Since the internet allows people to comprehensively search for the lowest prices, some have said that customer loyalty in the travel and hospitality business is an outdated notion. I wholeheartedly disagree with that statement. Loyal customers remain the lifeblood of the industry.

However, the convenience and efficiency of the Web has lead to laziness on the part of many tasked with servicing customers.

In the past, whenever a customer had a question online, companies were quick to offer them FAQs, and perhaps an email address. While these self-help strategies are fine for handling routine questions, they are ineffective at turning undecided prospects into customers. The days of using the Web as an interactive brochure are long gone. Hotels need to do much more to assure they turn online lookers into bookers. In addition, now that the competition is just a click away, customers will not hesitate to leave your site (and your brand) if they do not get quick resolution to their problems.

As humans, we strive for personal connections within each facet of our lives. We frequently inhabit places we are not only familiar with, but that also recognize us and enjoy our presence.

Hotels.com utilizes real-time web analytics and customer behavior patterns ...