Access to cost-effect and innovative technology is shaping the modern digital customer experience for hotels. Today will live in an era where brands create digital experience offers that embrace customer experience and personalization. As hoteliers, we have to be cautious that we are not driven by hypes but create a unique digital customer experience offers in a relevant context. At the end of the day, it boils down to the service that is most suited to the needs of the customer. Digital transformation will help your hotel to better serve the customers throughout their journey.

1. CREATE A NEW DIGITAL CULTURE FOR THE
HOTEL OF THE FUTURE

2. INSPIRATION
RESEARCH
POST STAY
ON PROPERTY DIRECT
BOOKING
AWARENESS
ATTENTION
INTENT
DESIRE
ACTION
COMMUNITY
VALUE
QUALITY
EXPERIENCE
RETENTION
COLLABORATION
AMPLIFICATION
DIGITAL
EXPERIENCE
COMMUNITY
STATE
COGNITIVE:
Perception
AFFECTIVE:
Intent
BEHAVIOR:
Action
CONTENT
AWARENESS
ATTENTION
INTENT
DESIRE
ACTION
DIGITAL MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING BRAND AMBASSADORS
ADVERTISING
OPTIMIZATION
REVIEWS
REFERRALS
TESTIMONIALS
IDENTIFY THE SWEET SPOTS WHERE
THE EMPLOYEE/CUSTOMER AND
YOUR HOTEL’S GOALS ALIGN
IDENTIFY KEY MICRO-MOMENTS
IN THE EMPLOYEE/CUSTOMER
JOURNEY
IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND NEW
PAIN POINTS AND MOMENTS OF
DELIGHT AND SURPRISE
EXPERIENCE THE EMPLOYEE/
CUSTOMER JOURNEY YOURSELF
CREATE A VISUAL MAP OF THE
EMPLOYEE/CUSTOMER JOURNEY
COLLECT &
MEASURE DATA
DURING THE
PROCESS
CREATE RELEVANT
REPORTS
HUMANNESS
TRANPARENCY
AUTHENTIC
BRAND
AMBASSADORS
LISTEN CARE CONNECT
BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS
“NEW” IDEAL CUSTOMERS
INSPIRE
REPUTATION MANAGEMENT
SAFE CLEAN
SAFE MEET & GREET
SAFE STAY
MENTAL HEALTH
AWARENESS
VIISUAL
PRESENTATION
COMMUNICATE
DIGITAL MARKETING FOR HOTELS
DIRECT
BOOKINGS

3. CARING / COMPASSION
Feeling or showing concern for or
kindness to others
Advocacy and respect for values,
needs and preference of hotel and
guests
CONFIDENCE / COURAGE
Develop confidence through inquiry
and collaboration
Have the courage to do what they think is right
and be brave enough to confront
fear of challenges and concerns
CONSCIENCE
Applying legal and ethical principles
based on professional hospitalitystandards while
recognizing personal limitations, exhibiting integrity,
and valuing the contributions of others
COMPETENCE
Demonstrates competence through the delivery of safe clean,
safe meet & greet, and safe stay with use of up-to-date digital solutions
KEY CHARACTERSTICS
FOR A NEW HOTEL CULTURE
COMMITMENT
Demonstrate commitment to excellence
through professionalism, leadership, ownership
of one’s practice, and dedication
to ongoing learning
CULTURE
A holistic approach to
create a new culture for
the future of hotels
COMMUNICATION
Using effective forms of communication including
networking and collaboration strategies and informatics to
continuously optimize the quality and safety of employees and guests

4. SAFETY
Health and wellbeing
Work at home
WORKPLACE
Fair and equal treatment
Healthcare benefits
Flexibility
Inclusive
INPUT FROM EMPLOYEES
ASK employees how your hotel
best can support them and their families
needs
Leverage your employees' network
COMMUNICATION
Share relevant and important
information
Provide employees with tools
that empower them to handle
concerns
EMPLOYEES ARE YOUR HOTELS
MOST IMPORTANT ASSET
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE
Flexible hours for team members
with children
Day care alternative
Funds for employees in need
Ongoing training
CULTURE
REWARDS
Competitive salaries
Fund sharing initiatives
Reward employees during
challenging times
Create brand ambassador
community reward programs

5. SPECIFIC
Identify exact lywhat you want
to accomplish
MEASURABLE
Quantifyyour outcome
How much? How often? How many?
ATTAINABLE
Make the goal something you
can do
RELEVANT
Make the goal relevant and
appropriate in the right context now
CREATING S.M.A.R.T.E.R. GOALS
FOR HOTELS
EXCITING
Create a goal that inspires you
and your hotel team and customer
TIME-BOUND
State when you will be finished
RISKY
Create goals that stretch you

