In the hotel industry, differentiation is absolutely critical to acquiring and retaining customers. Making an authentic brand connection can transform a customer experience. And that is what Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants believes it delivers to customers all the time.
“Our goal at Kimpton is to be the best loved boutique hotel company in the U.S.,” Maggie Lang, Senior Director of Guest Marketing, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants told Loyalty360. “Everything we do ladders up to this mission–how we operate hotels and restaurants, engage with guests, address our marketing strategies, etc. We’re in the business of taking care of people, making people feel comfortable when they’re staying with us, and truly, making someone’s day. At Kimpton, engaging with our customers is more than just checking a box–that we’ve responded, posted, tweeted, the list goes on. It’s important for us to have a true conversation with our guests–before, during, and after their stay with us. We’re not just listening. We’re engaged. When customers feel an authentic connection with a brand, that brand becomes more than just a brand; it can take a leading role in transforming an experience. In the end, brands that are authentic and caring, genuinely build trust. Trust leads to mind share. Mind share generally lead to loyalty. Everyone wins.”
Given the rapid pace of technology these days, Lang said it’s “in our nature” to get excited about every new shiny thing that enters the market place.
“However, sometimes it can be good to sit back a little and let the market test out the longevity of a trend before spending valuable resources and time,” she explained. “In addition, it’s critical that you become really good at the channels and areas that you ARE a part of before you jump on new ones. Not every strategy makes sense for every channel and understanding the most meaningful for your brand is important. Kimpton has always been very purposeful in establishing its presence on social media. It was important for us to nail our strategy on Facebook and Twitter, solidifying our relationships with our guests and members, before adding additional social channels. We then thoughtfully expanded to Instagram and Pinterest in a way that was meaningful and most interesting to our guests on those platforms. Today, both channels are enjoying unusually rapid growth.”
Marketers need to ask themselves if they really need a specific technology, Lang said.
“Technology has to map to something meaningful–to solving a problem or enabling a new innovation, approach, or system, and must always align with the core mission of your business,” she added. “There will always be the next technology that has more bells and whistles than its predecessor, but continuous change may not result in ROI or a better way of doing things.”