Big Data is expected to be a $50 billion business by 2017. It is responsible for driving businesses towards faster, larger growth by serving customers in new and better ways. This is especially true for the hotel industry.
About Big Data
Big Data is a term that many people throw around, but it’s implication for marketing is great. It’s a massive amount of structured and unstructured data. This data can sometimes be difficult to process, so people often use software to make sense of it.
The large volume of data often leads people to understand their consumers better. This can help them make decisions on how to reach them through marketing strategies.
How Big Data Is Used in Hotels
Big Data is used by hotel owners in many ways. The ways they use it to serve their customers is the most intriguing. It’s what is going to change the face of customer service for hotel guests. Knowing how Big Data is changing the way the hotel industry sees customers will help you realize how important it is that you start to use it.
- Customers Want Great Experiences
Hotel guest experience matters when it comes to repeat visits. To know what the hotel stay was like, real-time feedback tracking is needed. It’s the feedback gathered that goes into the big data that will be analyzed. Since this feedback captures hotel guests’ thoughts as they happen, service changes can be made as soon as possible. This improves satisfaction, which can lead to return stays and recommendations to friends, family, and colleagues.
- Experiences Predict Future Visits
With big data, hotel owners can use predictive analytics to know what to expect next year, two years, and three years later. When you know what the trends are, you know what is coming and can change them if possible.
- Customers Expect Above Average Service
It’s the services guests appreciate while at a hotel and being able to see data concerning that is valuable. Data driven service oriented analytics will help you determine what services need to be changed to affect the revenue potential of the hotel.
- Satisfied Customers from Decisions Based on Big Data Leads to Increased Revenue
When guests are satisfied with their stay, there is usually an increase in revenue. By analyzing satisfaction impact on revenue, you are able to pinpoint what satisfies guests and what doesn’t. That will lead to action on the hotel’s part to improve satisfaction, which can lead to improved revenue.
- Customers Are a Source of Recommendations and Reputation Building
Seventy-three percent of adults in September 2013 use social networking sites. Online reputation management is crucial to the success of your hotel. Providing on-site survey options to guests will refresh their minds about the hotel stay and encourage them to share their experiences with others online. These recommendations can lead to many other people staying at your hotel.
Big Data tells you a lot about your guests. Don’t allow that information to slip through your fingers. Take it and use it to improve your hotel guests’ experiences and revenue for many years.