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Tag Archives: Social Media
Hospitality Industry Technology Solutions: “Smart Hotelier’s 2014 Top 10 Digital Marketing” Strategies
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Filed under Guest Issues, Magazines, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology
Hospitality Industry Technology Solutions: Hotels Increase Collection Of Guest Information With Social Media & Surveys To “Upgrade The Experience”
“…Like other luxury hotels, the Peninsula collects a cache of information about its customers, which is stored in a guest-preference database. 
But it’s done with only one purpose: to upgrade the experience. It contains information about your favorite food, your preferred room and what side of the bed you sleep on…Experts will tell you it’s unfair to compare a hotel with a few hundred guests with a chain with tens of thousands. Maybe, maybe not. La Quinta Inn & Suites recently used a feedback-management platform to harvest information through social media and surveys to determine what guests thought of its breakfasts, which are included in the price of their stay…”
Airlines, car rental companies and hotels ought to spy on their customers more often. Collecting information about you to improve customer service — and only for that purpose — could return the American travel business to greatness.
That’s no coincidence, says Offer Nissenbaum, managing director of the Peninsula Beverly Hills. “If you collect all the little details,” says Nissenbaum, “you can meet and exceed a guest’s expectations.”
Actually, figuring out which side of the bed you sleep on seems to be one of the hottest data points in the hotel business. The Ritz-Carlton, which also delivers above-and-beyond service, notes your preferred side, says spokeswoman Allison Sitch. Why? Because that’s where the staff will place a water bottle and other amenities, which means a lot when you roll out of bed in the morning.
The volume of data being collected by luxury hotel chains such as Ritz-Carlton or Peninsula might make an NSA agent blush. But the hotels gather it unapologetically, “as long as the data is being used to make the customer happy,” says Sitch.
The insights were sent directly to front-line employees and managers for their feedback. La Quinta responded by adding signs and more prominently displaying the healthy foods they already offered, and customer approval rose.
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Hospitality Industry Social Media Solutions: National Hotel And Restaurant Chains Using Twitter To “Attract A More Stable Following”
“…The idea stemmed from a conversation in which the company suggested one of their properties, and turned a Twitter user into a paying 
customer. In an age when so few people have allegiances to certain companies, Loews are also hoping to attract a more stable following…The chain will launch “social reservations†at 16 of its 19 properties from November 19th, which opens another interesting channel for online users to book their next hotel stay with only a few clicks…”
Following in the wake of a recent tweet-a-coffee initiative from Starbucks, Loews Hotels and Resorts have made the decision to allow social media users to book a room through Twitter.
With 34% of hotel room revenue comes from online and mobile app bookings, the chain is hoping to give people in their 20s and 30s another way to book their stay without having to pick up the phone.
Here’s how the process works: Send a tweet to @Loews_Hotels with the hashtag #BookLoews to show you’re interested, after which a Loews travel planner will join in the conversation. Once all the details are taken care of, the planner will tweet a link to a secure chat conversation where you can process your payment information.
For more:Â http://www.psfk.com/2013/11/twitter-hotel-bookings.html
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Hospitality Industry Technology Solutions: Hotel And Restaurant “Mobile Websites” Rank Highest In Performance, Customer Engagement According To Recent Study; Mobile Payments To Reach $90 Billion By 2017
For more:Â http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/home
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Hospitality Industry Social Media Management: Hotel Management Must Have Policies In Place To Deal With An “Online Reputation Crisis” Including “Act Quickly, Publish Official Response, Remove Content And Rally Supporters”
Given the rapid-fire pace at which content can spread via social networks, hotels have never been more vulnerable. A seemingly minor issue can quickly escalate into a full-blown crisis, causing serious damage to reputation.
After a power outage at a Texas hotel last summer, a paralyzed American war veteran called the front desk to request help from his room. For reasons not entirely clear, the clerk allegedly laughed at the request and mocked him. The guest got down by throwing his wheelchair and bags down three flights of stairs and sliding down on his backside. Then he went to straight to the media.
The incident incited a public furor that quickly spread to social networks. The hotel, its employees and the entire brand came under attack, with expressions of outrage and calls for a brand-wide boycott. Despite a solid reputation, it seemed nothing the brand could do—issue a refund and a public apology, dismiss the employee, implement staff training—would appease detractors.
- Be prepared – Given the risks involved, a social media policy with a crisis management component must be a priority. Outline the steps to take in the event of a crisis, the people responsible, and the role social media will play in messaging. Keep a list of emergency contacts at hand, including your social media administrator.
- Act quickly – When a crisis hits, there’s no time for bureaucracy. You must respond quickly and decisively. But first you must assess what’s at stake. Include senior management in decisions, and if appropriate seek advice from a PR firm or lawyer.
