In this episode SiteMinder’s Chief Product Officer, Leah Rankin, steps in as host to chat to Gopu Menon, EVP of Revenue & Distribution at Highgate, a New York-based hotel management company overseeing 500+ properties (87,500 rooms) across the US, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America.

The conversation touches on his origins at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace in South Mumbai, the art of storytelling, the connection between a property’s location and its distribution strategy, the rise of the experiential traveller, and the growing need for intuitive, personalised technology experiences.

Visit YouTube to watch the whole show or view it below:

Subscribe to SiteMinder’s YouTube channel for the latest ‘Standard Room With Breakfast’ episodes.

This time he chats with Shaizeen Contractor, Chief Commercial Officer at Trilogy Hotels and a leading voice in our industry. They dig into how tech is shaping revenue management’s future, why it’s crucial for revenue managers to have a deep understanding of all hotel departments, and the biggest challenges and opportunities in the field today.

Visit YouTube to watch the whole show or view it below:

Subscribe to SiteMinder’s YouTube channel for the latest ‘Standard Room With Breakfast’ episodes.

In this first episode he speaks with Marit Connell, a 25-year hospitality veteran who, as the director of revenue at TFE hotels, is responsible for the revenue management of almost 50 hotels Australia-wide. The conversation covers Marit’s origins in food and beverage and front of house, the traits of a great revenue manager, the balance between revenue maximisation and loyalty, how she stays close to changing traveller behaviours, and even where she plans to stay next.

Visit YouTube to watch the whole show or view it below:

Subscribe to SiteMinder’s YouTube channel for the latest ‘Standard Room With Breakfast’ episodes.

Topics include:

• Channel management and distribution strategies
• Advantages of PMS integrations
• How to optimise your website to increase direct bookings
• How to increase occupancy, maximise margins and stay ahead of your competition

Fill out the form to watch the recording.

To serve as a new source of truth about the modern traveller, and to provide an insight into the economic climate that businesses are currently operating in, in August, SiteMinder undertook the largest accommodation-specific consumer survey of its kind globally, interviewing over 8,000 travellers across 10 countries around the world for the creation of its annual Changing Traveller Report.

In this webinar, we seek to answer often neglected questions such as how current economic conditions are impacting the spending behaviour of Australian travellers, what really creates a repeat customer in 2022, and how to bring control into your operation during a time of constant change.

Topics include:

• The behaviours and psychology of the 2022 traveller
• Expectations around technology in the era of hotel commerce
• How to approach economic headwinds as an accommodation provider
• The power of a simple and flexible tech stack to meet rising demands

Fill out the form to watch the recording.

The AI and its modern algorithms are able to accurately predict demand and recommend sales strategies that yield the highest possible revenue.

Nowadays, hoteliers need to be creative and implement new strategies to retain guests and optimise revenues. It is not necessary to reinvent yourself but to implement strategies that have proven to be successful.

Watch the recording and  you will learn how to direct your revenue management strategies to improve your total profit, by:

• Focusing strategic approach
• Boosting your non-room revenue streams
• Increasing the customer lifetime value
• Integrating an efficient tech stack

Fill out the form to watch the recording! Enjoy!

“Research has become the art of the travel experience. Studies show it is around 45 days of research before you start and make a booking. Context matters.” Russell Daiber , from Laasie

SiteMinder and industry-leading partners discussed the key strategies you need to switch on to accelerate direct bookings. Delivered across several markets, each bore remarkable similarities. No matter where you are based, the mindset of the traveller is the same. They want to travel now, and they want to travel with confidence, can you give it to them?

Catch-up with the key takeaways from the webinar and deep-dive into the replays to discover more ways you can enhance your direct bookings.

