lundi 6 mai 2013
mercredi 27 mars 2013
Jumeirah Living - SandersonLondon - Marriott: Comparison / things in common
Jumeirah Living:
- 6 languages available
Morgan Hotels:
- 4 languages available
- Lots of interactivity at each step of the booking process, lots of customized information according to the user's choices
- nice design
Marriott:
- 9 languages available
- more formal information
Things in common:
- Interactivity
- smart customer discovery paths and booking engines
- Discover by hotel / destination
- Smart and easy to use general organisation
- Target segmentation in a subtle way
- "My account"
- More visual than textual
Chevalresidences: How to improve online productivity?
First, let's analyze the market.
Comparison with Jumeirah Living group:
Same target as Chevalresidences: wealthy travellers
Jumeirah group's President said “The company’s service philosophy is to look at each guest as a unique, important guest; thus, the service they receive is also unique, which in and of itself makes for a luxurious service experience”. So we could base on this competitor's philosophy in order to adapt our strategy.
We should customize our online services to adapt to new luxury travelers (www.hotelnewsnow.com).
Positive points: "Plan your stay page" contains information about ChevalResidences App, contact information (email, phone number & concierge through email)
Not too much information in the website: simple and pleasant.
Reservations: "Book now" button on the first page and at each step of the booking process (when rates appear, description of the apartments, booking terms & conditions).
Reservation Enquiry: not productive because rates don't appear, no promise of answer, no answer date: the customer doesn't know if he or she will receive an answer and when. We can't directly know if there is any availability or not, so the customer can only choose another hotel group that does have a booking engine.
Only action: email or enquiry: we could implement an efficient booking engine in the website.
Today people do not want to spend time waiting for an answer concerning availability of a hotel.
Rates: winter & summer rates. it would be better to create a calendar so that prices appear according to the precise dates of stay.
Customers can choose an apartment type only according to the different sizes of the apartments.
We could describe more the apartments to assist the guests and help them choose the most adapted apartment.
Contact: In "Contact us" page, contact information do not appear first, you have to click on "Residences" or "Sales Office" before get the pieces of information you need.
Solutions: We could also create content about London as a destination (places to be, to eat...) in the neighbourhoods' page and a calendar containing events of the month to attract more people that are interested in London's sightseeing and attractions.
Then, we could put special offers on the front page to attract people who stumble upon the website and to make them curious about the brand (better customer discovery path).
In order to attract foreigners, the brand could offer other languages than English, like French, Spanish, Arab.
To conclude, we aim at making the website more active to engage the customer and make him or her stay and discover the brand easily by him/herself.
lundi 18 mars 2013
mercredi 13 mars 2013
jeudi 7 mars 2013
Even luxury companies can develop their digital reputation...
Nowadays it comes out that luxury companies suffer from online reputation management and new consumption habits.
But they can adapt. Most of the hotel groups which have the higher digital IQ are luxury groups, like Four Seasons or Intercontinental. That's why we can say that in the hospitality industry, luxury companies and groups have managed to adapt to new trends and to offer adapted online tools to the demanding clientele.
But what about other luxury industries such as luxury textile or accesories' companies?
Their targeted customers are still the same, that's why these companies have not created a online strategy yet. But if they want to adapt to the new market and if they want to differentiate from the competitors, they have to develop their digital reputation.
We can mention famous successes like Burberry's Art of the Trench or Tiffany's Engagement ring finder.
These platforms have helped the brand to create "buzz" and attract more customers thanks to internet innovation.
But they can adapt. Most of the hotel groups which have the higher digital IQ are luxury groups, like Four Seasons or Intercontinental. That's why we can say that in the hospitality industry, luxury companies and groups have managed to adapt to new trends and to offer adapted online tools to the demanding clientele.
But what about other luxury industries such as luxury textile or accesories' companies?
Their targeted customers are still the same, that's why these companies have not created a online strategy yet. But if they want to adapt to the new market and if they want to differentiate from the competitors, they have to develop their digital reputation.
We can mention famous successes like Burberry's Art of the Trench or Tiffany's Engagement ring finder.
