Hospitality Design - December 2014 - 38

perspectives

trends

social media

4

Photos courtesy of TABLET HOTELS

Photo courtesy of ONE&ONLY PALMILLA RESORT

2. The Allotment is
a food-centric hotel
concept.

3. Staff members at
FireSky Resort & Spa,
a Kimpton hotel in
Scottsdale, Arizona
create shareable
moments for guests.

4. One&Only Palmilla
Resort in Cabo relies on
real-time social media
responses to build guest
loyalty.

Lasting Loyalty

Benji Greenberg, founder and CEO of BCV, a social media management
and strategy company, says reaching guests at every stage of the travel
journey-from the six months before they arrive, during their stay,
and three months after they leave-are building blocks of loyalty, and
encourage guests "to tweet about [their stay]."
It can be as simple as leaving a personal note in a guest's room or
going above and beyond typical service. For example, a guest at One&Only
Palmilla Resort in Cabo mentioned on social media that he missed his dog,
so the staff placed framed photos they found of the pet on the guest's social
media pages throughout the guestroom along with a stuffed animal of the
dog breed. Something like that "enhances a guest's stay and gives them
value," Greenberg adds.
Indeed, most promotions and interactions on social media don't build
direct revenue but the return on investment comes in the form of return
trips. It's about "connecting with fans in an authentic and true way, to get
them so excited about the brand that they'll want to share it," Carrillo says.
"When they get to Chicago, they'll value what Virgin has to say."

2

3
Photo courtesy of KIMPTON HOTELS & RESTAURANTS

The #VirginRumors Twitter campaign, for instance, asked followers
what they've been hearing about the property, and received 3,000 witty
responses. A winning tweet was chosen each week for five weeks, and
the selected grand prizewinner received a stay at the brand's inaugural
property. The campaign didn't only tease the hotel before it opened, but
it also started a dialogue with its fans. Social media "has completely
changed customer service because it happens in real time," Carrillo says.
"Customers expect it, and industries put a lot of resources into social
media. It's truly where the customer service is occurring."

038

December 2014 hospitalitydesign.com

The Visual Journey

Guests use social media for every aspect of their travel preparation, from
checking review sites and Facebook pages to seeking pictures and videos,
and hotels are smart to engage with them at each stop.
"Hospitality is no longer confined to the physical constructs of the
hotel property," says Stephanie Davis, industry director of travel for Google,
who works with hotel brands on how they can use video and YouTube to
engage with customers. "Hotels can no longer just rely on their beautiful
properties and onsite experiences, they need to be where the guest is
during her journey."
Adds Greenberg: "Social media today is the cognitive center of
hotels." hd
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Hospitality Design - December 2014

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