- Publish an official response - An official response is a critical step. It should be honest and sincere, should speak to your company’s credentials, and should be authored by a senior executive. Post it to one channel—your website or blog, a video—and direct all inquiries there.
- Rally supporters – Call on your community of fans to help get your messaging out. Their words will have more impact and reach than official brand messages.
- Don’t fuel the fire – Buchmeyer tells me of another incident in which a client attempted to quell a spate of angry comments on its Facebook page by deleting them and blocking detractors. This only resulted in escalating the situation. Monitor conversations and respond as appropriate, but resist the urge to sanitize. In some cases it may be better to “go dark” on social media rather than draw attention to the issue and further provoke detractors. This is especially true in the case of a tragedy or natural disaster, when communications should be restricted to community support and keeping guests informed.
- Get the content removed – Getting damaging content taken down can be challenging, especially if it has spread to multiple channels. Go to the source and ask them to remove it, but don’t be heavy handed. At the same time, appeal to the host site to have it removed. Litigation is an option if the content is libelous, but use it as a last resort. Engage in charitable causes and community work that will garner positive content to displace the negative.
- Reputation management—a company wide function – The media loves a scandal, and exposés of security, sanitation and safety issues are popular topics that can be highly damaging to business. Employees must be aware that social media has raised the stakes. The consequences of guest mistreatment, negligence and lapses in quality, service and security can be severe. Management must play its part by providing the training, empowerment and support necessary to ensure standards are understood and upheld.
For more:Â http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4059521.html
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Filed under Guest Issues, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management, Technology, Training
Hospitality Industry Guest Satisfaction: Hotels Must Develop And Facilitate A "Mobile Device Strategy" That Pays "Careful Attention To Guests' Needs"
“…Given the rapid move to mobile devices by travelers, (hotels must) develop a “mobile strategy” that facilitates the use of mobile devices to make sure a hotel is noticed during a mobile search–and gets the business. Hotels must find a way to become part of guests’ mobile ecosystem, in part by paying more careful
attention to guest needs…”
Two new publications from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the School of Hotel Administration outline technology issues and the effects of social media on the hospitality industry. A study by Cornell’s Chris Anderson confirms what hospitality operators have long suspected–social media reviews drive hotel reservations.
One particular value of analytics is that they can highlight and resolve problems with guest satisfaction that may not show up in conventional guest surveys. Hotel operators are aware that their property needs to appear near the top of web search results, and analytics can present techniques for making this happen, such as connecting the hotel with local attractions or events.
- First, he documented the increasing influence of TripAdvisor, as the number of reviews consulted by consumers prior to booking a hotel room has steadily increased over time.
- Second, an analysis of transactional data from Travelocity illustrated that a 1-point increase on Travelocity’s 5-point scale allows the hotel to increase its price by 11.2 percent and still maintain the same occupancy or market share.
- Third, by matching ReviewPRO’s Global Review IndexTM with STR’s hotel sales and revenue data, Anderson’s analysis finds that a 1-percent increase in a hotel’s online reputation score leads up to a 0.89-percent increase in a hotel’s average daily rate (ADR), as well as an occupancy increase of up to 0.54 percent and up to a 1.42-percent increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR).
Perhaps most critically, customer reviews have now become a major discriminating point for customers’ determination of a hotel’s quality. Whereas price used to be used for that purpose, customers now put a greater weight on user-generated content on social media sites. Surprisingly, the fashion industry may be a model for how to use social media to promote hotel sales. People like to hear comments on how they look in a new outfit, so the issue is how to translate that kind of interaction to a restaurant meal or hotel stay.
For more:Â http://www.equities.com/news/headline-story?dt=2012-11-29&val=770928&cat=service
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Hospitality Industry Social Media Risks: Hotel Management Faces Legal Issues With Regard To "Relationships" Of Employees Discovered On Facebook
While platforms such as Facebook and Twitter present new opportunities for training and engaging with employees, they also bring new challenges and wrinkles to the age-old workplace policies and practices…(such as)… two of your most exemplary employees who work the front desk..(who)… one day via a Facebook update… entered into a relationship despite your hotel’s strict policy against it…”
“…A user who posts something on Facebook without the proper security filters does so with no expectation of privacy…”
The above scenario was one of many social-media quandaries presented during a table-top summit Tuesday at the 6th Annual HR in Hospitality Conference & Expo.
