The traditional concierge model no longer matches with the demand of younger customers; which has led hotels to opt for innovative interactions through the use of a more personal service, social networks and technological resources.
Lately there has been a strong emphasis on the importance of offering a unique experience to guests. This is not a new focus because hotels have been satisfying this need for decades by providing a concierge or guest services desk in their lobbies. The change that we are experiencing now is the way that the new generation tries to live unforgettable experiences during their travels. Consequently, hotels are reinventing the way they interact with their customer.
Perhaps most of us think of a white-gloved concierge or guest services for luxury hotels. These positions are primarily responsible for providing relevant information to guests, to recommend activities, make reservations and offer a personalised service suited to their needs. Moreover, their mission is to ensure quality standards and to deal with complaints. The Luxury Collection of Starwood, Occidental Hotels & Resorts and Four Seasons are among the top companies that are committed to this mode. This is in line with the traditional style of their establishments and their focus on VIP clients and the consumers of their premium packages.
“Millennials are not seeking the white-glove service, but instead are looking for something much more authentic“
However, today there is a new guest, the millennial, who wants to feel at home and immerse themselves in the local experience of the destination they visit. They are a guest who likes the simple things and wants to interact first hand with the people around them, including the staff of the establishment. Millennials are not seeking the white-glove service, but instead are looking for something much more authentic. That’s why many hotel companies have launched brands focused on satisfying the needs of this guest who will undoubtedly emerge at a considerable speed. Thus, new ways to interact with customers are going to appear along with new forms of the “guest experience” that will be an evolution of the same functions as before (complaints, public relations…)
The brand of Meliá, ME by Meliá, and Starwood’s W Hotels, have a very unique form of this in their hotels: the Aura Manager and the W Insider, respectively, and their teams of agents. Its main function is to stay close to the guest, trying to be their best friend during their trip and to best meet their tastes and preferences. What they try to offer is a totally personalised experience from a different and novel point of view using people that are aware of trends and the coolest local places that can also give the customer the feeling of being very close. In the case of Aura Manager, this position also ensures the professional management of music throughout the day and the environmental management of the aroma and entertainment.
Other tendencies of the transformation of the ‘guest experience’ to a community manager is that social networks are gaining more relevance as a platform of communication with the customer. The Sol Wave House (Mallorca) and the Ushuaïa Ibiza are clear examples of this. Located at the forefront of social networking, both have what could be called ‘ephemeral networks’, ie online communities created on social networks that only current guests are allowed to access. Such networks allow guests to be fully connected, share their experiences with each other and to be aware of everything that happens in the hotel. In addition, the staff is also part of the network, can answer questions, make reservations, as well as detect and manage complaints.
New brands such as Moxy Hotels (Marriott) and Canopy (Hilton) are clearly focused on the millennial guest and through their social networks are inviting guests to share everything about their experiences. The Canopy case is interesting because it has an online community that also includes locals, creating an authenticity and recommending local experiences to the guests of the hotel.
In addition to a physical person or a social network, many establishments are pushing for the use of technological resources: tablets in the rooms or a virtual concierge on their cell phones. Intrastay apps, on the other hand, are being developed by hotel companies as a way to enhance the guest experience during their stay. These applications allow you to make restaurant reservations, book activities, perform upgrades, transfers, tours, room service access, etc. Some even have chats with guests and satisfaction surveys. Barcelo, Ritz-Carlton, Conrad Concierge or WHotels are examples of hotel companies that are advocating for these applications.
In conclusion, we can say that there are hotels (usually traditional luxury hotels) that continue to opt for the white glove concierge and are having success within their segment; others prefer to totally replace face-to-face contact with technology; and finally, some prefer hybrid strategies using human and technological resources. What is certain is that the customer within the hotel will remain critical to your success. This is why following the evolution of these trends and adjusting accordingly is so important.
