ASPIRE ROUND-TABLE
though, because these customers don’t understand we are playing on a global stage in terms of demand for rooms.” Sullivan added that even for Australia trips the lead-in time had shrunk, with many booking as little as three weeks out. Bevan said the UK spa industry had been doing well, except for a blip in May: “The feedback from the UK spa industry is that it is doing well, but May was slow due to the election. “There are two types of travellers here. If someone has a goal in mind – detox or weight loss – they tend to go in the shoulder season, as they are not going with family. These trips tend to be researched and not quick bookings. They speak several times until they find the place that fits them. “But the pampering market is just a pure luxury thing with a few treatments, and that could be a more last-minute purchase.”
MARKET DISRUPTER
Lally said she believed the growth of Airbnb may have been a factor in the lack of trends and unusual market this year. “At the beginning of this year I felt there was a disrupter and I wondered if it was Airbnb,” she said “It is mainstream now and people are talking about it. That’s a trend that’s sticking its head up. There was something really different about this turn of year and this could have been the tipping point. “It’s a really good tech innovation
and it’s easy and cool. If I think about where product pressures are from a luxury perspective, we struggle to find space for a family with three kids or a multi-generational trip. But can Airbnb supply it? As soon as you say you can’t
LOYALTY
The panellists also discussed loyalty cards and schemes. Many thought they played less of a role in the luxury market than in other segments. Harmer believes it’s all about offering a product that people want: “We have a lot of loyal members and they wouldn’t join or stay unless they felt we give them value and deliver. Agents want to be recognised too and look for the same sorts of things from the companies they work with as customers do. “Cruise lines are very good at recognising people as individuals, which is important for creating loyalty. On most ultra-luxury cruise lines, within 24 hours the staff know you,
If you haven’t got any stock to sell, you’ve got nothing; that’s why Airbnb is interesting
find it to a customer, there’s a loss of face, so we want access to that stock. It’s a hidden gem that the trade has not yet explored.” Bevan agreed that the peer-to-peer site was starting to have an impact, saying: “I have it mentioned to me a lot and I know families who do it, especially if they are doing a city break and need a two or three-bed apartment.”
your name, what you like, etc. Loyalty schemes often get too complicated and difficult to understand.” Hilton believes quality and consistency of product and service alongside targeted communications are the main drivers of loyalty. Sullivan agreed that good customer
service retains customers, but pointed out that some people are total Avios addicts, for example. Lally said in many cases it still came down to price. “It doesn’t matter how many points they’ve got, the price is the important thing,” she said. “Trade-only is fantastic, but if you
haven’t got any stock to sell, you’ve got nothing. So it works the other way as well. That’s why Airbnb is interesting, because it’s different stock.” Bevan added: “In luxury it’s best to communicate intelligently and not bombard people with emails. You’re better off writing them a personal letter as they then feel they have someone working for them. “In luxury, service and recognition are important, as is pre-empting what customers need. That builds loyalty.”
34 — aspire september 2015
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96