With the rise of ubiquitous big data, it is possible for hoteliers to create more value for guests by properly leveraging this type of information.
This was a key theme of a recent Xirrus blog post that showcased IBM’s VP of Travel and Hospitality, Bruce Speechley’s keynote address from the Hotel Technology Next Generation conference (HTNG).
The post discussed how value creation lies in analyzing generated data and making it actionable to ultimately please the guest. The article also talks about capturing data from mobile devices (i.e., on ‘the edge’) and how this information can be used to create personalized experiences for guests.
However, while the article discusses the value of leveraging data, it is missing one crucial element, the development of measurable goals and metrics.
When embarking on new strategies for collecting and making data more actionable, hoteliers need to have goals about conversions, outcomes and the development of key performance indicators (KPIs).
For example, hoteliers should ask themselves the following questions at the outset of this type of effort:
- What are we trying to achieve?
- What do we want to learn?
- Can we see what is working, and what is not working?
- Can we change direction based on the data gathered?
In order to please guests, hospitality providers can “back into” this pool of data and glean the types of insights that will aid in the development of programs that truly enhance guest loyalty.
In other words, a large pool of data is not valuable unless you have a roadmap to guide you in ways that make this information valuable to the business.