Two things hotels should get right every time
December 4, 2024
In this week’s episode of the Hotel Moment podcast, Karen Stephens, Revinate CMO, takes a step back in time to revisit a few compelling conversations with past guests. As every hotelier knows and as our guests have taught us, all the direct bookings your hotel secures mean nothing if they aren’t data-driven. Not only does data collection matter, but how you apply that data in your guest communication is what sparks loyal guest relationships. Our guests tell us what happens when hoteliers get these two things right, and what happens when they don’t.
Tune in and find out how to create a lucrative data strategy, so that guests choose you over OTAs with Adam Mogelonsky, Partner at Hotel Mogel Consulting, Jason Pirock, Corporate Director of Marketing at Springboard Hospitality, and Andrew Ladd, Vice President of Marketing at Nobel House Hotels & Resorts,
In this special compilation episode of Hotel Moment, Karen Stephens draws from her previous guest conversations to highlight the two most fundamental elements of hotel success: data collection and application.
The episode features three industry experts sharing their unique perspectives:
Adam Mogelonsky, Partner at Hotel Mogel Consulting, explains why high-caliber data is the gateway to all good things at your hotel. He emphasizes how quality data enables hotels to understand the emotional drivers behind guest booking decisions and reveals why poor data can prevent hotels from executing effective one-to-one marketing.
Jason Pirock, Corporate Director of Marketing at Springboard Hospitality, provides actionable insights on using data to identify and map ideal guest personas. His approach to analyzing trends across multiple properties demonstrates how hotels can leverage data to better understand and target their perfect guests.
Andrew Ladd, VP of Marketing at Noble House Hotels and Resorts, shares practical examples of how hotels can maximize data collection throughout the guest journey. He illustrates how small details - from beverage preferences to mini bar selections - can create memorable "surprise and delight" moments that elevate the guest experience.
Through these expert perspectives, Karen explains why hotels must prioritize data quality and application, especially when competing with OTAs. The episode provides practical strategies for collecting and leveraging guest data to create personalized experiences that drive direct bookings and foster lasting guest relationships.
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Episode Highlights:
[01:22] The foundation of quality data - Adam Mogelonsky elaborates on why high-caliber data is essential for hotel success. He explains that beyond basic information like emails and names, hotels need rich data to understand emotional drivers behind guest booking decisions. Without quality data, hotels cannot execute effective one-to-one marketing or understand what drives guests to book, rebook, and recommend properties to others.
[02:19] Understanding data quality impact - Karen Stephens explores the cause-and-effect relationship between data quality and marketing effectiveness. She discusses how property management systems often create duplicate profiles and how identity resolution tools can dramatically improve targeting accuracy. The discussion emphasizes that clean data forms the foundation for both guest profiles and persona development.
[03:26] Creating effective guest personas - Jason Pirock provides actionable insights on mapping ideal guest personas. He details how hotels can leverage existing data to understand current guests while strategically planning for target audiences. For multi-property brands, he recommends analyzing trends across locations to develop comprehensive guest personas that inform marketing strategies.
[04:47] Maximizing on-property data collection - Andrew Ladd shares practical examples of leveraging touchpoints throughout the guest journey. From restaurant preferences to minibar selections, he illustrates how small details can create powerful "surprise and delight" moments. His insights demonstrate how personalization through data collection can elevate the guest experience beyond typical service levels.
[05:23] Competing with OTAs through personalization - The episode concludes with Karen's insights on using data as a competitive advantage against OTAs. She emphasizes how hotels often focus too narrowly on pre- and post-stay communication, missing opportunities during the stay. The discussion highlights how personalized experiences, enabled by proper data collection, give hotels a unique advantage over online travel agencies.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:22 - Quality data as the foundation
02:19 - Impact of data quality
03:26 - Mapping the ideal guest
04:47 - Leveraging guest touchpoints
05:23 - Personalization as a competitive edge
06:40 - Closing thoughts
01:22 - Quality data as the foundation
02:19 - Impact of data quality
03:26 - Mapping the ideal guest
04:47 - Leveraging guest touchpoints
05:23 - Personalization as a competitive edge
06:40 - Closing thoughts
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.
Hotel Moment Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Previous guests include: Shannon Knapp, CEO of Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), Patrick Norton of Brittain Resorts & Hotels, Shawn Jereb of Montage International, Carlo Del Mistro, Chief Digital Officer of Ennismore, Jason Pirock of Springboard Hospitality, and many more.
Are you a hospitality industry leader with insights to share? We're always looking for innovative voices to join our conversation about the future of hospitality technology.
If you'd like to be a guest on an upcoming episode of Hotel Moment, we'd love to hear from you! Our podcast reaches thousands of hospitality professionals worldwide, and we're particularly interested in perspectives on:
- Innovation in hospitality technology
- Guest experience transformation
- Revenue optimization strategies
- Emerging industry trends
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