Today, I’d like to talk to you about the various levers that affect the customer journey, from the initial idea of the stay to the time after the stay.
NB: This is an article from Experience Hotel
Thomas Yung, e-reputation consultant and manager of Artiref and My Hotel Reputation, is co-writing this article with me. We have pooled our expertise to identify 41 factors to understand and remember throughout the 11 stages of the customer experience in the hotel industry.
First, let’s remember that the customer experience includes all the interactions between the traveler and the establishment, whether in a luxury hotel, a large hotel chain, or a small independent hotel. Although treated differently depending on the institution, the moments of interaction remain the same.
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In the age of mass digitalization, travelers have become self-sufficient and do their own searches for the hotels where they will stay. Knowing the different stages of the customer experience and their challenges has therefore become essential to attracting customers. After all, not all travelers have the same needs, expectations, and behaviors.
Our article lists the interactions between the guest and the hotel. We explain how to respond to make the most of these levers.
Happy reading!
Stage 1: Inspiration
The customer journey always starts by expressing a need or solving a problem. Maybe they need a change of scenery, want to meet up with friends, or need to go on a business trip. To meet their need, the customer begins their journey with what is known as the inspiration phase.
Search engines
When we talk about interactions, we are talking not only about direct interactions, but also about your online presence, wherever that may be. The inspiration phase often starts with an internet search. The first contact the traveler has with you is on the Google search results page. And although the competition is tough, the majority of the results we find are bland and don’t really entice you to click. However, you have the means to personalize your website’s listing on Google and make it more attractive. Encourage users to click by attracting their attention.
Social media
Even though social media does not guarantee instant results and quick bookings, it inspires your customers to daydream. Use social media to create motivation by showing gorgeous pictures and telling stories.
Remember that the hotel is only one way to meet the guest’s needs. For example, if a traveler wants to visit Normandy, they will need a hotel room to sleep in and a restaurant to eat at in order to achieve their bigger goal. Here, their accommodations are only a means to an end. That’s why it is important to highlight the region to spark curiosity, and social media is an ideal communication channel for this.
OTAs (Booking.com, Expedia, etc.)
It’s helpful to think of OTAs as ad magazines. Visitors browse Booking.com like a catalog and become inspired in the process. They get ideas for destinations and trips. That’s why you need to show up in these destinations that OTAs highlight.
Travel blogs
Travel blogs are online magazines, written by specialized professionals, where being features brings lots of benefits. Why? During the inspiration stage, the customer is waiting and looking for inspiring ideas about the area they want to visit. This is your opportunity to produce content that will appeal to the traveler. Make sure that it makes sense for the visitor to book with you and not another hotel. Share your values, talk about what you like about your region and why, and simply tell your story. Make real, sincere recommendations.
