English: "To meet Brandon McCurley was a true inspiration and a great best practice that proved my belief: "Social Media is more than a tool." The Parker Palm Spring is part of an industry that feels the ups and downs of social reputation instantly, not just in weak ratings on TripAdvisor, but even more in a weak occupancy rate with their bookings. So we are talking about Dollars." Is Social Media A Game Changer, is a best practise example and great learning experience for every industry. Feedback and question, please don't hesitate to contact me! Aloha Julius Geis German: "Is Social Media A Game Changer?" – Dieser Kernfrage bin ich in einem exklusiven Interview mit dem Hotelier Brandon McCurley, General Manager des Parker in Palm Springs, nachgegangen. Brandon, der für eine Branche spricht, die die Stimmungsschwankung in täglich ausgetauschter Meinung innerhalb der Sozialen Netzwerke sofort zu spüren bekommt – vor allem auch im Abverkauf – plaudert im Gespräch mit mir aus dem Nähkästchen und über seine Erfahrungen die er in den letzten Monate in diesem Medium sammeln konnte. Welche Learnings wir aus McCurleys Erfahrungen gewinnen können und wie Sie diese für Ihre Unternehmung einsetzen, habe ich in meinem neuen gratis White Paper für Sie zusammen gefasst. Bei Rückfragen, Anmerkungen oder konkreten Business Taks freue ich mich auf Ihre Kontaktaufnahme. Aloha Julius Geis

1. © 2014 Julius Geis, Independent Brand and Marketing Consultant: www.juliusgeis.com Page 1
IS SOCIAL MEDIA
A GAME CHANGER?
+ Interview with Brandon McCurley
+ Learnings and Conclusion
Writer: Julius Geis
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2. Continue: If a guest has chosen to stay with us, placed their trust in us and invests time to express their
impressions after or during their stay, they more than deserve our attention and the respect of a reply.
Positive feedback is always nice to receive, and we’re lucky we have so much of it. These reviews serve as
great fuel for positive reinforcement for our team. Reviews that highlight opportunities provide an unfiltered
opinion that has great value from which we can learn and evolve.
Second, the Reader – Social Media is the primary source of information for prospective travelers looking for
guidance when choosing where to spend their money. As Social Media is an unfiltered form of information
and opinions, with limited responsibility of accurate reporting placed on the reviewer, we are at the mercy
of the Reader’s willingness to wade through the infinite amounts of information to arrive at an informed
decision. I feel a responsibility to represent the hotel and try to offer feedback that thanks, clarifies, or
apologizes as necessary.
„Rather than viewing the cost of being active, we look at the cost of
not being active.“
Julius Geis: Is your engagement driven by personal experience?
Brandon McCurley: My engagement finds its foundation in my personal values. To have any success as an
hotelier in the premium luxury segment, a desire to serve and genuinely caring for others has to come from
within. You cannot turn it off. Social Media adds another avenue to demonstrate your natural commitment
to service.
Julius Geis: How do you manage the manpower to be so active in Social Media?
Isn’t that too expensive?
Brandon McCurley: I personally read and reply to all reviews. This is not handed off to a manager to post
formatted replies. Being a smaller Estate of 144 rooms affords me the luxury of being personally involved in
all facets of the guest experience. Having worked in much larger properties, it would be impossible for a
General Manager to personally reply to all reviews; however, it is essential to remain in close contact with
the individual you designate this responsibility to. Being disconnected from the guest experience does not
serve the guest, employees or ownership well. Our Social Media presence on Facebook and other sites
does require more time, and that is handled primarily by our Director of Public Relations and myself. Again,
it is not time consuming if you are passionate about your product and recognize the value of having an
online presence.
Julius Geis: Many companies I know name manpower and budget as their main reason for inactivity.
Brandon McCurley: Every company operates differently and places focus on various priorities according to
their business strategies and goals. Hospitality is an industry that is labor intensive and runs very high
operating costs as a result. The cost of Social Media and having an online presence pales in comparison.
Rather than viewing the cost of being active, we look at the cost of not being active.
© 2014 Julius Geis, Independent Brand and Marketing Consultant: www.juliusgeis.com Page 2
Preamble.
