How Millennium Hotels and Resorts is using digital to drive guest engagement? |
Posted: August 18, 2020 |
Today's travellers are savvy, self-sufficient and are always on the run. And in the wake of the COVID-19 chaos, it is quite evident that the current crisis has moulded consumers' perception of experience. Seeing that large hotel companies are now moving towards launching their own proprietary platforms and messaging apps so that customers do not have to waste time shopping around. Moreover, such platforms allow hotels to create a more extensive and useful data connection with individual guests. When a guest uses a hotel's website or its app, it becomes a lot easier for the company to know precisely who that guest is, and to collect a record of those guest's messages as part of their profile information. For instance, if a hotel ties its messaging to their guest profile, a hotel can know that a guest has used the spa on each prior visit. They can message the guest to inform him where different spas are located and its opening hours and even send a special offer especially in the current scenario of the new normal. Improving guest experience through different approaches While different approaches to interacting with guests have different pros and cons, all of them have the same goals such as to elevate the guest engagement, to build guest loyalty, and enhance the overall guest experience. In addition to that, one of the goals is also to generate as many direct bookings as possible. Such as, in the past- Millennium Hotels and Resorts had launched a digital platform (millenniumhotels.com) to give guests a tranquil booking experience as well as the ability to interact with the hotel through different phases of the guest journey. This platform empowered guests to make guest room upgrades, request different amenities, and explore out-of-hotel experiences from over 10,000 tour providers. The launch of this platform recognized that today's travellers, who now account for nearly 75 percent of all hotel guests, expect nothing less than state-of-the-art platforms, applications and interfaces. The company shared that the backbone of this new digital platform is a custom-built customer relationship management (CRM) system. The CRM connects the databases of each hotel for the first time, thus translating to greater customer engagement which in turn allows targeted communications, customized to each guest. A platform like this, is more relevant than ever right now, where customer sentiments are directly affected by external factors that might play a major role in their journey. Importance of building a good relationship The above example clearly shows that building a good relationship with our customers is essential. A decade ago, brands would have focused on instilling loyalty through rewards programs or loyalty points. But now, it is more about creating an inspiring, fun, and authentic experience across the entire guest journey keeping the highest safety and hygiene standards at the forefront of it all. The planned application of digital technologies can help brands optimize costs, forecast and fulfill demand, and deliver exceptional experiences that are above and beyond customer expectations. Brands that manage will find themselves retaining old customers as well as winning new customers. How is Millenium Hotels planning for the new normal? To know what strategies to apply during recovery, watch this webinar by RateGain (A leaders in providing travel and hospitality solutions) with the Global Head of Marketing for Millennium Hotels and Resort. You can gain insights on,
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