I wanted to share with you a recent experience from a weekend getaway that reminded me of the importance of two key elements to operating a successful luxury hotel – the importance of keenly knowing your customers and recognizing how to stay relevant to them. For me, in-room Internet was the subject at hand. I stayed at an exquisite Martha’s Vineyard inn, which was outstanding from the accommodations to the food to the service – but the lack of in-room Internet as an option should I want to stay connected was somewhat troubling to me.
This drove home the point to me that giving travelers what they want is essential – there’s no option – but you need to know what is pertinent to your customers and then execute flawless service delivery. Finding the right balance of staying true to what defines a luxury product as authentic, genuine and unique while still providing the services consumers not only seek but have come to expect remains a challenge for those of us in the hospitality and tourism industry.
This drove home the point to me that giving travelers what they want is essential – there’s no option – but you need to know what is pertinent to your customers and then execute flawless service delivery. Finding the right balance of staying true to what defines a luxury product as authentic, genuine and unique while still providing the services consumers not only seek but have come to expect remains a challenge for those of us in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Luxury consumers can’t be pigeon-holed into one category of needs and desires. As hoteliers and tourism companies, we endeavor to retain our existing customers while also cultivating a new audience as we work toward a goal of unparalleled customer satisfaction and prosperity. Creating the right recipe for success indeed seems to require a master craftsman!
So, what’s the proper strategy? Through my consultancy I implore hoteliers and tourism companies to evolve and adapt to stay relevant.
