defining (and refining) your guest experience...this is the “zero moment of truth.” if the...
TRANSCRIPT
Presented by:
Jeremiah Gall, Co-Founder and COO of FlipKey.com
Defining (and Refining) Your Guest Experience
Or . . . How to Win Guests and Influence Travelers
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
NEWSPAPER RADIO TRADES BILLBOARDS (TV) MAGAZINE
1937
BROWSING PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS SMS
MOBILE APPS SATELLITE RADIO WEB APPS DVR
PODCASTS FORUMS REVIEWS EMAIL RSS FEEDS
MOBILE ALERTS SOCIAL NETWORKS WEB VIDEOS BLOGS
NEWSPAPER RADIO TRADES BILLBOARDS TV MAGAZINE
2012
Travelers are spending lots of time researching trips
No surprise – their using the internet and talking to friends to do it, probably at the same time
The average traveler uses 10.2 sources before making a purchase, and this number is increasing annually.
This is the “Zero Moment of Truth.”
If the booking process starts as soon as a traveler starts thinking about staying in a vacation rental . . . … and the guest experience starts as soon as that traveler interacts with your business . . .
How do you win the Zero Moment of Truth? And how do you win more guests?
5 Concepts to Refine Your Guest Experience
• Smile
• Bait
• Arouse
• Relate
• Listen
Part 1: Make a Good First Impression
Winning guests by inspiring them with your customer service before the booking
“The effect of a smile is powerful, even when unseen” * Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
Does your team answer the phone with a smile?
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
Happy employees = happy customers
“100% of our employees have to be people who make you smile.” - Niki Leondakis, COO, Klimpton Hotels
“Our number one priority is employee culture not customer service.” - Aaron Magness, Bus. Dev. Zappos
Part 2: Capture Travelers Attention
Influence travelers by providing information that interests them
“Bait the hook to suit the fish”
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
Show travelers what they want and how to get it:
• High quality and high number of photos
• Useful location information
• Title and Descriptions that sell
• Full amenities
• Consumer validation (reviews)
Which bedroom would you want to stay in?
Listings with high resolution photos are 50% more likely to book
Putting your properties on the map
Properties mapped to their actual location are booked 45% more frequently than those with an approximate location
Win guests by making them excited!
“Unit 212”
Where would you rather spend your vacation week?
“Ski-In Ski-Out 2BD/2BA at base of Mountain, with Laundry”
or
Reviews integrated in the listing pages increase consumer
confidence and conversion, more than 50% in one UK study
Part 3: Turn travelers into Guests
Influence travelers to make a purchase by simplifying and streamlining your processes
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
“Arouse an eager want”
Provide clear options for travelers to contact you
Here’s the same property on FlipKey
Surface helpful information
Urgency messaging
Streamline booking process with:
• Trained reservation teams • Helping guests find information • Online booking • Email auto-replies • Credit card payments • Live chat on your site • Electronic agreements - DocuSign
Part 4: Phenomenal Rental Experiences
Create long-lasting impressions
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
“Always make the other person feel important”
Make it easy for guests to plan their trip
Build anticipation and excitement for their vacation; Remove the unknowns, pain points and anxieties.
Create unique memories with exceptional guest services and added perks
Step 5: Listen to Your Customers
Keep engaging and (re)winning your guests
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
“Encourage others to talk about themselves”
People love to share their travel experience
Build on this desire to share; Continue to influence past guests and future travelers
How would you rate your overall vacation rental experience?
Leverage reviews to re-engage your past guests
Consider the lifetime value of your guest
Cost to acquire a new customer vs. retaining a repeat guest
New Repeat
“The effect of a smile is powerful, even when unseen”
* Note: Not actually endorsed or written by the Dale Carnegie Institute
“Bait the hook to suit the fish”
“Arouse an eager want”
“Always make the other person feel important”
“Encourage others to talk about themselves”
Let’s review:
• Smile and make a good first impression
• Bait the hook with content folks desire
• Arouse and inspire guests to vacation with you
• Relate to travelers and make them feel important
• Listen to your guests and re-engage your audience