Jazmyne Koch, a cultural anthropologist and I travelled for 30 days around the US, without
a smartphone, a computer or any access to our private Social Media. This journey was part
of our collaborative project called „Unplugged Experiment“. One day we visited the
TripAdvisor website, from a internet café, to get some reviews about a hotel a friend had
recommended to us. The Parker Palm Springs had high ratings from about 663
reviews...but something was different. The General Manager of the Parker Palm Springs,
Brandon McCurley, actively responded to every complaint, question, or anything else that
needed a reply. We questioned „what does he see others don’t?“…
Julius Geis: As the General Manager of the high-class resort “Parker Palm Springs,” settled
in the popular Palm Springs area, what is your understanding of customer service and how
did that change in the last two years, especially with the impact of Social Media?
„In a world of instant gratification, the “change” in
service is centered around the immediacy and urgency
to communicate“
Brandon McCurley: Service is changing rapidly; however, it remains the same at its core.
The core responsibility we have as a luxury hotel operator is to cater to the individual
needs and desires of each guest and connect with them on an emotional level. Each
interaction must be sincere and personal; each experience must be unique, memorable
and relevant to the moment. In a world of instant gratification, the “change” in service is
centered around the immediacy and urgency to communicate. There is little tolerance for
any perceived delay. Social Media is often posted through a mobile app while the guest is
still on site. The positive is it allows the engaged operator to react and salvage the guest
experience prior to departure. This level of responsiveness is very much appreciated and
creates deeper loyalty with your guests. The negative is if there is any delay in response it
is viewed as a lack of caring.
Julius Geis: Brandon, I saw your personal activity on TripAdvisor and was totally impressed.
I never saw a management so actively responding to their guests’ reviews. What is your
intention and expectation behind that?
Brandon McCurley: There are two drivers behind my dedication to responding – the
Reviewer and the Reader.
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3. © 2014 Julius Geis, Independent Brand and Marketing Consultant: www.juliusgeis.com Page 3
„I feel Social Media will become a truer reflection of traditional
social interactions“
Julius Geis: Using Social Media to satisfy your customers and to raise your rate of recommendation – was
that suggestion born at the corporate level of Starwood Hotel or is it your own personal idea?
Brandon McCurley: The dedication to leveraging Social Media is a shared idea. I brought the approach with
me into a company, Jack Parker Corporation, that had already embraced the same point of view.
Julius Geis: Shouldn’t Social Media be part of any corporate strategy?
Brandon McCurley: Absolutely. I don’t feel the value of Social Media is lost on many corporate
bodies at this stage; however, they do fail to cultivate this understanding at the property level. Corporate
bodies determine the focus of the property via goal setting and incentives. At the property level, you invest
your time where you are measured. This is where many hotels fall short.
Julius Geis: In June, I personally was a guest at your resort. We followed a recommendation
by friends. How would you rate a personal recommendation vs. a recommendation from
Social Media like TripAdvisor?
Brandon McCurley: Social Media has the potential to speak to a much broader audience; ho
wever, a personal recommendation brings greater weight. Accepting or ignoring a recommendation
from a friend, family member or colleague has the benefit of your personal knowledge of
that individual’s tastes, habits, expectations, etc. No single recommendation, positive or
negative, can be taken at face value in Social Media. The cumulative impressions of all reviews
on a site can be relatively accurate. The fact that one business’ ratings can fluctuate dramatically
from one site to another demonstrates the perils of placing too much importance on any one source.
Julius Geis: What do you think is the position of Social Media in your industry in the future?
Brandon McCurley: I feel Social Media will become a truer reflection of traditional social interactions –
engaging in conversation rather than a series of statements and opinions.
Continuing interview Brandon McCurley:
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4. © 2014 Julius Geis, Independent Brand and Marketing Consultant: www.juliusgeis.com Page 4
Contact
JULIUS GEIS – BRAND AESTHETE
P +49(0)40 60940518-0 E hello@juliusgeis.com
www.juliusgeis.com
Links
Parker Palm Springs
www.theparkerpalmsprings.com
Credit
@ Photos – Parker Palm Springs
Thank you, Interview Issue 001!
Brandon McCurley (Parker Palm Springs), Marissa Zafran (Parker Palm
Springs), Jazmyne Koch, Maria Peterson, Sandra Aurich, Tina Lia.
Impress
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