Success comes with a recipe, not by chance: Part 2
In Part 1 of my article of the same title published last week, I mentioned that successful businesses leave a footprint that provides clues on why or how they thrive, and that, if one were to analyse the ingredients that drive their accomplishments, it could well provide the ideal recipe to standing well above the competition. The article touched upon some of the key essentials that are necessary to be successful. Namely:
Designing for success, where in addition to the five “Ps" - Product, Price, Place, Promotion, and People, in marketing, one must now recognise a sixth “P” – Purple, representing one’s Purple cow.
Then there is Service devotion. According to the best-selling author of ‘The 1-Page Marketing Plan’ - Allan Dib, “customer service is marketing”, where the relationship between the two sides, working together can create a smoother overall experience.
In Hiring People, the importance of looking out for those who love what they do and embody the elements of ‘Ikigai’- the Japanese term for ‘reason to being’, was dwelt upon.
Empowering staff as Destination Ambassadors speaks of the inside story from a real person who loves what they do. It’s about enlisting the hotel’s staffs, who are local insiders, to showcase the hotel team’s favorite nearby attractions on social media. That about sums up what Part 1 was all about.
However, there are still some more ingredients that need to be added to the ideal recipe for success. Here goes:-
Recognising the 1st line of customer service: It’s not the hotel’s telephone operator who answers customer calls or the doorman who greets guests when they enter the hotel; it is the person or persons answerable for marketing the hotel. Yes, the person or department responsible for marketing is the first line of contact responsible for providing exceptional customer service to your potential external customers. Marketing’s role is to generate qualified leads. Advertising is one way of fulfilling one aspect of that.
The Role of Social Media: Having a strong online presence and on social media channels is key. Few industries remain untouched by the long arm of social media, and hospitality is no exception. Long before someone steps through the lobby doors, they’ve likely explored the property’s website, social media channels or read guest reviews. In fact, digital channels are the first impression for a consumer’s experience of a brand. Use your property’s website, social channels, e-newsletters and blogs to spotlight the reasons why a location and property are worth discovering.
Engage every customer like they’re your only customer: Every customer has different needs, and values different things. In which way do you craft your offers? Are they in sync with the needs and wants of your customers? The key to engagement is delivering messages exactly when they’re needed — whether it’s welcoming new customers when their curiosity is high or re- engaging existing customers before and after they leave. How many times have you been asked as a guest to complete a survey? And how many times have you had the impression that real action was taken based on your feedback? Or that you were informed about the next steps that the organization would take as a result of your input?
So this brings us back to where we started our story: that success is no secret, nor does it come by chance. It relies on a proven recipe that includes some key ingredients.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Ex-Hotelier
|
|
|
|
