Pandemic Thinking for Hospitality and Tourism
Posted by Max Hitchins on
MEDIA RELEASE - How it all began
One memorable thing that happened to me, during the ‘March/April isolation’ period of Covid-19 in 2020, was a telephone call from a staff member from the office of our local politician - Trent Zimmerman. The caller said “Hello Mr Hitchins. My boss, Trent Zimmerman, asked me to call you to see if you are OK…and if there is anything we can do for you?“
Now, I barely know Trent Zimmerman. But I found this idea of having one of his staff members contacting me, at that time, to be very impressive. What a simple and effective strategy! Why not use it in a hospitality or tourism business? I give Mr Zimmerman the credit for motivating me to begin the challenge of writing my latest eBook. Because of that call, I decided to collect strategies, video clips, ideas, stories, quips and quotes designed to help hospitality and tourism operators, all around the world, in the challenging times ahead.
"90% of our profit comes from the top 10% of our sales"
The ‘rules’ have changed. There are ‘new normal’ in hospitality and tourism businesses throughout the world. One thing remains the same… and that is 90% of our profit comes from the top 10% of our sales. Hence, the question is “How to get back to achieving previous turnover in a business as soon as possible?”
So, I decided to contact people I regard as amongst the best marketers, the best operators and the best thinkers around the world. I thought I would seek their advice as to what hospitality and tourism businesses can do following the Covid-19 virus, that has so disrupted businesses and personal lives everywhere.
Can I suggest whatever size of your hotel, pub, club, restaurant, bar, or motel you might think about adopting and adapting this Trent Zimmerman idea and do a similar thing by contacting your database. (You do have a database, don’t you?)
It would be easy to get a call centre to make these calls. But, can I suggest YOU (the owner, general manager, office manager or restaurant manager) dedicate some time to make this kind of call to your very best customers. Then, have selected staff members help by making calls to the rest of your database.
You might make this a regular ‘to do’ as part of your new daily marketing strategy. Perhaps, plan on you and selected staff members doing 2-5 calls a day and cover your entire database. Simply ask “How are you doing now in these post-pandemic times?” Of course, you could offer complimentary, drinks, free entree, dessert or bottle of wine when they next visit your place, if you choose. But I don’t think that is necessary. Perhaps you could plan to do ‘database marketing idea’ this twice a year.
What is necessary is for you to do some training with your staff. You need give them telephone conversation guidelines to help them be effective and enjoy doing the calls. (The staff at McDonalds don’t just randomly ask “Would you like fries with that?” They are trained to do it.) I think you will be amazed at the results you achieve from this simple ‘caring' idea. Remember, nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care!
In the eBook you will read about: Digital ordering post Covid-19; Augmented Reality - the way of the future; The greatest management skill of all; The ‘new norm’ cleaning at Hilton hotels; Robot restaurants in India; The world’s most unusual restaurant; How to Increase profits with 2x2x2 strategy; Government funds available; Spain after lockdown; An outstanding idea from Vilnius - Lithuania; A Swedish hotel turns its rooms into private dining venues; Advertisements that work; Kansas City targets millennials; Tenino (USA) prints its own cash; Innovative opportunities offered by Parents Day, Teachers Day, Aunt/Uncle Day, Nurses Day, Working Women’s Wednesday and many more creative tips, tonics and remedies.
"We are all going to need inspiration, strategies, ideas to help us think our way through the immediate future"
https://youtu.be/iod4WE74SaQ
“There are challenging times ahead” says Max. “We are all going to need inspiration, strategies, ideas to help us think our way through the immediate future. Who better to help with that than some of the best thinkers and operators from around the world. And some of the proceeds of the book support WHO’s work to track and understand the spread of the virus; to ensure patients get the care they need and frontline workers get essential supplies and information; and to accelerate research and development of a vaccine and treatments for all who need them”.Order your copy today!
Author Max Hitchins
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