melissa meulenberg - hard rock hotel chicago

Jumping into the Social Media Jumping into the Social Media MoshpitMoshpit

Melissa Meulenberg, eCommerce ManagerMelissa Meulenberg, eCommerce Manager

Background –

Implementation and Strategy –

Our HotelThe Hard Rock BrandWhy We Decided To Jump Into The Moshpit

OverviewOverview

General Information About Our ListingsStrategies We Use To Pick Up Fans And Followers

Our Social Media Method to Providing Kick Ass Service –

Damage Control –

Reward ProgramFavorite Social Media Guest Stories

OverviewOverview

Sticky Situations + How We Respond to ComplaintsOur Strategies for Acquiring Positive Consumer Reviews

BackgroundBackground


381 Guestrooms

60% Corporate/Group, 40% Leisure

Independently owned and managed

AAA 4-diamond rating

No burgers

Hard Rock Hotel ChicagoHard Rock Hotel Chicago

Operating Values:

Create brand excitement through innovation

Deliver kick ass service

“To spread the spirit of rock 'n' roll by creating experiences that rock.”

Encourage everyone to maximize their potential

Take personal accountability for getting results

Practice honesty, integrity and professionalism

AUTHENTIC


Hard Rock Corporate ValuesHard Rock Corporate Values

1,528 “Fans”/“Likes”2,650 “Followers”

Ranked #46

“Social Media”/ “Web 2.0” is defined as anything on the web that is generated by the “user”


The Obvious –

Customer Service - to address customer service issues - respond to compliments/complaints.

Prospecting - to attract new customers.

The Not-So-Obvious –

CRM (Customer Relationship Mgmt) - to stay “front of mind” for past users.

Branding - to assert the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago as a subject matter expert on music, Chicago, and hospitality.

Why Did We Decide to Tweet/Facebook?

PR – to increase amount of potential users that know about our hotel.


Getting StartedGetting Started

Be Interesting

Be Authentic

Our Guiding SM Principles


Be Funny

Be Helpful


Putting Our Best Face Forward on

Time Commitment – 5-30 minutes per day

Facebook Goal: One Update per Day. Response posted within 24 hours.

Pickup: +30 Fans/Week

Notes: Drink Recipes Packages/PromosOpen PositionsFunny Stuff


How We Roll (and Rock) on

Time Commitment – 5-30 minutes per day

Twitter Goal: One “Retweet,” One Update, One Mention/Response per Day

Pickup: +52 Followers/Week

Picking Up Fans and Picking Up Fans and FollowersFollowers

We Update Often

How Often Is Often?

What Do We Talk About?

Music News & ArticlesTravel News & ArticlesUpcoming EventsWelcomesRenovation UpdatesIndustry BuzzHashtag Topics

Chicago “Things To Do”PromotionsDiscountsBar Cocktail Recipes“Did You Knows”Charitable UndertakingsQuotes

How We Pick Up FollowersHow We Pick Up Followers

We Join in on Conversations

Not just conversations about US!


We Use Hashtags/Trending TopicsUsing hashtags categorizes your tweets.

Commenting on trending topics allows a larger pool of users to find your tweets.

#followfriday

#traveltuesday

#musicmonday

#nowplaying


We Pay Special Attention to Hashtags Used by Hard Rock Guests

#magnetglobal

#svmomschevy

#neocon


We Cross-Reference


We Search…Everyday

<Default Search> @HardRockChicago – is someone that knows my handle talking to me or about me?

hard rock hotel chicago – is someone that does NOT know my handle talking about me?


Prospecting:chicago hotel deal – is someone looking for a deal for a hotel in Chicago? What kind of deal can I send?

good chicago hotel – is someone asking advice about which hotel to stay in when they travel to Chicago?

Branding:Hard Rock – is there Hard Rock brand related news happening that I can retweet?

How We Set Up Our Searches On


We Ran a Promotion

9 rooms for $9 on 09.09.09

“RT to win! @HardRockChicago is giving away 9 rooms for $9. Winners selected 9/9/09! #contest #hardrockchicago09”

Increased average weekly follower pickup rate by 350%.


