13 minute read
What is the power of guest data?
Q & A with Stephen Martin, Chief Sales Offi cer at RMS Cloud on how to best capture and utilise data throughout the guest journey.
Guest experiences start well before a guest arrives at your hotel. Being able to optimise your guest’s journey from the moment they interact with your website, to when they confi rm their booking, is just one part of capturing valuable data for your hotel. We now have access to so much data to make bett er guest experiences, but the true power lies in having a PMS that knows how to interpret that information. For example, a powerful PMS will host all your properties in a single database that will seamlessly confi gure data into robust and unifi ed guest profi les in one centralised reservation screen, so your property can deliver exceptional experiences and therefore maximise your hotel revenue. It’s also important to have a PMS that can deliver on giving operators digestible data that is easy to interpret, secure and up to date.
Capturing accurate hotel guest data and imputing the correct information is a fundamental part of any successful hotel management strategy. We must put in place smarter technology to correct any human error, which is inevitable in data entry. Staff can mistakenly input the wrong customer address or end up with multiple profi les for the one guest causing delays in the guest experience. Having a powerful system that intuitively picks up on these mistakes is a priceless tool that will help maintain accuracy in capturing data and a happier guest. At RMS we have considered all the diff erent channels in which guest data can be imputed, which is why we’ve created advanced tools to ensure all data has been captured and utilised to its fullest potential. For instance, our guest merge feature will automatically run to merge duplicate guest profi les within RMS soft ware by selecting two variables such as guest mobile numbers and email to verify the correct information. Further, staff can also merge profi les to update details through our channel manager, covering all aspects of incorrect guest data entry. Further, a user of RMS can integrate with ‘Google Address’ that saves staff time and errors with access to a keystroke, data-rich, and consistent customer address information.
Another, valuable method of capturing and utilising data is ensuring your PMS doesn’t end up with duplicate profi les from your OTA. At RMS we have hundreds of OTA integrations and understand the importance of ensuring data is captured in the correct method, which is why we have implemented a feature that overrides duplicates of guest data within your system when accepting third-party OTA bookings.
Stephen Martin
Chief Sales Offi cer, RMS Cloud
Tell us why it is important to create detailed user profi les?
There are so many reasons why user profi les are important. Our global enterprise solution is purpose-built and one of the original cloud-based hotel platforms that deliver transparency across all your properties. The importance of this is not just about creating user accurate profi les but profi les that speak to each property with one data entry solution. RMS can create advance guest profi les with our Golden Guest Record that allows staff to view all the customer information from one device, from any location and at any time. To off er the ultimate guest experience, this comes down to the micro details that you can only off er your guests when your hotel adopts a cloud-based PMS. Store detailed information from any of your properties about your guest so you can remember their preferred room or perhaps if they have an itinerary that crosses over two diff erent properties, staff can easily view key guest details from any property - ensuring that the guest has a world-class experience.
insightful information out of your lake data with one of our integrated business intelligence partners such as Intouch, extracting valuable data on your nightly rates or IBE results to help increase your bott om line. Your PMS should have advanced RevPAR tools to drive your hotel sales and optimise key trends. Having a strong revenue management tool in place will assist in executing a strong strategy to optimise sales through key performance metrics that include data to show operators more accurate information on room demands and be able to meet peak holiday expectations. You can also tap into rate management tools that automatically fl uctuate with demands and previous data to increase your bott om line.
What else would you like our readers to know?
Having an enterprise solution across multiple hotels means your security needs to be advanced and taken seriously to protect your data. At RMS we have undergone some of the strictest measures to implement rigid security protocols than any other PMS in the world with the highest level of two-factor authentication and RMS cyber security. When it comes to data security, we have also considered how multiple properties in your portfolio can view diff erent levels of information across management and staff . Cluster up your diff erent properties to share multisecurity levels between staff and information with our franchise grouping function, making sure guests, staff and high-level business information are kept safe.
Q & A with Jurgen Ortelee, Managing Director of APAC, IDeaS Revenue Solutions on guest data.
A hotel will struggle to succeed (or even survive) in today’s competitive operating environment without accurate and detailed levels of guest data. Guest data is used to develop hotel demand and operational forecasts. It is the foundation for hotels to run successful demand generation campaigns and can help hotels to identify hidden revenue opportunities. By bringing together multiple sources of guest and market data, combined with hotel-specifi c data like actuals, forecasts and budgets, hotels can build a strategy that delivers accurate forecast and pricing decisions to support revenue growth. Guest data can also tell hoteliers how to capture non-room revenue and identify opportunities for ancillary revenue by analysing F&B and other services’ consumption and actual cost.
Forward looking demand data is critical for developing a hotel’s revenue strategy. Taking the insights from forward looking demand data and layering it onto the additional data sources used in forecasting, provides hotels with one of the most profi table opportunities to predict which guests are most likely to book and when, and deploy a tailored marketing strategy to target them. To gain an in-depth and accurate view of a guests’ value to a property, hotel managers need to identify who the most profi table guests are by tracking ancillary spend per guest. Hotels can then maximize guest spend with marketing promotions, guest recommendations, and staff incentives.
Hotels should also track and analyse the acquisition and servicing costs associated with each revenue stream and distribution channel for a profi t measurement, along with adjusting their sales and marketing strategy to att ract the most profi table guests. Hotels should listen to the realtime data and feedback by guest during their stay. Hoteliers that monitor what is being said about their property online (and acting when appropriate) are positioned to best understand the concerns, or compliments, of guests into the future. For example, if the common feedback on social media is that the wifi provided by the hotel was dysfunctional. The IT department at the hotel could investigate and rectify any issues to prevent negative guest experiences and subsequent damaging online commentary. In the same way, if a hotel is rated highly, and the majority of social media commentary relates to the tastefully decorated rooms and comfortable beds, the marketing department will have the opportunity to build on these positive reviews to drive higher revenues.