These platforms have helped the brand to create "buzz" and attract more customers thanks to internet innovation.
mercredi 27 février 2013
lundi 25 février 2013
Lifestyle content: Mercedes-Benz
At the end of year 2012 the brand Mercedes-Benz launched online lifestyle content portal. It is called "mblife" and targets people "who are interested in the lifestyle embodied" by the brand.
It is represented by contemporary South African culture thanks to daily features on artists, design and technology. It is accessible on various tools, like computers, tablets and smartphones. The aim is to influence users by sharing information about what they like, what make them come together in a community (like a common interest).
From a South African perspective, the objective is to share the brand's vision, passion, and style associated with its values and philosophy.
New Media has produced several online and printed magazines for the brand's customers as well.
Four principles for the open world
1) What is Don’s term for the generation that has grown up “bathed in bits”?
Net generation
2) When Rob McEwen’s geologists were having difficulty identifying the presence and location of the gold in his mines, what radical approach did he take?
Released his data and held the Goldcorp Challenge
Net generation
2) When Rob McEwen’s geologists were having difficulty identifying the presence and location of the gold in his mines, what radical approach did he take?
Released his data and held the Goldcorp Challenge
3) What does Don mean when he says we have a “burning platform” for change?
He says that the globalization and the global crisis are creating a "burning platform". "The cost of staying where you are is greater than moving to something different." You have to be innovative rather than keeping your old habits. A new economic and global environment is making the word open up to innovation and change.
4) According to Don’s four meanings of openness, what is the difference between “transparency” and “sharing”?
- Collaboration
- Transparency: communication and giving information to the stakeholders (employees, customers, business partners, shareholders). Example of the "tip of the iceberg". Institutions are giving more and more information and thus, they need to have good values and integrity as to be trusted by stakeholders.
- Sharing: Giving up assets/intellectual property, sharing research/data for the industry and for humanity too. It aims at targeting everybody contrary to transparency.
-Empowerement
5) What happens to power structures as knowledge becomes increasingly distributed?
Power becomes decentralized
6) According to Don, the internet did not give rise to an information age, but instead gave rise to:
The Age of Networked Intelligence
7) Don uses an example from nature to demonstrate his four principles for openness. Which
example does he choose, and in what ways does it exhibit these principles?
He gives the example of birds' natural behavior named "murmuration", that is to say birds assembling together in order to chase away predators. There is clearly a sense of leadership, but there is not only one leader. This phenomenon represents collaboration since all the birds collaborate together. Don says that we should base on this natural behavior for our human relationships. We have to create a "collective intelligence" as he says, just like birds do.
Reputation drives revenue
1) What is the relationship between QGI and revenue gains?
QGI = Quality Generation Index. If you improve your reputation online, your revenue will grow proportionally.
The performance of a company will be measured according to its reputation online and its impact on the customers' decision to purchase or not. There is a great impact of online reputation upon performance (in terms of demand (occupancy), pricing power (ADR) and performance (RevPar) and so on).
It was proved thanks to several studies (like with Travelocity for instance).
2) What person/position, in the hotel, is responsible for analysis of pricing changes based on quality index changes?
QGI = Quality Generation Index. If you improve your reputation online, your revenue will grow proportionally.
The performance of a company will be measured according to its reputation online and its impact on the customers' decision to purchase or not. There is a great impact of online reputation upon performance (in terms of demand (occupancy), pricing power (ADR) and performance (RevPar) and so on).
It was proved thanks to several studies (like with Travelocity for instance).
2) What person/position, in the hotel, is responsible for analysis of pricing changes based on quality index changes?
Rerservation Manager in Generation 1
Generation 2 Revenue Managers were more sophisticated (more tools, more education, more possibilities with new technologies)
Revenue manager in Generation 3 creates strategic pricing programs in order to optimize prices' offers for hotel customers. It combines all the elements of Generation 2, and then it adds online marketing and sales.
Generation 2 Revenue Managers were more sophisticated (more tools, more education, more possibilities with new technologies)
Revenue manager in Generation 3 creates strategic pricing programs in order to optimize prices' offers for hotel customers. It combines all the elements of Generation 2, and then it adds online marketing and sales.
3) What new measurement will be used to measure quality scores to revenue performance?
Quality Penetration Index (QPI):
Global Revenue Index - My hotel / Average Global Review Index - Competitive Set
It is a very important tool to control an hotel competitive set.
