The one thing brands that deliver aÊconsistent happy customer experienceÊhave in common: they all practice an important principle that “happy employees lead to happy customers”.
Most hoteliers would agree that a key to a company’s success is aÊongoing stream of happy customers, willing to pay for the hotel’s goods and services.
Data and research shows us that:
- Happy employees are 31% more productive and three times more creative than unhappy employees
- Happy employees have led to a 12% increase in hotel’s profitability while unhappy employees have proved 10% less productive
- Hotel with a positive engagement culture have 24% less turnover
- Employees that are engaged in a positive culture consistently show up to work and have a greater commitment to quality and safety
The key to achieving happy customer experiences, as in customers who want to do business with your hotel again and again, is to focus on happy employee experiences first.
How social media impacts the customer experience
Social mediaÊallows your hotels customers and guests to live their lives in the micro-moments. Your hotel’s primary job is to create a hotel social media frameworkÊthat identifies Ôwhat’s important now’ for the customer or the guest.
Hotels today need to start to focus on shifting their culture towards an engagement culture that includes everyone who will impact the customer experience.
Highly engaged hotels share common philosophies and practices. Among other things:
- They know creating a culture of engagement starts at the top
- Their team is aligned in prioritizing engagement as a competitive, strategic point of differentiation
- They communicate openly and consistently
- They place the utmost importance on using the right metrics and on hiring and developing a great team
Highly engaged hotelsÊalso hold their team accountable Ñ not just for their team’s measured engagement level, but also for how it relates to their team’s overall performance. They ensure that managers are engaging employees from the first minute of their first day at work.
Shawn Anchor, the author of The Happiness Advantage, has found that the brain works much better when a person is feeling positive. At those times, individuals tend to be more creative and better at solving problems. And additional research has shown that when workers are happy, they’re more effective collaborators working toward common goals.
In other words,Êrelationships and mindfulnessÊmatter especially early on.
Social media provides the opportunity to connect with customers using richer media with greater reach.
Improving the customer experience
It is critical that happiness, customer experience, and a hotel social media framework focuses onÊcustomer value optimization.
Measuring and identifying the importantÊmicro-momentsÊof the customer journey is what hotels should strive for.
Discover where the weak links are on your customer journey with a separateÊCustomer Happiness Score¨Êfor eachÊreference point.
Hotels that provide amazing service to every customer (internal and external) have a clearÊcompetitive advantage.
Not only can improvingÊemployee happiness and customer experienceÊprovide means of differentiating your hotel, good experiences lead to greater customer and employee loyalty, satisfaction and retention, it also yields a better bottom line.
At Disney, their common purpose is the ÒNorth StarÓ that inspires Cast Members and guides them in how to go above and beyond when opportunities present themselves. Their one goal:Êcreate happiness.
The customer performance fulcrum moves when hotels pay attention to the small things that will make a difference to the micro-moments.
About the author
Are Morch provides social media consulting for hotels and resorts. He works closely with hotels to create social media strategies that fit their needs and properties. Through social media, hotel blogging and hotel communities, Are identifies the values that will make your hotel’s performance stand out. He helps hotels build a social media foundation that impacts occupancy and revenue, and makes the social media tasks for your hotel easier.
