting to reopen some hotels again (Yay!!!). Make sure you follow their guidelines and say THANK YOU to those that now show a unique spirit to serve, and helps us all get through this!! #hotelstrong #hospitalitystrong

About Are Morch

Hi, I am Are Morch. Your Digital Marketing Coach and Customer Experience Expert that specializes in creating effective digital customer experience offer for hotels while growing and scale customer acquisition and revenue.

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