Unlike QPI, other traditional tools are available, like RGI (Revenue Generation Index) for RevPar index and MPI (Market Penetration Index) for Occupancy Index.
The new measurement tool takes the competition into consideration in its calculations.
Global Revenue Index - My hotel / Average Global Review Index - Competitive Set
It is a very important tool to control an hotel competitive set.
Unlike QPI, other traditional tools are available, like RGI (Revenue Generation Index) for RevPar index and MPI (Market Penetration Index) for Occupancy Index.
The new measurement tool takes the competition into consideration in its calculations.
4) Is ORM the Revenue Maximization of the future?
Yes, from my point of view the online optimization of Revenue Management represents Revenue Maximization of the future because tomorrow everything will be put online, especially in the hotel industry. We have to offer the best price at the best moment to the best segment of customer. Thanks to ORM Revenue Managers and hotel General Managers will be able to increase the company's turnover and improving the company's online reputation will help them to control competition.
This Webseminar is well-structured and well-organized. The participants are experts and have deep knowledge in terms of revenue management optimization and reputation management.
mercredi 20 février 2013
Mobile Experience
1) What is ASAT?
ASAT means "Any Screen Any Time": all at one. Thanks to various mobile devices (tablet, Ebook, mobile Apps on smartphones...), you can get the information you were looking for whenever you want, in any place. You have the opportunity to use a mobile device at any time of the day for several reasons/uses (book a trip, buy something on Ebay...).
2) What is meant by mobile enhanced experience?
Today you can use your mobile for several reasons. The mobile experience has been enhanced because of the multiple uses related to it.
Indeed, you can use your mobile in so many places (in a queue, while waiting, at work, while travelling, in a public transportation etc...).
It has become more than a source of information: you can buy or book online, check a definition, compare prices, share comments with other users...).
Using different mobile devices is like a journey; you can change platforms, spend lots of time comparing destinations... It adds up value to your research.
3) How could a hotel provide a mobile enhanced experience?
A hotel can create an Application for smartphone so that the user is able to check availability, book online after checking events, weather, comments and seeing nice pictures of the hotel and the surroundings.
Then the customer can buy online with his or her credit card, check-in online when he or she arrives.
Finally he or she can check the number of loyalty points when he or she comes back home.
The hotel could use Vine on Twitter as well in order to show samples of hotel services and offers/landscapes of the destination to the potential customer. It could use it as a video demonstration that shows how to use internet in the hotel.
4) List the customer decision journey digital touchpoints shown in one of the scenerios.
Let's analyse Scenario #2 named "Travel and serendipity go hand in hand".
Two tourists are on a city bus tour. They catch sight of a lovely pub.
They look it up on Facebook, being still in the bus (first digital touchpoint: Social Media using with a mobile phone).
Thus they can check comments of the customers, ratings, prices, menus, interior design with pictures and finally address in order to come back there later.
Finally they decide to go there later the same day.
ASAT means "Any Screen Any Time": all at one. Thanks to various mobile devices (tablet, Ebook, mobile Apps on smartphones...), you can get the information you were looking for whenever you want, in any place. You have the opportunity to use a mobile device at any time of the day for several reasons/uses (book a trip, buy something on Ebay...).
2) What is meant by mobile enhanced experience?
Today you can use your mobile for several reasons. The mobile experience has been enhanced because of the multiple uses related to it.
Indeed, you can use your mobile in so many places (in a queue, while waiting, at work, while travelling, in a public transportation etc...).
It has become more than a source of information: you can buy or book online, check a definition, compare prices, share comments with other users...).
Using different mobile devices is like a journey; you can change platforms, spend lots of time comparing destinations... It adds up value to your research.
3) How could a hotel provide a mobile enhanced experience?
A hotel can create an Application for smartphone so that the user is able to check availability, book online after checking events, weather, comments and seeing nice pictures of the hotel and the surroundings.
Then the customer can buy online with his or her credit card, check-in online when he or she arrives.
Finally he or she can check the number of loyalty points when he or she comes back home.
The hotel could use Vine on Twitter as well in order to show samples of hotel services and offers/landscapes of the destination to the potential customer. It could use it as a video demonstration that shows how to use internet in the hotel.
