- Marketing information system
As globalisation continuous with changing the lifestyle of people and frequent travellers, there is a push for innovating new design hotels for new hoteliers. In the current hospitality industry, there are millions of hotels are being positive about Strategic Management built each year and the competition is massive increasing. Apart from that advancement of technology is also one of the challenges for the company is to sustain in the market.
In the hotel industry, major advancement can be done with technology which can be met by the implementing the MIS (Marketing information system). Marketing information system comprises of people, equipment and procedure to collect the information and analyse the information and distribute the information to the organisations focuses on Strategic Management. With the help of marketing information system Hospitality industry will be able to enhance its organisation in proper structured manner and gather filtered information. The system will also help to gather the information which must be based on the current trends. It also helps to gather the information from within the company and outside the company. Internal information will be from employees feedback and the external would be collected via consumer surveys, guest comment cards and in house guest surgery with their taste and preferences. This will remain the hotel to be in hunt.
MIS has been adopted by Radisson blu hotels and resort to enhance its customer base and understand the changing taste and preference of the customers. Company has used the marketing information system to :
- To gather the required information and data of marketing trends
- To gather and sum up the data and store the data for future uses
- To be availability of data for managing time
Radisson Blu has use the MIS to gather the information for future reference and has design the communication process to gather the information system in order to built successful relationship with customers. Guest histories and sales data, employee and management staff information and customer feedback are some of the major type of information which is kept in MIS in order to make decision for future reference. This has reduced the cost of Radisson Blu by 24% which has enhanced the profitability of the business.
- Segmentation, targeting and positioning
Critically evaluating All Size fits All
With the help of this concept Segmentation, targeting and positioning will be evaluated. As hotel industry is very huge industry all ages and informed groups of people visits hotels. A hotel must understand their needs and preferences in order to achieve success in the hotel industry. Something for everyone is very dangerous policy because every guest is different from each other and ahs different taste and preferences. Therefore with the help of All size fits all helps to analyse the segmentation targeting and position of customers base.
Segmentations: While segmenting the customers, total numbers of customers are being categorised as per the age groups , geographical areas for example Radisson blu targets those customer who are back packers, solo travellers, big corporate houses and couples and families. With the help of advancement of technology every customers are being treated as per their requirements. MIS helps to indentify the needs of these customer base and enhance the in retaining the customer base.
Targeting customer: After segmenting customer base, targeting the customer. With the help of technology advancement Radisson blu is looking to design the services as per the customer expectations. Although different customer have different needs such as family will be need three bed in room whereas the couples need a room with beautiful decorations. Radisson blu looks to design the products as per the needs of the customers. Radisson Blu follows concentrated strategies which help to take the accounts of PLC of the services.
Positioning: With the help of advertising and marketing plan hotel industry captures the large customer base. Posting is one of the major areas which are very needed to be focused in order to position the brand in the mind of the consumers. Hilton hotel uses changing service features, and digital marketing like no Tip for service has enhanced the middle income group customers base. Radisson Blu uses social media platform for enhancing customer base, by creativity in kitchen and by great service has created positive brand image in the company mind the mind of customers for Radisson Blu .
- The marketing Mix
Products/service: The hotel industry must offers products and services like guest rooms, food and beverage , banqueting and conference hall , recreational facilities, travel desk and other recreational facilities. For example Hotel Hilton is leisure guest hotel which bring new recreational facilities like wellness, SPA and kids swimming pool . This shows company is serving family and couples. Similarly Radisson Blu is known for business hotel where video conferencing and good internet connectivity and conference hall are present to serve the corporate clients.
Price: Pricing strategy is another most important aspects to attract the target customers. A hotel must keep pricing of rooms very competitive in order to sustain in the very competitive environment. Most of guests are very much price sensitive ad very deals with the hotel packages. For example hotel Hilton charges as per season, at peak season when the customer demand is high then hotel charges are highest and in the off season it charges low or discount packages or deals. Another major example is hotel Radisson uses price skimming as oppose to hotel Hilton in order to decrease the competition via offering high price level than competitor.
