Mr. Ely

Guest Service / Customer Experience Mgmt

How to Convey Your Brand Promise and Close Leads in the Internet Age

By John Ely, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Signature Worldwide

How many people used the Internet worldwide in 2000? Any guesses? OK, I'll spill the beans - about 360 million. On the surface, that sounds like a huge number. After all, that's nearly twice the entire U.S. population. But, in just eight short years, the number has grown to 1.4 billion - nearly quadrupling the 2000 total. Now we're talking about a number larger than the entire population of China!

Any activity, product or service that captures 1.4 billion people worldwide certainly has a huge impact on our lives and business, and the Internet falls into all of those categories:

• It is an activity. I'm on the Internet five or more hours every workday. (How many hours do your kids partake in this activity?)
• It's a product. No one sells the Internet to us, but they do sell a lot of peripheral items in conjunction with the World Wide Web such as software or hardware. How many people in the last eight years have purchased computers with the sole intent of surfing the Web?
• Finally, it is a service. I do nearly 100 percent of my research online. From the car I buy to the location of the nearest ATM, I start on the Web to answer most of my questions. With these numbers in mind, coupled with the fact that hotel Internet reservations also have doubled in the last eight years, how is it possible deliver your brand message among this sea of information and surfers? I think we have a lot of options. Delivering your brand promise in the age of the Internet may not be as difficult as you suspect.

I remember years ago when I used to book hotels by phone. I had no idea of the location or the surrounding area, simply a number to call to speak to a reservations agent. How did I find out about the hotel? Well, I was probably first introduced by some form of advertisement (TV, radio or print).

Next, if I was an enterprising individual, I would contact a travel agent to get more information on my destination, the area hotels and other pertinent details. I usually relied on the travel agent's recommendation. Other than the original advertising delivered by the hotel chain, branding didn't play a huge role in my decision.

Now, let's fast forward to today. I research hotels on my own and rarely, if ever, rely on the opinion of a travel agent. In fact, I can't remember the last time I even spoke to a travel agent! So, now I have the opportunity to start by checking out the hotel's Web site - the logical first point of contact for any type of consumer research these days. This is where branding can begin.

Large chains usually have nicely branded sites, however when I get down to the individual property level, their sites merely feel like a sub-page template of the original site. There are pictures of the property and the rooms, but that's about it.

Many are missing the opportunity to carry the brand to the local level, and the opportunities are plentiful. Who are the employees? Who's the general manager, and will she or he write a brief note inviting guests to stay? Are there local reviews? What does the area offer? Basically, why should I choose to navigate this Web page over the hundreds of others?

Some of the resistance I get when suggesting this type of branding is that it makes for a lot of work. The site would need to be monitored almost daily, but guess what? Branding should be a daily activity.

Once you get someone to ask for information about your hotel, give it to them, personably and fast. Remember, if someone is calling around for information on hotels, the lapse between calls may be 5-10 minutes. If they're searching on the Web, that becomes 5-10 seconds! The Internet has made all of us incredibly impatient.

When responding, make it personal. I get many automated responses from e-mail requests, and nearly every Web site has some sort of instant e-mail notification. What they don't have is a real person responding to a request. In consulting for other industries, I've seen the change from an automated response to a personal one increase conversions by more than 500 percent.

Another avenue to deliver the brand promise is in the reservation center. Many times I will look up hotels online and find a few that meet my needs. I narrow my search down to two or three and then make a call. This is where most conversions are won or lost. A call to a well-trained reservations agent can make all the difference. Instead of boring you with what they do wrong (we all know the pitfalls), let me share insights on legendary call handling.

• Be Prompt. A great reservations call starts by answering the phone quickly. A hotel exists to deliver service, and it starts by not making the caller wait. A rule of thumb is three rings or less.
• Be Genuine. There should be a friendly greeting, including the name and location of the hotel, as well as the agent's name.
• Qualify. Ask whether or not they are "loyalty club" members. If not, get their name. Ask what brings the guest (use their name) to the area. This sets up the rest of the call. A business traveler expects a much different experience than the vacationer. Also, ask if they have stayed with you before or been to the area. If their answer is yes, welcome him or her back. If not, there's an opportunity to "sell" the location.
• Build Value. Give some benefits before quoting rates (some examples: "We are located on the beach," "We have a world-class fitness center," and "There is a gourmet restaurant on the property.") If a guest is quoted a rate before hearing the benefits, it reduces the opportunity to upsell the property.
• Personalize. Make the benefits mentioned relevant to each caller. If they are in town for a company meeting, point out your full-service business center. If they are bringing kids, let them know about the indoor pool and game room.
• Close. Finally, and most importantly, ask for the reservation once the rate is quoted. You would be surprised how often this doesn't happen. Time after time, I listen to recorded reservation calls in which the agent did a great job of building a relationship with the caller, only to forget to ask for a confirmation! These are just a few ways to help promote your hotel's brand by utilizing the reservations staff - there are many more. The Internet has changed the way we shop and research services and products. It represents a better opportunity to promote your brand than the old days when mass advertising was all that existed. Remember, even with online booking services, many potential guests still make a call into the property to learn more. Either way, by personalizing the experience you can raise your chances of landing that prospect.

John Ely is senior VP of marketing for Signature Worldwide. He is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating strategic marketing and corporate growth plans, and has industrial and consumer marketing experience. He has an associate degree in electrical engineering, a bachelor's in technical management and a master's in marketing and communications. He is a member of the American Marketing Association and Product Development Management Association. Mr. Ely has served as a professor at Franklin University and is certified as a "Teaching at a Distance" (TAD) online educator. Mr. Ely can be contacted at 614-766-5101 or johnely@signatureworldwide.com Extended Bio...

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