getting the business traveler to choose you webinar
TRANSCRIPT
Copyright © 2014 Leonardo Worldwide Corporation
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Getting the
Business Traveler
to Choose YouFebruary 26, 2015
Darlene Rondeau, VP, Best Practices, Online Merchandising, Leonardo
Nathan Brooks, Director of Client Services, Egencia
Rupesh Patel, President & Chief Operating Officer, Zenique Hotels
Melissa Bruckler, E-Commerce & Revenue Management Consultant, Granite Hospitality
Technical Difficulties?Contact
Citrix GoToWebinar
1-800-263-6317
Darlene RondeauVice-President,
Best Practices, Online Merchandising
Leonardo
@darlenerondeau
Follow:
@VFMLeonardo
Tweets & Questions:
#LeoWebinar
Nathan BrooksDirector of Client Services
Egencia
@NathansBrooks
Rupesh PatelPresident & Chief Operating
Officer
Zenique Hotels
Melissa Bruckler
E-Commerce & Revenue
Management ConsultantGranite Hospitality
Nathan BrooksDirector of Client Services
Egencia
@NathansBrooks
“…kids can grasp
new tech skills long
before they even
learn how to swim
or tie their
shoelaces”
AVG Software
2012
Technology is pervasive
Lines between business and leisure blur
Every generation will expect more
The Future is Here
2005
2013
Who AreBusinessTravelers?
75%of travelers use
smartphones and tablets for personal and
business use
Source: 2013 Expedia – Egencia The Future of Travel Study link
42%of millennial travelers
report they spend more on high-end meals when the
company is paying
Source: 2013 Expedia – Egencia The Future of Travel Study link
53%of business travelers
say location is the most important feature when booking hotels
Source: 2013 Expedia – Egencia The Future of Travel Study link
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat
Who Are They?
So, what do
business travelers want?
Solutions That Are Consumer-
Inspired Beautiful, delightful
experiences
Intuitive, fast and easy-to-use
Prices, options, reviews –
seeing all relevant information
Solutions That Are Integrated
► Tools that work together
seamlessly
► Consistency of data
► Connectivity to offline
systems
► Technology and service
Solutions That Are Mobile
► Fast, intuitive and aware
► Up-to-date notifications
and info
► Make last-minute
changes
► The ‘new world of work’
How Can You Target Business Travelers?
► In a world of online booking
tools, sort order matters
► Over 70% of bookings
come from the 1st page of
results, so maximizing your
participations with TMC’s is
critical
● Preferred Hotel Programs
● Advertising/Marketing
● Value Adds to Travelers
Location is important, so talk about it
Business travelers also want to be inspired
Today’s office is everywhere
Key Takeaways
#LeoWebinar
Rupesh PatelPresident & Chief Operating
Officer
Zenique Hotels
Why is Targeting Important?
How Do We Target?
• Use targeted images
• Have more than one template
• Put your marketing mind in
the shoes of each market
segment
• Customize marketing to the
audience on each channel
Mobile Implementation
2013 2014
Mobile Usage Increasing
16 mobile visits per day!
Over 50% increase YOY!
Bleisure travelers are those that combine business with leisure in a single trip
Bleisure Travelers
Combine multi-media with targeted
descriptions
Mobile is a must
Turn Business travelers into Bleisures
Key Takeaways
#LeoWebinar
Melissa Bruckler
E-Commerce & Revenue
Management ConsultantGranite Hospitality
Leisure vs. Corporate Needs
Why Corporate?
Business travel
spending is expected to
grow by 7.6% in 2015
U.S. business travel
spending is expected to
increase to over $310
billion and 490.4 million
trips in 2015
► Business travelers are an important channel
► Business travelers are more likely to book with hotels that recognize and speak to their personal needs and preferences
► Social channels are important (learn about local events, historic landmarks, read reviews, linking business with leisure)
Why Corporate?
Discovering Your Hotel’s Corporate Story
► Digital brochures speak to
the needs of the corporate
guest
► You decide what your
corporate story is
► Specific travel channels
like Concur and Cvent
Targeting the Corporate Market
CONTEXT
EASY TO
NAVIGATE
MULTI-MEDIA
What is Your Corporate Story?
Most Important Business Travel Amenities
Access to
travel experts
24/7
Free WiFi
Free and/or
on-site dining
Convenient
location
Loyalty
programs
Social Media is
for Corporate
Travelers Too!
Know the Stats
52% post
photos and
videos during
their travels
Over 150
million reviews
70% of
Americans read
reviews before
booking
► 620+ million conversations related to
travel
► 284+ million monthly active users
Volume of Users Talking About Travel
► 1.35 billion users
► 70% of FB users update their page while on
vacation
► These vacationers are also corporate users
increases engagement
Photos and special
offers drive more
engagement than simple
text
Engagement on
Facebook higher than
other types of
communication
Hotels with 1,400-1,500
fans get much more
engagement
► Importance of multi-media
► Tell a story
► Book directly without
leaving the page
Attracting Business Travelers on Social Media
Media
Descriptions
Easy to Navigate Book
► Compelling visuals tell the
story
► Draws travelers in
► Encourages booking
without leaving Facebook
Target Corporate Guests
The Value of Social Media for Your Hotel
BUILD
Grow your
audience and
generate loyalty
LISTEN
Hear first hand
what people are
saying while they
are on property
CARE
Immediate
feedback –
positive or
negative
Mobile and Social
704 million active users
are currently accessing
Facebook through their
mobile devices (2010 –
just 100 million)
456 million
mobile-only users
The Power of Reviews
► Studies have proved that an one point increase in TripAdvisor popularity rank % corresponded to a
37bp occupancy increase. Academic studies have reached similar results (54bp occupancy
increase, via Cornell)
1. Source: Custom Survey Research Engagement – Independent PhoCusWright study of 12,225 global respondents prepared for TripAdvisor, December 2013
August 2014 47
of travelers say TripAdvisor reviews make them more confident in their travel decisions
of travelers say management responses to reviews make them MORE likely to book
of travelers have an improved opinion of a hotel after reading an appropriate management
response to a bad review
of travelers are LESS likely to book a hotel with aggressive and defensive responses to a
bad review
83%
62%
87%
70%
Highlight the amenities business travelers
care about
Don’t discount their interest in social
Corporate travelers are leisure travelers all
dressed up for work
Key Takeaways
#LeoWebinar
► About Leonardo
► Invitations to upcoming webinars
● March’s topic is Get More Value from Twitter, Vine
and Facebook
► Recording of this webinar
● Share it with your colleagues
It’s a Wrap
www.leonardo.com
1.877.593.6634
@VFMLeonardo
blog.leonardo.com
Connect with us!
@NathansBrooks
Nathan Brooks
Rupesh Patel
www.egencia.com
www.zeniquehotels.com
Melissa Bruckler
www.granitehospitality.com
melissa@getinternetmarketing.
com