Direct Booking Blockers

For many hoteliers, they will be out of forced hibernation. That means now is the time to check your current details are correct (since many hit snooze on web refreshes back in mid-2020). Your website is the source of truth, and where OTA’s pull information on, the key areas to review are:

• Are the contact details correct? Do you have someone currently managing that inbox or phone line?
• Is your cancellation policy up-to-date to showcase a focus on flexibility?
• Are your price strategies current?
• Is your health and safety procedures front and centre?
• Do you have the proper payment gateways that travellers prefer to use, such as Google Pay, Apple Pay and AfterPay?
  

Poor online experience
It can be overwhelming when you look at what large OTA’s are spending on advertising and how you can even compete at any scale.

“You can never compete with the TheBooking.Com chequebook, but you can compete with the tactics you use to drive users to your direct booking channel,” Josh Beckwith, from Sojern.

“Focus on being uniquely you, not Expedia”, Edward St. Onge, from Flip.to.

Start by improving your website and experience it as a potential guest. Is it seamless? Does it make sense?

“Remember everyone coming to your website is a human, not a KPI. Our direct channels can lack the hospitality we offer, from start to finish engage them and don’t forget to sell the why,” Edward St. Onge

Ensure at every point the user is nurtured. Your booking journey should feel connected, however, when many teams are involved it can result in a very piece-by-piece build.

“Disjointed digital experiences [is a blocker], different departments own different levels, and the problems arise when each measure different metrics. This means at every stage of the funnel; it can look different to the potential guest depending on where they are in their booking journey.” Russell Daiber, from Laasie.

Not knowing your numbers
By diving into the behind-the-scenes of your bookings and website activity, you can better understand what’s working, what’s not, and most importantly, where you are losing potential guests.

“Understand the current situation with your analytics. Where is your traffic coming from, and compare your performance to the market? Instead of looking at the overall conversion rate, look at the different stages of the funnel. Use this to identify where issues lie [in your website purchase journey.  Fiona Gillen from The Hotels Network.

Using Facebook as a Direct Channel

With over 2.5 billion active users, Facebook presents are a marketing tool that hoteliers can tap into, usually for free.

“For one of our clients, over 80% of bookings come via Facebook; it’s a power channel”, Charlie Young, from Book Me Bob.

Post at least 3-10 times to your feed to keep your followers engaged in making the most of Facebook. Facebook is the platform where you can showcase the experiences that make your hotel genuinely unique.

This is where you would share events happening around you, tours available and the surrounding amenities. Use this channel to provide a holistic experience and entertain your social community.

“Understand they are doing something different on Facebook; they are using their time on Facebook for passive entertainment purposes. Cater to that. What you do in active search (such as Google) won’t work on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Think through this journey and ask yourself, am I entertaining, inspiring or helping them dream? Then consider how you bridge the gap between someone being entertained on your Facebook to engaging with your website. Consider creating tailored landing pages for this audience to meet them where they are,” Edward St. Onge, from Flip.to.

Facebook can be switched on as a direct booking channel; there are ways to integrate your bookings directly into your Facebook Business page to allow you to communicate and confirm bookings with users right within the platform.

“Travellers spend five times more time on Facebook than any other travel channel”, Josh Beckwith, from Sojern.

The data tells us travellers are highly engaged with the platform and are open to booking directly, but many hoteliers are not taking advantage of it.

Run an audit of your current Facebook page of where you can switch on tactics to attract future guests, ask yourself:

• Do I post regularly?
• Are my pictures and video up-to-date
• Do I share what is happening in my area?
• Have I plugged in a booking engine?
• Does it allow users to pay using platforms like Google Pay, Apple Pay and AfterPay?
• Do I respond to all chat messages, or have I set up automated responses?
• What hoteliers can thrive from right now
• Do you reward your social audience with special discounts or specials?

Review these areas first to amplify what you can achieve for free; once you find what posts are working and what your social audience wants, you can consider running paid campaigns like dynamic ads for travel.