Jurgen Ortelee
Managing Director of APAC, IDeaS
Not all business is good business. Hotels that do not have a detailed understanding of who their guests are and their worth to a property can easily fall into the trap of selling out to lower-rated business, losing out on higher-rated business and customers. This is equivalent to throwing money away because a full hotel does not necessarily equal a profi table one. With revenue management systems and strategies, hotels are able to bett er identify the customers that provide the greatest long-term value to their business. To understand their guests, properties need to take a holistic view of guest activities, not just the room spend. Data from transaction systems should be integrated to provide a true picture of guests’ preferred activities and their overall value, considering all ancillary spend from online reservations to check-out, food service to spa services, guest rooms to event management and more. In addition to making more profi table decisions, this data allows hoteliers to make more informed decisions about promotions, service off erings, inventory levels and food and beverage options. To create a holistic view of a hotel's guests, and to off er opportunities for personalising a guest's stay, predictive modelling must also be applied to the consumer demographic and behavioural data that is gathered from all hotel interactions. This approach allows hotels to improve their segmentation and group similarly behaved customers together so they can bett er target messaging to them. With predictive and prescriptive modelling, a hotel can also bett er calculate a guest's likely lifetime value, understand how to nurture and grow the value of their most valuable guests, and determine where to source more of those guests in the future. It can help predict the next-bestoff er for each guest to maximise their likelihood of responding, or even encourage them to purchase additional products or services. Without today's advanced modelling, marketing eff orts are based on generic business rules that ineffi ciently use marketing dollars and face limitations in infl uencing behaviour.
By using accurate guest data to base revenue management and pricing decisions on, hotels can maximise revenue generation opportunities and optimise profi ts. As an example, 17 Anantara properties that migrated to IDeaS pricing system have seen an average year-onyear RevPAR increase of 14.86 percent, along with signifi cant growth in their average daily room revenue by 17.31 percent. In Anantara’s case, forecast, analysis and pricing decisions are streamlined with guest data from the property management system and central reservation platform, and are integrated into the revenue management system and rate distribution system. In using guest data as part of its approach to revenue optimising, Anantara has strengthened its strategic pricing to ensure its properties are sett ing accurate daily room rates and gett ing them to market quickly, ultimately att racting the right guest at the right price to optimise sales revenue.
Q & A with Sylvia Johnston, Senior Executive HiRUM Australasia.
Guest data is fundamental to your business success. It has the power to increase your occupancy, improve your revenue and enhance the bott om line of your business. It allows you to make educated business decisions that increase your profi tability. Guests are looking for a customised, unique experience. Data collected during the guests’ journey allows you to target your marketing specifi cally to their likes and dislikes. Perhaps you know that your guest likes to stay outside the school holiday period and prefers a late check out. Or they may have a young family, require occasional baby sitt ing and engage in tours and activities specifi cally suited to young children. Collecting this information allows you to target marketing campaigns according to their preferences. Analysing your business data adds another layer of understanding that can increase the profi tability of your business. Geo-targeting potential guests based on your knowledge of whether the majority who stay with you are within driving distance, or come from overseas, for example, can have a huge impact on where you spend your marketing and advertising dollars.
Capturing guest data starts at their fi rst communication with you. Your pre reservation and checkin communication gives you a prime opportunity to discuss your guest’s requirements, interests, likes and dislikes. Upon check in, your host’s interaction with the guest creates rapport and opens the lines of communication. Your host should take the time to get to know your guest. Asking about something as simple as your guest’s trip to the property gives insights about their mode of travel, where they have come from, their preferences regarding transport from the airport for example, all of which can help you to customise their experiences going forward. Engaging with your guest throughout their stay, both face to face and via auto communication gathers further information about their preferences. Auto communication is an unintrusive means of targeting them accordingly with suitable off ers. Post check-out, continuing to engage your guest by following up reviews can give further insights into what they enjoyed about their stay. Your PMS should be your source of truth and it is important that it has the capacity to capture the information that you will require for future marketing opportunities.
Sylvia Johnston
Senior Executive, HiRUM Soft ware Solutions
Detailed user profi les allow you to capture and record all the relevant data you may need for future marketing and business analysis. Capturing your guests’ demographic, reason for their stay, travel partners, activities, tours and special dates such as birthdays and anniversaries, provides insights into their preferences and travel behaviours. It is oft en said “the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour”. The understanding gleaned from this data presents opportunities to target your guest with off ers and options in line with their past preferences.
Collecting guest data also gives you an indication of the spend tolerance a guest has. It will be clear which guests are prepared to purchase tours and activities or eat out regularly. This knowledge presents an opportunity for your business to establish referral deals with local restaurants and tour providers. You can then off er tour bookings and restaurant deals to your guests that also provide some incremental revenue to your business. Has your guest booked through an OTA? Off ering a discounted rate to ‘book direct’ may ensure they come directly to you in future. In addition, understanding that your guest loves the ocean, or enjoys a late checkout for instance, gives you the opportunity to upgrade or upsell them, increasing your revenue accordingly.
What else would you like our readers to know?
Data is one of the most valuable assets a business has, and potentially can have a tremendous impact on a business’ success. However, it’s not just your own data that you should be considering. Understanding market trends and how your business compares with your competitors is the missing piece of the puzzle that you need, to make informed predictions and decisions. Having real time competitor analytics at your fi ngertips allows you to compare your performance and adjust your pricing structure and packages. Understanding what is happening in real-time with OTA cancellations, and the pace of cancellations across the industry allows you to react accordingly. Accommodation businesses of the future will require the ability to compare their business performance to their competition to maximise their profi tability.
