Marketing Factoids

  • Consumers ages 18 to 27 say they use the Internet nearly 13 hours a week, compared to viewing 10 hours of TV source ›
  • Online searches for the word "coupons" is up about 50% over the past 12 months source ›
  • 8% of those who are over the age of 65 use SMS, and 4% subscribe to social networks source ›
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OCT 7

Hotel Helps Guests Connect Online

Springwise Newsletter, October 7, 2008 — Most hotels today give guests a way to connect with them online before their stay, whether for making simple room requests or to shop ahead for items from the hotel's retail offerings. New York City's Pod Hotel, however, is now using an online forum to let guests make advance connections with each other as well.

The hotel's PodCulture forum is designed to let visitors swap stories, trade itineraries and ideas, and get to know their fellow guests before they arrive. Once they've booked their reservations, guests are sent an email that includes a link to the PodCulture blog and a unique user ID code. That code allows them to create a profile for the blog and begin communicating with other guests.

Owned and operated by BD Hotels, the Pod Hotel provides another nice illustration of how brick-and-mortar establishments can use "clicks" to increase loyalty and improve the customer experience.

Categories: Innovation, New Media Marketing, Customer Experience
Tags: Pod Hotel, Blog, Customer Experience, Hotel, Innovation, Lodging, Social Networking

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