4) List the customer decision journey digital touchpoints shown in one of the scenerios.
Let's analyse Scenario #2 named "Travel and serendipity go hand in hand".
Two tourists are on a city bus tour. They catch sight of a lovely pub.
They look it up on Facebook, being still in the bus (first digital touchpoint: Social Media using with a mobile phone).
Thus they can check comments of the customers, ratings, prices, menus, interior design with pictures and finally address in order to come back there later.
Finally they decide to go there later the same day.
mardi 19 février 2013
mercredi 13 février 2013
mardi 12 février 2013
How to boost your professional reputation online?
Here are the main tools you can use:
- Facebook & Twitter (Facewash to delete all the negative comments and pictures): be careful, only positive or "neutral" comments have to appear to potential professionals
- Professional Social Media (Viadeo & LinkedIn)
- Share again and again (Slideshares for example) so that your work appear first on Search Engines
- Update your professional blog
- Give comments and rankings to remain active online
- Participate in online events
lundi 14 janvier 2013
Restaurant nutrition trends
The article I will speak about today was written in December 2012 by an InvestorPlace writer whose name is Christopher Freeburn.
It is entitled "3 Biggest Restaurant Nutrition Trends in 2012" and was publised in the website "InvestorPlace.com".
Not only restaurants have a role in giving consumers options in selecting healthy food. In 2012 there were some laws passed in the USA about food and nutrition.
First, there are Menu Labelling rules stipulating that restaurants have to inform customers about food composition and nutritional benefits in the menus.
The second law is a restriction on the sale of soda and drinks over 16 ounces.
The last one is about protecting people with food allergy (an increasing phenomenon).
So these laws aims at informing people about new issues concerning food and nutrition in the word: obesity and allergy.
http://investorplace.com/2012/12/3-biggest-restaurant-nutrition-legal-trends-of-the-year/
It is entitled "3 Biggest Restaurant Nutrition Trends in 2012" and was publised in the website "InvestorPlace.com".
Not only restaurants have a role in giving consumers options in selecting healthy food. In 2012 there were some laws passed in the USA about food and nutrition.
First, there are Menu Labelling rules stipulating that restaurants have to inform customers about food composition and nutritional benefits in the menus.
The second law is a restriction on the sale of soda and drinks over 16 ounces.
The last one is about protecting people with food allergy (an increasing phenomenon).
So these laws aims at informing people about new issues concerning food and nutrition in the word: obesity and allergy.
http://investorplace.com/2012/12/3-biggest-restaurant-nutrition-legal-trends-of-the-year/
mercredi 9 janvier 2013
mardi 8 janvier 2013
samedi 5 janvier 2013
Let's have a look at the most important labels concerning organic products
The article is taken from the online newspaper Thedailygreen.com in "Tips & advice" section. It is entitled "Organic Labels come in different shapes and sizes".
First, the word "organic" is a complex one because it corresponds to a various-meaning concept.
Then, it is explained in the article that labels are on a different-level scale: either local, national, european or international/global for example.
Those labels may differ a lot too in their characteristics, expansion and so on; depending on the country or on people's expectations. For instance, it is written that rules about organic labels are stricter in Japan than in other countries worldwide.
Limits of the label may be large or not, often controlled or not, englobing lots of criteria or a few (like the use of pesticide, the % of organic elements in the composition of a product etc).
That's why we can say that organic labels are still complex and not based on global and strict rules and limits, so organisations and governments have to still work on that issue!
http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/3979
First, the word "organic" is a complex one because it corresponds to a various-meaning concept.
Then, it is explained in the article that labels are on a different-level scale: either local, national, european or international/global for example.
Those labels may differ a lot too in their characteristics, expansion and so on; depending on the country or on people's expectations. For instance, it is written that rules about organic labels are stricter in Japan than in other countries worldwide.
Limits of the label may be large or not, often controlled or not, englobing lots of criteria or a few (like the use of pesticide, the % of organic elements in the composition of a product etc).
That's why we can say that organic labels are still complex and not based on global and strict rules and limits, so organisations and governments have to still work on that issue!
http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/3979
vendredi 4 janvier 2013
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