The moment of truth is when a visitor engages with front line hospitality employees. That experience can make or break tourism marketing efforts. That's why it's important to create a customer engagement plan. Presented by Nan Devlin at the Olympia Tourism Summit, May 22, 2013.
Over the last decade, there has been a massive change in the way destinations and businesses attract potential visitors.
Over the last decade, there has been a massive change in the way destinations and businesses attract potential visitors. Print, search, websites and email are main drivers and sources of travel and visitor information.
YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+ are top information sharing sites.
Restaurants are the most searched industry by consumers through mobile and browsers95% of Seattle region travelers have smartphones (Stowell).
You’ve done all the right marketing efforts and the visitors arrive in Olympia/Tumwater/Lacey.
With the explosion of online and social marketing, budgets and attention have focused on getting visitors to the destination. But a less than good or great experience can undo much of the work you’ve done to get visitors to your destination.
What are you doing to engage your visitors and customers while they’re on site? Why is it so important?
“Negativity bias” We receive and process negative information more quickly and thoroughly, and remember and respond to that information more swiftly and consistently, than positive information.
Word of Mouth Marketing Association statistics. It’s the most powerful form of marketing in the world.
Word of mouth translates to big time revenue, according to Forrester Research survey of hospitality companies.Forrester North American Technographics Customer Experience Online Survey, Q4, 2011
Dublin B&B experience – storytelling of an extraordinary customer experience
The IrishCustomer Experience was not by accident. Develop a culture. It makes or breaks your success
Plenty of plans:Marketing,Operations,Budget,Facility – now Customer Engagement is most important.Not just in tourism, but in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, etc.
Three main criteria in a customer experience plan.
Think like UnderCover BossStop thinking like an accountant and start thinking like a customer engagement specialist – become worthy of guests and visitorsStop and consider your employee turnover rate – American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute – average turnover is 100% and often as high as 300%Employees are the front line of the guest experience – if there is constant turnover, you can’t create a consistent experienceLook at how your property and your employees – do you make guests feel welcome and wantedDo you have a welcome, come on in sign? Or Open -Shut? Do you list your store hours? Why not?Listen to your guests and your employees - are there pain points you can solve, something extra to create a memorable experienceAre you getting complaints from guests about the towels, or are they asking for directions, or “best restaurants”Are your employees telling you that they have – or don’t have – what they need to create a great guest experience
You and your fellow tourism businesses are in this TOGETHER.Get to know your neighbors and your town.What’s in walking distance of your business?When a guest asks “what is there to do here?” be prepared to answerVisit restaurants, museums, shops, bars and make a list of recommendations –Do a quarterly meetup with other businesses and take turns getting to know what they offer – share ideas
Do you ever watch Undercover Boss? You and your employees are the face of the destination. What impression are you making with each and every guest?
Seems like a no-brainer, right? Very common FAIL.Invite them back with an offer or a suggested time of year for weather or events.Customer experience is never a one time thing – it’s a constant cycle of implementation and reviewAsk for feedback in the form of a survey, post on TripAdvisor.Ask questions that matter to the experience – did our employees answer your questions, respond quickly to requests, etc. Not – was your room clean?
Ask for their help and participation in creating a customer experience. Help them too – let them know about special offers, share photos, etc. Working with your CVB is a two-way street. Share your successes and failures, bring ideas and suggestions.
Recession. Budget. I already do a lot.It doesn’t take a lot of money or time.You’ll have plenty of time on your hands if you don’t make the customer experience the core of your business.