In this situation, you could fire Johnny, according to Gregg Gilman, an attorney with New York-based Davis & Gilbert LLP. A user who posts something on Facebook without the proper security filters does so with no expectation of privacy, he said. Thus, you treat the case as if you discovered the illicit relationship in one of the “old-fashioned†ways, such as hearing about it from another employee or observing certain tip-offs.Â
“You have this new medium, but the same old rules apply,†Gilman said. “… If you operate by those rules, you’re going to be OK.â€
Robert Mellwig, VP of HR for Englewood, Colorado-based Destination Hotels, agreed. “We don’t want to get distracted around the technologies,†he said. “… It could easily happen in any other form.â€
Where an employer might get into trouble is if they “friend†an employee on Facebook under false pretences for the sole purpose of uncovering activity that runs counter to workplace policy, Gilman said.
For more:Â http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/7665/Social-media-brings-new-legal-issues-to-hotels
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Hospitality Industry Employee Risks: "Employment Practices Liability Insurance" Policies Can Protect Hotel Owners From Costly Litigation When Using Social Media In Hiring Process
For a price comparatively nominal to the cost of litigation, employers can purchase an employment-practices liability insurance policy (EPLI). An EPLI policy provides protection for the employer from the economic and 
noneconomic losses resulting from employment-related claims, including but not limited to claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment or retaliation.
 In addition to an employer’s risk-management portfolio for social media, an employer’s overall risk management should include an EPLI policy to protect them from the costly litigation associated with labor and employment.
Employers need to have a solid social-media policy in place. This policy should:
- Outline what constitutes inappropriate use of social media, from personal use during work hours to the type of content posted, including defamatory language about the company.
- Address the penalties for disclosure of trade secrets on public pages, in a language and context that can be understood clearly.
- Address disciplinary action and termination procedures for violation of social-media use in its various forms.
Many hiring professionals and employers’ first stop during the hiring process is social-media outlets to screen applicants. They turn to LinkedIn or Facebook to learn more about an applicant’s education, their friends or even their social behavior.
Sometimes, a candidate is rejected based on content found on the applicant’s social-media pages, which could include inappropriate photos or comments, references to alcohol and substance abuse, discriminatory comments, slanderous statements and/or the sharing of confidential information regarding their previous employer, proof of poor communication skills and exaggeration of their qualifications.
While the above reasons are legitimate cause for concern, and employers advantageously have social media at their disposal to prevent negligent hiring, a business can be at risk for discrimination if accessing social-media sites that contain protected class information not privileged in the normal course of the hiring process.
To mitigate this risk, employers should use outside third parties in their hiring process, including background-verification companies and/or recruiters who document content acquired on social-media sites in the candidate-selection process.
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Hospitality Industry Social Media Risks: Hotel Management Must Asses Legal Risks Related To All Advertising Media Including Trademarks, Copyrights, Privacy And Data Security
“…from a risk-management and legal perspective, social media public relations, marketing and advertising efforts frequently present legal risks that are not always fully appreciated either by managers and directors, or those charged at the operations level with implementing the plans…”
The potential legal risks are wide-ranging and cover areas such as trademarks and copyrights, rights of publicity and privacy, data security, labor and employment issues, and the like. They also include compliance with the rules and regulations of state and federal agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission.
- Â The potential legal risks are wide-ranging and cover areas such as trademarks and copyrights, rights of publicity and privacy, data security, labor and employment issues, and the like.
- There is no reason not to proactively review the avenues of social media and begin the process of developing guidelines to mitigate risk.Â
- Fundamentally, a significant number of arising issues are no different than they are in traditional advertising mediums and require nothing more than policy tweaking.
For more: http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/6715/How-to-manage-legal-risks-of-social-media
Filed under Guest Issues, Insurance, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management, Technology, Training
Hospitality Industry Marketing Risks: Hotels Are Increasingly Reacting To "Negative" Postings On Social Media Sites As Guests Go "Online" Rather Than To Management
Social media has empowered consumers, forcing companies to be more transparent and responsive. That’s a good thing. But hotels have always been responsive, if not transparent. Lodging a complaint is as simple as marching up to the front desk.
So why is it that some guests, upon encountering an issue, log on to Twitter or Facebook and bring it to the attention of their entire social graph instead of to the one person who can fix it the problem: the manager?
- Monitor review sites and social networks closely. Even if you aren’t active on them many of your guests likely are.
- Respond quickly to all feedback, positive or negative.
- If comments are negative, attempt to take it offline.
- When responding to negative reviews and commentary, always thank, apologize, explain, invite back and follow-up. No excuses, and no bribes.
- If guests are still on property, don’t let them leave until you’ve won them over. Convert twerrorists into twadvocates, so to speak.
- If comments are offensive, abusive or repetitive, you have the option of ignoring them. Tweets have the shelf life of tuna sushi in the desert sun; Facebook wall posts can be deleted. Sanitize, but don’t censor.
- A social media policy and guidelines will help minimize risks and prepare you to act swiftly to minimize fallout.
- The more helpful and engaged employees are with guests the more likely guests will be to bring issues to their attention before logging on to Facebook.
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