The adult population now spans five generations in most parts of the world. The life events that shaped each of these generations are radically different. Their expectations, needs and relationships with technology are unique. As an hotelier, how do you connect with all of them, and create experiences that satisfy them?
Each of these generational segments is important. You can't ignore Millennials – there are 80 million of them and they're just entering their peak earning and spending years. But older customers from the Baby Booms and earlier are still the biggest spenders per capita when it comes to travel and leisure.
Although each generation is important to the hospitality industry, no one method of collecting guest feedback works with all of them. The email survey that a Boomer will click is often dismissed by Millennials. At the same time, relying on social media feedback overlooks a really big part of the population. Barely more than half the population over 65 uses the Internet, and only 18% of them even own a cell phone, let alone use Twitter or Facebook.
Meanwhile, adults in their 20s and 30s spend nearly 20 hours a week online, more and more of it on a mobile device. And young adults 18-24 spend close to two hours a day on social media!
If you want to hear from all your customers, then you need to tune into the channels where they're comfortable. The critical thing to remember is that feedback , no matter where it comes from, demands action. It's not enough to listen, you have to act on what you hear.
Feedback from guest surveys and from social media should be connected to the same feedback response processes and system. This is one place we find many of our clients struggling. One part of their organization is plugged into social media and online reviews, while another is attached to guest surveys. Both surveys and social media are valuable to every part of your organization. Social feedback is useful for much more than just getting on the front page of TripAdvisor. And guest surveys can provide value and insight that go beyond learning about the faulty TV remote in room #738.
We think the best answer is a platform that brings together guest survey data and social feedback, and then drives action and outreach regardless of the source. So for example, your guest survey can be used to solicit positive reviews which are channeled to your booking site. And a negative review on TripAdvisor can automatically trigger an alert to fix an underlying problem.
If you want to connect with all your customers, across all the generations, pay attention to the feedback channels where they're comfortable. That means surveys and social media, as well as the front desk and suggestion box. Then make sure everybody is listening. Don't trap feedback data in a silo and limit its value. Put it to work across your organization – in marketing, operations, HR and strategy – and watch your business grow.
Mike Waite is executive VP of marketing, client development and product with Market Metrix.