The Upward Trend of Direct Bookings

Across all regions, one trend stood out — booking direct is preferred by all travellers over using OTA’s. Travellers now value relationships and transparency. By booking direct, travellers can get to know your hotel more, understand your policies better and be more than just a booking confirmation email you receive.

If the price is right
A recent SiteMinder study found that travellers are prioritising price.

“A common issue we see is price; if a guest can find a cheaper rate with you elsewhere, they will not go direct,” Fiona Gillen, from The Hotels Network.

Travellers prefer to book direct because they want to see what they are getting for the price. This includes the opportunities for experiences, events nearby and more. Your owned booking channel (your website) must provide the best deal from a holistic view.

Seeking confidence
“The pandemic has made people want confidence with the cancellation policies and flexibilities; they don’t want to rely on third parties,” Josh Beckwith, from Sojern.

We all have a travel sting story to tell from bookings in 2020-2021, whether it’s losing the total cost because you had to cancel due to lockdowns or flights not offering you full refunds when they couldn’t fly internationally. Everyone has a story that has scarred them from booking any travel in advance, but those that are ready want to go to the source. Travellers want to establish a relationship early with the hotel to build trust and essentially ask, ‘you’re not going to screw me over, are you?’.

The revenge travellers
Be prepared for pent-up demand to unleash. The ‘revenge traveller’ is ready to get out there and start experiencing life. These travellers seek exceptional opportunities to undo the past year or so of isolation and monotony.

Improving Your Guests Booking Experience

Make it flexi-friendly and value plus
Prioritising flexibility and friendliness is the better strategy, according to Russell Daiber, Laasie. Flexibility and refund policies will continue to be vital to attracting direct bookings and providing confidence.

You can further enhance the attraction to future guests by creating unique direct offers and promotions. With more and more direct bookings resulting from a referral from friends and family, you should consider making loyalty programs, cash rewards and incentives for those who book direct and share the love.

Show them why
Guests don’t just show up on your website once and book. It is part of an overall research assignment, and they will interact with you at different points of the purchase mindset.

“Think of the travellers as multi-session visitors and cut down the annoyances. You need to do your job to sell the destination, sell the why, because your biggest competitor is another destination, not the hotel across the road. Most hotels only focus on the ‘why stay with me’ part and leave out ‘why stay at this destination, why come at this specific time and why come to this specific neighbourhood’. By skipping this, it is hurting the guest booking experience and your conversions,” Edward St. Onge, Flip.to.

Design it digitally
It makes sense, but usually, the apparent improvement is the first forgotten. Design your direct booking channel for mobile. Test it yourself and fix any speedbumps. As Fiona suggested, you can also refer to your analytics and see if you are losing potential guests along the booking journey on mobile. Along with updating your website to be mobile-friendly, audit your content to check it is up-to-date and insightful; it should be helping your guests imagine themselves there and showcase your unique elements.

Meeting New Guest Expectations

Show them value
Travellers are now expecting more when it comes to accommodation standards. They want to see breakfasts included, spa experiences, local tours and a bespoke experience.

“Travellers are savvy e-commerce buyers; they expect kickbacks for a transaction of this size. Their expectations are high because we have trained them to be high. If you want them to book direct, show them why. Include rewards, loyalty and other kinds of value“, Russell Daiber, from  Laasie.

“Make it worth their while, personalisation is the opportunity here to make someone feel appreciated, and you can do that by making them feel like you know them personally”, Edward St. Onge from  Flip.to.

Give them what they want better and faster
The need for automation is a necessity now. Not only do travellers expect their experience to be personalised to them, but they now demand a seamless, frictionless direct booking experience.

“The pandemic has forced hoteliers to improve their tech stack to enhance the experience with less“, Charlie Young, from Book Me Bob.

From implementing automation to AI technology, users are open to it and share their data if it creates a better, faster experience.

“87% of users would interact with a travel chatbot if it would save them time and money”, Charlie Young, Book Me Bob.

Show them why
Now is the moment to capitalise on direct traffic and broadcast your why.