6. INSPIRATION
Identifydetails about demographics,
habits, and patterns
RESEARCH
Follow guests and customers to better
understand their digital patterns , experiences,
and how they search and learn
BOOKING
Connect with guests and customers.
Build a relationship, and start create
unique personalized digital experience
offers
ON PROPERTY
Ask current guests/customers to
learn how theyfound you,
what made them book, and
what sets you apart
YOUR HOTELS
IDEAL GUEST/
CUSTOMER
POST STAY
Identify customer retention rate,
customer churn rate,
customer lifetime value,
repeat customer rate, and
upselling ratio
BRAND AMBASSADOR
Helps build lifetime value,
address customer concerns and
support, lower customer acquisition
cost and becomes brand advocates.
Help with Key Performance Indicators,
and collecting data within the customer
journey
REVENUE
Helps hotel make more revenue,
reduce costs. Address pain points
for guests, customers, and hotel.
Make employees happier and more
productive supporting the ideal guest

7. BRAND AMBASSADOR
Believe in your hotels experience offers
INSPIRATIONS
Phase: Dreaming
RESEARCH
Phase:
Planning
BOOKING
Phase:
Booking
ON PROPERTY
Phase: Experience
POST STAY
Phase:
Sharing
REVENUE

8. INSPIRATION
Awareness
Attention
State:
Cognitive - Perception
RESEARCH
Intent
Desire
BOOKING
Action
BRAND
AMBASSADOR
Collaboration
REVENUE
Amplification
ON PROPERTY
Community
Value
Quality
Experience
Retention
POST STAY
Reviews
Referrals
Testimonials
Phase:
Dreaming
Planning
State:
Affective - Intent
BOOKING
State:
Behavior - Action
Phase:
Booking
Experience
Sharing

9. LISTEN
Identify opport unities to
engage
CARE
Provide excellent customer service
and customer support
CONNECT
Connect with customers
digital communities. Also
connect with employees and
brand ambassadors
MEASURE KEY PERFOMANCE INDICATORS
Focus on reach, engagement, and
conversions in a relevant context
THE NEW REPUTATION
MANAGEMENT PROCESS FOR
HOTELS
BRAND AMBASSADORS
Represent a hotel brand in a positive light
and by doing so help to increase
brand awareness, growth, occupancy,
and revenue with more direct bookings
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
Increases a sense of belonging, self-worth
and security, in turn, makes people more comfortable
and more likely to invest in your relationship
DIGITAL REPUTATION MANAGEMENT
Monitor what is said about your
hotel (all media, social networks,
communities, and reviews). Respond to all
content (positive, negative, false).
Implement retargeting and retention strategies.

10. IDENTIFY THE SWEET SPOTS
WHERE CUSTOMERS AND YOUR
HOTELS GOALS ALIGN
Consider how your hotels digital marketing
and communication strategies can help
your customers reach their goals while
also getting you closer to yours
IDENTIFY KEY MICRO-MOMENTS
IN THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY
When and where do you
Communicate with customers;
pre-booking?
during booking experience?
post-booking?
Identifymicro-moments you missed.
IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND
PAIN POINTS AND MOMENTS
OF DELIGHT AND SURPRISE
What do customers experience
While trying to achieve their goals
at touchpoints communicating
with your hotel?
EXPERIENCE THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY
YOURSELF
Experience the customer journey yourself
provide some unique and high-value insight!
CREATE A VISUAL MAP OF THE
CUSTOMER JOURNEY
Create a visual map that gives you a
birds eye view of the entire
customer journey
ARE YOUR HOTEL READY
TO START TRANSFORMING
THE DIGITAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
INTO
A DIRECT BOOKING ENGINE?

11. A PERSONAL INCIDENT THAT
CAUSED IMPORTANT CHANGE IS
ONE SUREFIRE WAY TO
GRAB POSITIVE ATTENTION
WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO
MAKE A POINT
TO MAKE A MEMORABLE
IMPACT RELIVE A
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
RELEVANT TO THE CONTEXT
OF YOUR MESSAGE
CONNECT WITH THE
CUSTOMER STATE THROUGH
COMPELLING PHOTOS OR
VISUALS, INTERESTING
EXPERIENCE OFFERS, AND A
GENUINE STORY
SHOWCASE SOME EVIDENCE AND FACTS
IN YOUR STORY THAT HELP CUSTOMERS
WHY THEY SHOULD LISTEN TO YOU. HOW
DO YOU HELP SOLVE THEIR PAIN POINTS?
SIMPLIFY THE MESSAGE. SHOW THAT
CHANGE WAS NEEDED AND
ILLUSTRATE RELEVANT ACTION. CLARIFY
IMPORTANT TOUCHPOINTS IN THE STORY
HOW TO USE STORYTELLING
AS A POWERFUL TOOL
FOR THE
DIGITAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
ALWAYS END WITH DESCRIBING
THE BENEFITS OF RELEVANT ACTIONS
AND PROBLEMS SOLVED