Our Social Media Version Our Social Media Version of Kick Ass Serviceof Kick Ass Service

(Plus Storytime)(Plus Storytime)

Seek out and respond to complaints/questions/concerns.

Provide assistance to questions that have NOTHING to do with our business.

Thank those who share compliments with their friends and followers in a special way.

Our “Social Media” Version of Kick Our “Social Media” Version of Kick Ass ServiceAss Service

Guiding Principles for Kick Ass Service Guiding Principles for Kick Ass Service

Our Version of Kick Ass Service on Our Version of Kick Ass Service on TwitterTwitter

Our Twitter/FB Reward ProgramOur Twitter/FB Reward Program

An in-house guest shares a compliment about us on Twitter...

We follow them...and click to their page to see if we can find their full name…


Our Twitter/FB Reward ProgramOur Twitter/FB Reward ProgramWe do some detective work to see if we can find the guest. We usually can!

We read their blog/website/ Twitter feed to see if we can get an idea of what they like…



This guest’s blog mentioned Reisling

Empowerment Notification Form:Put in an order to room service for wine and Vosges chocolate bars

Handwritten Thank You Note…“Thank you so much for sharing your praises for the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago on Twitter! Here is some world-famous Garret’s Popcorn on me as a token of our appreciation. Please do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable.”

A Warm Welcome Originates On

Opportunity to open up communication

Comfortable for the guest

Our Version of Kick Ass Service on Our Version of Kick Ass Service on FacebookFacebook

Our Irreverent Sense Of Humor Gets Us Somewhere on


PG-13

An Example Response to Neighboring Office Workers Who Complain About Seeing Your Hotels' Guests Naked

Hard Rock Hotel Chicago’s Notes

Hello. Our offices are across the street and it would be nice if you can inform your guests to shut the blinds of the window that is for the shower. Yesterday I saw some woman soaping up her junk. It was not pretty. She needed a waxing and a few sit ups, let alone her soaping

her junk.

Mr. XXXXX– Thank you for your observations about our bathroom windows affording you a unique and interesting view. Presumably, our guests can see that there is an office building across the street, and were they so inclined they could easily pull the blind. What can I say? I guess some of our guests enjoy a little exhibition.

John PriceGeneral Manager


Original Letter General Mgr Response

Thank you Hard Rock Hotel. For saving me from abject humiliation from the certain circulation of internet photos of my postpartum ass.


Mom101 Blog Comments:

This is the most awesome example of social media "customer service" that I have ever heard. Way to go, Hard Rock!

Amazing use of social networking. Like others have already said... how awesome they have a sense of humor AND good customer service.

That is awesome. and the hard rock people had me at the little dog with a mohawk.

I'm getting such a great chuckle! Those are the kinds of people who I want running the places I go!

Excellent reporting, 101. Love the GM too, it is refreshing to see someone enjoying their job and not taking life so dang seriously!!!


Damage ControlDamage Control

Social Media Social Media Damage ControlDamage Control


Real SituationsReal Situations

We receive a poor review on Tripadvisor or Yelp

Our valet partners damaged a guest’s Porsche and the guest shouted about it on our wall

A disgruntled former employee made inappropriate posts on our wall

A guest tweeted about how our rooms are a “design abortion.”


Twitter Damage Control Example:


Glad you enjoyed your stay with us (and Elvis)! It really helps us out when our happy guests tell their fellow travelers about their experience on Tripadvisor. Here is a link if you feel so moved! <link>

Having a blast in the windy city. Hotel is awesome.

“Found” opportunities for providing great customer service for our guests.

Two-way engagement potential

Unique Source of referral and word-of-mouth support

What We See as the Real Return on What We See as the Real Return on InvestmentInvestment

ConclusionConclusion

Thank YouThank You

Melissa MeulenbergMelissa MeulenbergeCommerce ManagereCommerce Manager

Hard Rock Hotel ChicagoHard Rock Hotel [email protected]@hardrockhotelchicago.com

melissa meulenberg - hard rock hotel chicago

Business

hard rock guests

chicago hotel deal

good chicago hotel

room service

hard rock brand related

obvious customer service

customer service issues

social media web