“The only way you can convey the uniqueness of your property is on your website. On a booking property page [OTA], you are just a list. The brand experience, service and hospitality starts at your website. Use your website to create a unique online experience”, Fiona Gillen, The Hotels Network.

Don’t lose the human touch
As we implement the highest health and safety standards, it’s essential not to remove what makes the hotel experience special, the hospitality.

We all have experienced the new way of life, and at times, it can feel cold. As the world opens up, some will miss face-to-face interactions, so don’t switch everything to contactless and digital engagements.

“Offer guests both options to provide balance. Not everyone will want a touchless experience; we still want a human experience.
Hotels now have to become a digital e-commerce business. You need to build a fantastic website, populate it with engaging content, engage with the right booking engine to drive conversions, plug in the right rates and then get people to your website. There is a lot for a hotel to do. You need to be smart with what you can do with tactics to remain competitive” Josh

Watch the online webinars on-demand now!

Accelerate Direct: Powerful strategies to drive and convert more bookings.

• EMEA Edition / with Sojern, The Hotel Network, and SiteMinder– Watch on-demand now
• AMER Edition / with Flip.to, Lassie, and SiteMinder– Watch on-demand now
• AUSTRALIA Edition / with Bookmebob, The Guest Book, and SiteMinder– Watch on-demand now
• SPAIN Edition / with Sojern, 123Compare.me and SiteMinder– Watch on-demand now
• FRANCE Edition / with HiJiffy, UserGuest, and SiteMinder– Watch on-demand now
• GERMANY Edition / with HiJiffy, The Hotels Network and SiteMinder– Watch on-demand now
• PORTUGAL Edition / with Sojern and SiteMinder– Watch on-demand now

SiteMinder invited our partners OpenKey, UpStay, and GuestTouch to give examples of how hoteliers today can build their tech stack based on their individual business needs.

Watch the recording to see us bust common myths about technology and hotels and understand how you can increase revenue while reducing staff workload.

Speakers:

Ron Owners, CEO, OpenKey
Pinak Soni, Co-founder & CEO, GuestTouch
Maina Pietrobelli, Director of Business Development, UpStay
Michelle Viajeador, Senior Business Development Manager, SiteMinder

By the end of this recording, you will:

• Be more confident in selecting the right apps for your property
• Understand how to create a robust hotel tech stack
• See how real-world hoteliers are capitalizing on the opportunity these apps provide

Fill out the form to access the video!

In this session, our presenters covered the crucial travel trends and booking patterns that hoteliers need to address, how to attract luxury travelers, the role tech plays in growing a property management business, and how to capitalize on the promise of new business travel opportunities.

Topics covered:
– Data-Driven Insights
– Navigating The Guest Experience
– Boosting Occupancy & Revenue

THE SPEAKERS

Vered Raviv Schwarz, President & COO – Guesty
Karla Brooklyn, Global VP, Enterprise – SiteMinder
Maor Bluman, Product Team Lead – Guesty

Watch the recording to learn more about:

• The foundations of revenue management—and beyond
• How the landscape has changed and how to be best prepared
• Forecasting & analysis in an ever-changing market
• KPIs & segmentation
• Benchmarking best practices
• Leveraging forward-looking data to get ahead of the competition
• Anticipating changing consumer behaviour
• Pricing & inventory strategy

Fill out the form the access the video.

Watch the recording to learn more about:

• The foundations of revenue management—and beyond
• How the landscape has changed and how to be best prepared
• Forecasting & analysis in an ever-changing market
• KPIs & segmentation
• Benchmarking best practices
• Leveraging forward-looking data to get ahead of the competition
• Anticipating changing consumer behavior
• Pricing & inventory strategy

Fill out the form to access the video

The most successful hoteliers are savvy operators who continually look for ways to learn and improve the way they do things, gaining an edge over the competition.