Place: Place is distribution centre. Hotel industry distribution strategy is related to availability of products and services to the consumer at right time and at right place. Hilton hotel distribution strategy greatly depends upon the MIS and various other information technology formats. Company has launched its official’s websites which open for 24*7 and range of rooms and facilities are available. Apart from that, milestone hotel uses more advanced form of distribution strategy by bringing mobile apps to book hotel rooms from all over the world.
Promotions: For promoting hotel advertising via slogan like ‘Stay Hilton’. Some of the major promotions strategies are advertising, personal selling and public relations. Hotel Hilton uses advertising media like magazines and newspaper like Forbes, Fortune and financial times to promote their hotels. Apart from that company also uses CPID (charted institute of public relations in order to maintain goodwill and mutual understanding. Hotel milestone does sales promotion via giving discounts coupons and wide ranges of other deals to attracts the customer. Apart from that, hotel Radisson uses social media platform to promote the hotel by making face book and twitter fan page.
- Guidelines for creative development and implementation
In the hospitality industry, marketing must be creative and create positive impact in the mind of the consumer rather than negative publicity. Most of the hotels use its best method and best slogan to attract the customer base.
Ethnic advertising: IT is one of the most popular way of advertising the hotel industry. Hotel industry must be ethic based every culture and every religion are mostly welcomed. No customers or the groups feel insecure un-pleasurable staying in hotels. Ethnic advertising must be based on the welcoming all age groups , all income group and all race and religion group of people under one roof. Ethnic advertising is based on the all culture group under one roof such as the Asian, Muslims, American, African, British and European people stays at one place without having any kind of problem and everyone is welcomed equally.
As for the fast food industry, it should not use the unethical marketing to attract the customer. For example MacDonald’s has used ‘no fats at McDonald’s burger’ which is big No-NO in the advertising fast food industry. Apart from that, Nestle has soup addressing uses happy heart and healthy soup. This one of the most influential advertising for nestle. Subway has preached don t go for fries use brain and choose fresh veggies to become healthier. This is also one of the misleading advertising as the company has 55% fats in its chicken burger.
Five tips to gain the effective ad campaign for booing hospitality business are as follows:
- Ethical marketing (no discrimination and competitive pricing)
- Social media plat form (Face book and Twitter) is one of the major platforms to advertise the products.
- Bringing of mobile apps to make convenient for user to connect directly ti the hotel via mobile phone.
- Use brand ambassador like film stars and businessman who are well known for the gaining the popularity.
- Offer discounts and coupon and best deals in holiday packages to attract the customers.
- Share information on marketing activities with employees and shareholders
Intranet: With the help of intranet companies Hilton and Milestones communicate with customers. It is technology which make the every department attach and every employee with each other. Via intranet changing in marketing activities can be made. For example intranet comprises of notices and mail. Intranet examples are SAP and ERP.
Social Media: Another form of information sharing are social media. With the help of Skype and face book, company keep touch with stakeholders like suppliers, shareholders and community. Social media platform has became third world where about 84% of people use to be online every day. With increase in the internet users most of the companies are using social media platform to stay connect with the customer and suppliers.
Importance of communicating with employees
Creativity: BY sharing information with employee several feedback is collected where the employees gives their inputs which enhances the creativity within the company and parallely improve the company performance and with new ideas. In order to maintain creativity, company should share the information and take feedback or feed forward or the employees which will boost the marketing decision making in future.
Appropriate timing for discussing marketing objectives:
AGM (Annual general meeting): Marketing objectives and strategies must be disused at annual general meeting in order to make point in front of other shareholders, owners and with other departments. Annual general meeting is done in once in year where bigger plans such innovating new marketing strategies to promote the business are put at the table and all of the members discussed and approves the idea and allocate the finds to change the new marketing ideas.
With marketing plan appropriate mission statement is made which will help to gain the market. by targeting the market, marketing objectives are set to accomplish the company objectives and company vision.
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