Discounted rates via direct bookings are nice, but they aren't a very personal approach in an increasingly depersonalized world, nor are they differentiators for hotel companies in their battles to own their customers. What hoteliers are learning to do, not without serious growing pains, is create distinct guest experiences. They are personalizing communication with direct messaging and content on mobile platforms, training for service moments that make or break relationships, creating more sophisticated apps that relieve pain points, and slowly developing systems that better interpret the reams of data often housed in disparate systems. But despite miniscule budgets in comparison to OTAs and other disruptive competitors, hoteliers can say "game on" as they start to employ more data scientists and seize every opportunity to personalize the guest experience, which many consider the new holy grail of loyalty.
展开▼