Join Michael Edinger from SiteMinder and Warren Mandelbaum from IDeaS, as they discuss revenue management strategies and share valuable insights into guest segments and tactics to stay ahead of your competitors and maximise revenue.

This on-demand webinar covers advanced topics across revenue management including:

• Key Performance Indicators and Segmentation
• Forecasting & Analysis
• Benchmarking Best Practices
• Pricing and Inventory Strategy
• Information Systems

Don’t miss out on this valuable knowledge. Watch the on-demand webinar now. 

So, how can you personalise your guest experience and regain their ownership?

Watch this on-demand webinar to look at how technology and the hospitality industry can meet halfway to help you create a better guest experience and most important to generate and maintain guest loyalty.

In this webinar we’ll cover: 

• What does the picture in your region look like today?
• Reward and recognition
• Modern technology and the feeling of old
• Technology  win with personalisation
• FAQ’s

Don’t miss out on this valuable knowledge. Download the on-demand webinar now. 

The problem lies in knowing which tools to use, how to use them, and even more, which solutions are the ideal for your particular property.

SiteMinder and hoteliga have teamed up to discuss how to use technology to stay ahead of the local competition.

We will be discussing:

• Today’s travel consumer: The world has caught the travel bug. What does that mean for you?
• The Greek market: Where is the local market sitting and how will it affect your hotel?
• What strategy is the right strategy for Greece? Having a diversified distribution strategy is key and here’s why.
• How to be a better data-driven hotelier: What is the key data you need to enhance the experience of your domestic and international guests?

Now in its third year, the WTM Thought Leaders meeting is an annual occasion where hospitality leaders gather to discuss present and future state of the industry. We looked 25 years ahead and explored how the guest experience will change due to the technological advances that we are currently seeing.

With our industry panel, we tried to answer the question “What does the Future of Human Hospitality look like”? Who will run hotels in 25 years; humans or robots?

In this webinar, we explore the topic and share the findings of the session. We discuss the possibilities of robotisation in hotels but also look at the challenges.

Download the on-demand webinar and learn about:

• Share and discuss the findings from our survey results
• Forecast what we expect from hotel technology in the far future
• Discuss if human hospitality be enough to stop the robots from taking over
• Examine how the hotel of the future embrace technology to enhance their guest experience

However, hotels are constantly trying to drive direct bookings without engaging with OTAs which could leave them at a disadvantage.

SiteMinder believes that The Billboard Effect IS real. Our customers are proof that diversified distribution is critical for success.

So how can hoteliers optimise their online channels whilst ensuring the OTAs work for them?

Download the on-demand webinar and learn about:

• The necessity of online travel agents
• Taking your first steps
• Understanding OTA rankings
• The tactics and tricks you can use to ensure OTAs work for you

From an extensive panel discussion with our industry experts

Of those surveyed in the US, Germany, India, and South Korea, 89% said they used social media at some stage during their trip.

It’s clear that social media has changed the way the travel world connects, engages, and communicates.

This webinar will show you:

• The key stats that define social media in travel
• Tactics for your hotel to employ in its marketing and distribution strategies

Simply fill out the form to start watching on-demand.

Now anyone can spread the word for the global community to see, amplifying the impact reviews can have on the success of a hotel.

It’s extremely important to maintain a positive relationship with guests, and managing online reviews well can lead to increases in revenue for hotels.

This webinar will show you:

• The impact of online reviews
• The importance of managing them correctly
• Best practice advice for responding in an effective manner

Simply fill out the form to start watching on-demand.

That’s a staggering statistic proving just how difficult it is for businesses to cut through the noise in order to be heard.

For hoteliers, it can be even harder to know how to reach the right people – and that’s assuming they have their target audiences fully marked out.

In this free on-demand webinar we’ll share:

• The 6 groups of travellers – your future hotel guests.
• Strategies to entice these travellers to book direct.

Simply click here to start watching it on-demand.