12. APOLOGIZE
Own the process, and be
authentic speaking candid
and genuine
FIX IT
Once the concern has been
properly reviewed and understood
front line performers should offer the
most appealing solution. Empower
front line performer to provide other
alternative solutions when the situation
requires it
REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND
Seek first to understand and
listen with empathy. Diagnose
the guest concern before prescribing
a solution. Review the concern together
with guest so they understand you will
provide a solution with integrity and
competency
BECOME THE HERO
WITH YOUR
GUEST RECOVERY PROCESS
FOLLOW UP
Creating win-win scenarios
require creative cooperation.
Either the concern is fixed instant or
require additional steps, follow up
in context with review and the
understanding you had with the guest
DOCUMENT
Use technology and tools
to document the review
and follow ups. Learn how
the guest recovery process
impact review and perceptions
after guest left the property.
Did actions inspire the guest
to come back or refer your
Hotel?
COMMUNICATE
Guest service recovery is a
dynamic ongoing process.
Use data from customer
journey touchpoints and
the guest service recovery
process to communicate
and educate your hotel team.
OPTIMIZE
Service concerns is a critical part of
every hotel. But dissatisfied guest are not!
Hotels should take steps to ensure
that every employee has the skill,
motivation, and authority to make
service recovery an integral part of operations.
Embrace flexibility!

13. 1. BE PROACTIVE – KNOW YOUR GUEST BEFORE THEY KNOW YOU
Listen, care, connect, build a relationship. Pay attention to their name,
Acknowledge guests with a genuine and authentic SMILE.
Benefits: Increase customer loyalty, decrease concerns, control
Communication
2. BEGIN WITH THE END
Your hotel most valuable and important asset is your employees.
They are critical to assure the outcome of the customer experience
is recognized as HIGHLY satisfied. Make sure they have proper tools, training,
skills, and talent to serve your guests throughout the time they spend at your
property.
CHECKLIST FOR BRAND AMBASSADORS / HOSTS
TO ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR
THE NEXT GUEST
3. EXECUTE ON THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES
Enact on personal and brand values. Improve vital personal skills.
Use data and experience to improve guest service recover processes.
Share your name and welcome guest to your hotel today.
4. MAKE EVERY TOUCHPOINT AN OPPORTUNITY
Choose a positive attitude and put the guest first. Provide guest with a simple
Instagrammable WELCOME gift with a creative #hashtag. When shared make
sure, you respond.
5. LISTEN WITH INTENT TO UNDERSTAND
Get to understand what brings the guest to your hotel. Pay attention
to body language and verbal language. Stay informed
about local attractions, news, and events. Once you understand
important guest touchpoints you now positioned yourself to serve
the guest throughout their time at the property. Use guest name or
surname with responses.
6. TAKE AN HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CUSTOMER SERVICE
Collaborate with your employees, guests, customers, industry though
leaders, and brand ambassador. Make every touchpoint experience
simple, engaging, and memorable.
7. MAKE EVERY DAY A GOOD DAY TO SHARPEN YOUR TALENT AND SKILLS
Every new skills doubles the odds of success. Be creative together with other
team members. Also utilize the local community, industry thought leaders,
and brand ambassadors. Request to shadow employees in other departments,
ask to shadow hotel managers and supervisors. And ask hotel management
if you can engage in important guest touchpoints to better understand how
to improve their experience. Make training a daily task.
8. BE ACCOUNTABLE – OWN YOUR MISTAKES
Making mistakes is part of human nature. It is critical to be transparent and
own your own and the hotels mistakes. This will position you to have an authentic
dialog regarding any concerns. You will learn and help yourself and the hotel
improving. Ask for an opportunity to prove that you and the hotel can do better.
9. FULLFILL YOUR POTENTIAL
Hold yourself to high expectations don’t settle with ‘GOOD ENOUGH’. Always
perform to the best of your abilities. Allow yourself to take imperfect actions
to fulfill your potential.
10. MAKE EVERY EXPERIENCE COUNT
Are you proud the results you achieved together with your colleagues,
guests, thought leaders, brand ambassadors, and your hotel community?
Why or Why not? Always be prepared for your next guest!

