One Burnt Breakfast And Your Reputation Will Be Ruined In Seconds

One of my last posts about Trip Advisor taking over the accreditation system prompted a comment by a company called Eezeer. They have a mobile review application, which is something you need to watch out for.

It's one of the many 'NOW' applications floating around on mobile phones that are set to change the way in which the world interacts. Instead of waiting 'til guests get home to write a review, they simply upload a picture from their phone, write a few words and off it goes out in 'Real Time' on a Twitter like feed on the Eezeer network. 

If you are in the hospitality industry and plan on increasing profit margins by providing inferior food or service, then you better watch out because consumer finger tip power is to become very frightening. 

Eezeer's main goal is to keep an eye on the airline market in America, where more use of wireless networks is allowed on flights. One simply takes a pic of the appalling nosh served on flight and send it out, telling others not to fly with said airline.

These kind of products will soon be common place and within two years' time I predict that if your sausages are burnt or your eggs too runny then within seconds they'll be subject to worldwide incrimination. It's just Trip Advisor on the move really, but the cool bit is that reviewers are monitored by GPS, so have to be in the place they are reviewing. This will cut down on fake reviews as rival B&Bs and hotels will have to come and stand outside your gaff to tell everyone how bad you are.

As a forward planning traveller 'NOW' reviews are far more appealing. If someone writes their feelings about service there and then it is far more likely to give an accurate account of their feelings of the situation and will be more interesting. I know the reason that I don't write Trip Advisor reviews is that I don't always have a clear recollection of everything that happened when I'm at home and my mood generally becomes far more forgiving after the holiday.

When 'NOW' reviews combine with 'NOW' accommodation decisions, that's when things will become even more interesting.  

Planning ahead for accommodation for people, especially in cities will soon be obsolete. Here's a little scenario for you of a city traveller's movements:

You, the future traveller arrive at a city, ready to stay anywhere you fancy. You look on your phone on your Eezeer (or any other similar) network and find the most recent/live reviews of hotels in that city.You choose one based on the best reviews and value for money. You then book the stay on your phone, just by a click, because your phone automatically links to your cc details. 

You find the hotel via GPS and check in by putting your phone through an electronic scanner (like the ones at Tesco, lol). 

You feel satisfied with your stay and are grateful to those reviewers that helped your booking decision so are obliged to write a review of your stay over breakfast and repeat the process again. 

God help your hotel if your beans are burnt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution Channels Explained By Gareth Gaston - The MD of Octopus Travel

Get More Guests Through Facebook

My ultimate goal with this blog and the social networks is to build a global community of like-minded B&B owners.

However I'm as guilty as anyone for spending far too long on Facebook, and not always using the time to focus on my goal.

It's easy to get distracted on social networks and not stick to your goals. 

So, (if this is your goal) how can you get more customers through Facebook? Everyone raves that it's a fantastic tool but are the majority of marketeers using it to its full potential? I suspect not.

Here's just one suggestion that I'm confident will gain your B&B more bookings. 

Find as many groups (not pages because you can't contact the creator) as you can that your customer base will regularly see the updates from.

If you have a vegetarian B&B in Cornwall then find the groups relating to travel in Cornwall and vegetarians.

Then send the creator a message similar to the one below. 

Dear ____ ,

Would you please do me a huge favour and give your group members the opportunity of winning a stay in my B&B. It will give added value to your group members and will help us to gain exposure for our B&B, through your large and impressive community. 

I would like to give away a free stay for XXX nights for XXX amount of people. Could you please post the following into your update:

Paul's luxury Veggie B&B in Cornwall is offering a free stay to all XXXXX group members. To win simply answer this question and post the answer on Paul's Facebook page.

What is Paul's Veggie B&B's breakfast speciality? (This is the unique selling point of your B&B - make sure that is the focus of your question).

Is it;

a) 14 inch local veggie sausage

or b) muesli made with local raspberries

To find the answer visit www.paulsveggiebnb.com

I hope you can help, please let me know if I can help you in any way.

Thank you very much indeed etc etc

Ok, so my example is a bit naff but you get the idea. Do this same competition with as many groups as you can that have a large amount of visitors, who could be interested in what you have to offer. The groups will be constantly looking for content so will certainly be up for it.

 Unfortunately you will have to give away a bit of your time and a room, but I promise it will really build awareness if done properly. And if your guests have a good experience then, (because they won the stay) there's a great chance they'll come back.

Is that a more pro-active way to use Facebook? I think so.

Just a thought...