March 2010 –
For independent hotels and resorts, the era of social media, internet
marketing, and fully-integrated direct website online
booking software are providing new revenue generating
strategies that
reach travelers with a message of unique guest experiences and personal
service.
Independent properties are more effective with social media strategies
than
large chains burdened with corporate guidelines. Creative
independent operators are responding
quickly to the evolving needs of guests who are traveling less
frequently. The result is guest loyalty, valuable word of
mouth referrals, and higher revenues. Maestro
PMS by NORTHWIND
offers a complete suite of online revenue-generating
tools including ResWave integrated booking engine with real-time
guest-driven
booking of rooms, spa, and other activities complemented by expert
internet
marketing services for social media and email marketing.  “Social media generates
hundreds of room nights” The Gainey Suites Hotel in Scottsdale has a strong Twitter following along with videos on YouTube and attractive property shots on its Flickr photo sharing site. The high-end destination uses Facebook to feature hotel special events and promotions that leverage its current number-one TripAdvisor ranking. “Social media gives our hotel freedom to do creative things online we cannot do on our website,” said Rich Newman, general manager of the Gainey Suites Hotel. “We use Maestro’s ResWave booking engine on our website with links to our social media pages. Our link to YouTube videos on the ResWave page drives business because guests can see rich-media hotel presentations and book rooms immediately. Our social media strategy generates hundreds of room-nights and adds to our F&B business.” Gainey Suites links its Maestro ResWave booking page to property photos, floor plans and enhanced room descriptions. “Chains have corporate social media programs, but are constrained by policy guidelines. Independents like Gainey Suites can respond to market changes and promote their hotels with a creative style that builds an image of a unique, personalized, destination that people respond to by making reservations,” Newman said.  Independents boost
occupancy & referrals with more
personal touch online “Independent operators do a better job of engaging the public online than chains,” said Arthur Morrissey, Marketing Manager for Morrissey Hospitality Companies, Inc. which operates the Saint Paul Hotel in Minnesota. With much success using email marketing, Morrissey recently began a social media program using the talents of front-line staff. “We wanted to create honest, authenticate communication with shoppers that engaged them at The Saint Paul Hotel brand level. Our goal is to show better ROI metrics to demonstrate performance and we have seen more than 100 percent growth in our engagement numbers each month.” Morrissey tracks reservation origins and ties revenue to its online marketing to see where shoppers are going on their site before they book rooms on The Saint Paul Hotel’s Maestro ResWave booking engine. “We built codes on our website and Maestro ResWave that track reservations from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sources,” Morrissey said. Social media channels drive ROI, referrals and direct website bookings for lower cost  Michael Hraba, CEO of Hraba
Hospitality Consulting in San Francisco, agrees. “The problem with flag
thinking on
social media is their preoccupation with ROI; the fact is there are
social
media conversations taking place online continuously that drive
business to
hotels.” Hraba Consulting provides
social media counsel for hotel operators. “ROI is very important to
independent
operators. We track rooms and revenue generated by social media
programs in the
Maestro PMS Front Office hotel
software used at the Allison Inn
& Spa, and at our Cavallo Point Lodge at Golden Gate
properties. When you listen to social media conversations about your
property,
you learn creative ways to reach paying guests that generate revenue.
We
recommend to clients that they use a fully-integrated booking engine
like
Maestro ResWave and link their websites to Twitter, Facebook and Flickr
pages
that engage visitors. When you engage
guests with social media it develops online customer advocates that
impact how
your hotel is perceived, drives referrals, and can create a great deal
of new
business.” For a demo of the Maestro Property Management Suite featuring the ResWave Booking Engine, please contact NORTHWIND at 1.888.667.8488 or email info@maestropms.com. Exchange ideas and connect with NORTHWIND on:    Maestro Property Management Solution  Enhance guest service, improve efficiency
and maximize
online and offline revenue with Maestro PMS, the industry's most robust
and
flexible resort
software and boutique
hotel software solution empowering
leading full-service hotels, luxury resorts, multi-property groups,
conference
centers, condominiums and timeshare properties. Solutions include Front
Office (PMS), Accounts
Receivable, Analytics and Business Intelligence, Sales and Catering,
Multi-Property Management, Condo & Timeshare Owner Management with
Web
Functionality, Spa and Activities, Web Booking Engine, Real-Time Yield
Management, Dynamic Packaging Golf, CRM, Guest Experience Measurement,
CRO, GDS
Two-Way XML Connectivity or Integration, Membership, Work Orders, Fine
Dining
and Retail POS, Online Table Reservations with Web Booking, Concierge
and Guest
Experience Measurement. The Maestro PMS is database independent (ODBC
Compliant) and may be deployed via Windows, UNIX, Linux, Terminal
Services,
hosted and Web platforms.About NORTHWIND – Maestro PMS NORTHWIND is recognized in the hospitality industry for its “standard setting” Diamond Plus Service and robust integrated Maestro resort hotel software technology. With over 30 years experience dedicated to developing technology solutions for the hospitality industry, NORTHWIND is a partner who understands you need a scalable, flexible PMS that works the way you do. Maestro applications are engineered for operators who need to manage their enterprise in a real-time environment for the utmost operational efficiency, productivity, control and profitability. |