Rory Campbell , director of sales and marketing at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort in Thailand , believes the inDustRy is shaRp enough to aCt in Real tiMe anD hanDle DynaMiC pRiCing anD inventoRy to CRaft offeRs that not only optiMize the CustoMeR expeRienCe , but also Result in inCReMental Revenue .
Technology : CRM
Does
CRM unDeRstanD tRaveleR intent ?
It ’ s a question every hotel marketer needs to answer as the paradigm of CRM evolves .
contributed by RiTESH GupTa
Hoteliers clearly are trying to develop a unified view of guests throughout their buying cycle . Imagine a loyal guest who has planned a holiday with his family . The family enjoys city excursions , especially outings to theme parks , and the father loves tennis . The hotel analyzes the data , including legacy data of the guest ’ s previous stays , and serves appropriate content via app , email , recommendation engine on the website and other channels . Management also offers a ticket for the big local tennis tournament and could offer a ticket to the new theme park as well .
“ If a property has the resources to enable a dedicated CRM custodian , ensure they are equipped with relevant data and trained on how to handle CRM systems , the property can certainly delight the traveler with a customerprofiling program ,” says Rory Campbell , director of sales and marketing at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort in Thailand .
Campbell says the industry is sharp enough to act in real time and handle dynamic pricing and inventory to craft offers that not only optimize the customer experience , but also result in incremental revenue . “ It is just a case of adequately resourcing this function ,” he adds .
For Robert Cole , founder of Menomonee Falls , Wisconsin-based consulting firm RockCheetah , there are two key areas in CRM today — customizing and personalizing the online experience to increase booking conversion , and merchandising unique property or in-destination experiences to improve the guest ’ s stay — and the linkage of the two .
“ Analytics are a key focus for customization — the tailoring of the user experience based on explicit guest behavior ( searching for two adults and two children indicates a family ) — and personalization , the implicit signals based on the behavior of a larger group of guests sharing similar characteristics ,” Cole says .
Onus on CRM to improve However , there are issues that demand improvement in the efficacy of CRM . Hotel
Rory Campbell , director of sales and marketing at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort in Thailand , believes the inDustRy is shaRp enough to aCt in Real tiMe anD hanDle DynaMiC pRiCing anD inventoRy to CRaft offeRs that not only optiMize the CustoMeR expeRienCe , but also Result in inCReMental Revenue .
www . hotelsmag . com December 2014 HOTELS 47