Jan 6, 2018

Mentoring is a lifelong experience!

The other day, I was talking with a Yield/ Revenue Manager (one of the best in this field). You know, I was a mentor to them, nowadays… They mentor me back!!!  I Love Touristology!!!
I really enjoy talking with my mentors! I like to see the light in their eyes when they talk about something that is very important to them AND they love to share with me all the details of their everyday battlefield!
Then I have the opportunity to propose to them new approaches or just remember the classical ones. It is a win2win situation. A privilege for being a lecturer in Tourism for the last 26 years!
In this specific mentoring session, we began to talk about segmentation process…
My mentor very fast explain to me the  BAR (Best Available Rate) for each segment, each Groups…Then the classification of the segment based on the distribution channel that they use…
WoW! Wait a moment Touristologist! We are talking about SEGMENTATION, Right?
You don’t define a segment properly just because you assign a BAR to them!
You don’t define a segment properly just because you know which OTA, CRS... they are using in order to make a reservation in your hotel!
If you really want to generate demand and not only to manage it, you need to remember what you learnt as a Touristologists! You have to look for the usual suspects to define segments for your hotel…

Are you able to improve the profitability of your hotel using Touristology’s segmentation???
Are you able to find places where these segments meet together? Just remember…
The beginning of your channel (Chain of Value OR Digital Ecosystem) it is NOT your hotel! It is your Tourists!!! If you are unable to find places real or virtual (What is the difference between them in XXI century???) where your customers meet… you don’t have a segment! You have a good example of Dr. Frankensteins segmentation!
Of course, you can have a profitable Hotel using Dr. Frankensteins segmentation! Hotels for millennials or a Hotel for Emmas or Paus. But maybe you can get a more profitable Hotels following Touristology’s segmentation. The one based upon on Maslow approach and developed for hotels by Chip Conley which will allow you to use long tail theory to seduce YOUR customers in specialize places where usually you don’t have to pay in order to get a direct reservation. It is another example of a Win2Win situation that, clearly, will improve your GopPar!!! On the other hand, as you are focus on a very specialized segment, you can focus on selling VALUE not rooms. This will also increase your RevPar and your TRevPar.
This conversation was going on for hours! We finished it with plenty of good examples and eager to apply them in our beloved sector! I love intellectual dancing with My Touristologists… It is the best way to start a new year and the best gift ever!!! It is also the best way of not becoming the characters in the following figure… 

Are you too busy to improve? Even, when you have your solution INSIDE your hotel. You have the best Tourism Resource of all times… Your people!
Do you think that 2018 can be a good year to change (or complement) the way you define and practice SEGMENTATION in your hotel? If you have any doubt… don’t ask me! Ask any of my Touristologists, they are the best minds working in the best sector ever!!!

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