Forward Thinking is the Need of the Hour in the Hospitality Business

The year 2020 has had an unprecedented impact on the hospitality industry. The way we do business has changed, the processes that worked just a year back are now obsolete. No marketing experts could have predicted the way 2020 turned out as it wiped out most strategies from the drawing board. 

Forward thinking has therefore become the de-facto need of the hour in hospitality business. In fact, the way we approach business today compared to the pre-pandemic period accounts for two important elements: focus and fearlessness. As we slowly move back to recovery, marketing and communication strategies for the hospitality business will play a crucial role in instilling the faith back in travellers and encouraging them to step out of their homes.

In these trying times, understanding the role of analytics, empathy, purpose, and agility in establishing the brand’s connection with the customer is indispensable. As marketers build on this engagement, the only thing that will remain constant is that customer behaviour will continue to change dramatically with the changing external environment. This being the biggest challenge in the new normal, marketing and communication strategies must be developed keeping in mind this important factor. It has been observed across the globe that brands/companies that respond well to a crisis and continue communications see a fair share of the increase in brand value as opposed to those companies that respond poorly.

A significant majority of customers are more receptive to brand humanisation. The classical, one-to-many approach doesn’t appeal to customers anymore, instead, holistic and customised experiences with mutually beneficial outcomes for both brands and customers rule the marketing roost. It is therefore essential for a hospitality brand to have a real-time 360 view and understanding of its customers’ full journey with a brand - from discovery to engagement to retention and loyalty to advocacy. Understanding the little nuances of your customers’ lifestyle and their behavioural patterns will help you build the right communication narrative and approach.

For instance, we all know that India is expected to become the youngest country by 2022, with an average median age of 29 years. It’s a known fact that mobile-first customers turn to social media as a research avenue. Hence, Instagram is going to rule the social media networks worldwide capturing revived moments of the hospitality and tourism industry in the post-pandemic era. 

Nowadays, it is a practice to curate content and campaigns on social media that motivates customers. One of the most used marketing techniques for this is influencer marketing which has seen an exponential boom in the post-pandemic era. With higher engagement rates and clearly defined audiences, these micro-influencers are helping hospitality brands in motivating customers to step out and experience their offerings.

In a nutshell, we must keep thinking on a quick pedestal. The aptitude to anticipate the future, build diverse teams with a variety of perceptions, understand our customers sentiments and develop a readiness to break from convention are critical aspects to remain cognisant of as we navigate through the evolving reality around us.