14. GUEST SATISFACTION
IS A ONE TIME HAPPY FACE RESPONSE
IT IS NOT PERMANENT
GUEST SATISFACTION IS
ABOUT ANTICIPATING AND
UNDERSTANDING GUEST
NEEDS AND DESIRES AND STRIVE
TO RESOLVE CONCERNS BEFORE
THE GUEST FEEL THE PAIN
GUEST SATISFACTION IS
ABOUT CONSTANTLY SEEKING
TO IMPROVE THE GUEST
EXPERIENCE
GUEST SATISFACTION IS TO HELP
MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR THE GUEST GUEST SATISFACTION IS TO UNDERSTAND
AND DELIVER ON ALL GUEST NEEDS
GUEST SATISFACTION
MEASURE THE
LATEST GUEST ATTITUDE
TOWARDS YOUR HOTEL
GUEST SATISFACTION IS A SHORT TERM
WIN. GUEST LOYALTY IS THE LONG
TERM GOAL.

15. • WHAT MADE YOU THINK HARD TODAY?
• HOW WILL YOU CHALLENGE YOURSELF TODAY?
• WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM THIS
EXPERIENCE OR MISTAKE?
• WHO CAN YOU ASK FOR HONEST
FEEDBACK?
• DID YOU WORK AS HARD AS
COULD HAVE?
• IF IT WAS EASY, HOW CAN YOU
MAKE IT MORE CHALLENGING?
• HAVE YOU REVIEWED YOUR
WORK OR LOGIC FOR
ERRORS OR FLAWS?
• ARE YOUR PROUD OF THE
END RESULT? WHY OR
WHY NOT?
• WHAT’S THE NEXT
CHALLENGE TO TACKLE?
• WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT
TIME TO MAKE THINGS WORK BETTER?
• WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO LEARN?
• WHAT STRATEGY CAN YOU TRY?
• DID YOU HOLD YOURSELF TO HIGH
EXPECTATIONS OR DID YOU ACCEPT
“GOOD ENOUGH”?
• DID YOU ASK FOR HELP IF YOU NEEDED IT?
• WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MANAGE DISTRACTIONS?
CREATE
A POSITIVE GROWTH MINDSET
WITH THESE QUESTIONS
BENEFITS OF A POSITIVE GROWTH MINDSET:
• FULFILMENT - there are endless opportunities not YET
unleashed
• RESILIENCE - challenges and setbacks take on a far
more positive attitude
• INSPIRATION – a subtle competitive attitude that allows
for a better appreciation for the successes of others

16. CUSTOMER JOURNEY
Design new experience offers
Improved insight
Instant gratification / agility
Employee and customer adaption
Customer journey mapping
COLLABORATION
Embrace change
New culture
Better communication
Local values
Community engagement
Employee training and appreciation
User generated content
NEW IMPROVED DATA INSIGHT
Track and analyze real time data
Employee insight
Brand Ambassador insight
Higher ROI
Online visibility
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF
TRANSFORMING
THE DIGITAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
FOR HOTELS?
AGILITY AND VALUE INNOVATION
Product differentiation
Low cost
Ongoing improvement and optimization
Growth mindset
Proactive processes
NEW TALENT AND SKILLSET
Flexible workplace
Programs supporting new skills
Happiness factor / Productivity
Growth hacking
Guest recovery
Efficiency
BOOKINGS
Connecting with customers
Understanding customer states
Customization
Personalization
Increase direct bookings

17. MENTAL AWARENESS
Design new experience offers
Improved insight
Instant gratification / agility
Employee and customer adaption
Customer journey mapping
RELEVANCE
Embrace change
New culture
Better communication
Local values
Community engagement
Employee training and appreciation
User generated content
SUPERIOR HEALTH PROTOCOLS
Checklist for guests
Cleaning checklist
Contactless digital service options
Ongoing training
DIGITAL MARKETING TRANSFORMATION
PLAN FOR HOTELS
I’M HERE TO HELP YOUR HOTEL GET THERE …
SO, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR…
AUTOMATION
Automation will help your hotel putting
the right message to the right people
at the right time. Timely data insight
will help providing the most relevant
Information for the customer to make
an educated decision.
RECEPTIVE
Putting audience FIRST
Personalization
Understanding new audiences
Growth hacking
Guest recovery
PARTICIPATION
Being active within your
digital community
Draw audience into ongoing
conversation and experiences
Using employees for
participation marketing /
storytelling

18. Your Hotels Digital Transformation
Be part of a new and unique Digital Transformation process for your hotel.
1. You can send me an email at hotelblogger@aremorch.com
2. Connect with me on LinkedIn for more exclusive updates to help your hotel
transform the Digital Customer Experience.
LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn Page
Yours truly,
Are Morch
Digital Marketing Coach
m: +1662-703-2428 skype: are.morch
e: hotelblogger@aremorch.com w: https://aremorch.com
a: 254 N Sweetgum Lane, Tupelo MS
“Transforming the digital experience into a direct booking engine for hotels”