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To improve customer experiences, brands are increasingly turning to data to give them insights and direction. Some of the benefits include helping brands personalize the customer experience. This creates a more enjoyable and memorable moment for customers. In return, they can become repeat customers. Plus, they may tell others about their (hopefully) great experience. Also, a company can pinpoint what works and what needs improvement with the current CX strategy.
Radisson Leverages Data and Chatbots to Improve CX
And, for companies like Radisson, who is partnering with Accenture Interactive, there are many lessons to be learned in terms of how data can be used to elevate CX. The Radisson Hotel Group, a global hospitality company, is now working with Accenture Interactive to improve the digital experiences of its customers.
This enhancement is focused on numerous touch points, including websites, mobile communication, and offline interactions across all of its key brands. These are the Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, which represents 1,400 hotels in 80 markets.
To help Radisson improve its CX, Accenture Interactive will leverage Accenture’s Travel Industry Group. Using its available technology and data, Accenture Interactive will develop personalized and targeted campaigns, curate unique content, and offer interactive assistance for key audience segments. For example, the group’s chatbot is designed to improve the experience for meeting and events planners.
Additionally, Mercedes Oblanca, managing director leading Accenture Travel Industry Group in Europe, explained, “Accenture Travel Industry Group aims to support leading travel companies as Radisson Hotel Group to transform their marketing capabilities to improve the experience and engagement of their digital customers. Accenture has examined the impact on travelers’ perception of personalized marketing campaigns.”
Anatoly Roytman, who leads Accenture Interactive in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, added, “As Radisson Hotel Group’s experience agency, we can offer a new approach to build creative digital campaigns, as well as a solid channel strategy to raise brand equity, revenue growth, and customer love. Taking a holistic approach to data, creativity and marketing technologies means we can support Radisson Hotel Group to deliver market-leading digital campaigns.”
When we chatting about the future of chatbot, automation Expert Zahi Daniel founder of adaptsolution, says that from his experience “70% of the conversations are repeating. Machine learning does not only help to the customer to have faster feedback but also helps companies to achieve higher efficiency and reduce cost.” Since the majority of all conversations are repeating, a bot can learn to improve this.
New Ways to Use Data
In working with Accenture, Radisson has discovered new ways that data can transform the digital customer experience. Kevin Carl, EVP and global chief information officer of the Radisson Hotel Group, noted, “We believe the customer experience starts first and foremost by being a preferred choice whenever a guest needs a hotel. Engaging guests in a more personalized and relevant way requires creativity.
It also involves a genuine personal commitment that resonates with the needs and values of the guest. These may differ from guest to guest, destination to destination, business to leisure needs, and cultures to cultures. Digital intelligence allows us to understand the customer’s intent. Then, programmatic enables us to be able to put a creative proposition in front of the customer.”
Carl also explained that the accumulated insights from a customer’s journey allow them to match the right creative idea with the right customer or segment. These early insights can help the hospitality brand carry these defined desires all the way through and exceed expectations.
For example, if a guest searches for ‘adventure travel’ or ‘private island,’ we can go beyond the keyword searches and actually propose a personalized offer. This allows them to choose one of our resorts across several destinations that meet the original intent of the search. We can even deliver the desired experience from when they arrive on a property or even before the journey.”
Consider CX By Channels
The Radisson considers a wide range of channels and varied tactics by hospitality brand. Carl added, “We need to speak to them in the language and channel that they chose. Social media is one of the most powerful channels, especially review forums, social hand raisers, and influencers. Our guests trust their voices more than that of brands. Therefore, we need to ensure that we tell our stories through the most credible and authentic voices. Programmatic advertising allows us to design and implement audience driven campaigns. These are scalable, cost-effective, and, most importantly, meaningful to our guests.”
Additionally, it’s important to see brands as a company’s biggest equity. For example, Radisson Blu has a unique heritage of design, innovation, and service focus. The company has used a brand-led campaign supported by programmatic intelligence. This targets the right inbound or outbound customer and the appropriate segments through the best channels, all the time. Carl said, “We can be hyper-targeted, automated, scalable, cost-efficient and meaningful throughout the customer journey. When we meet them at our hotels in person, we will truly know who we are hosting and what are they are expecting from this journey. And, that will be a true differentiator.”
Adding AI and Machine Learning
Now, these technologies are being put to work on customer experiences in multiple industries, including the hospitality industry. Carl explained, “We have a huge potential to improve customer service, avoid errors, respond to feedback effectively, handle issues more quickly, and do the mundane tasks accurately. Then, our teams can focus completely on offering the most memorable service to our guests in real-time.”
Programmatic is an automated method of buying media on exchanges for real-time bidding. Brands bid on placements and make purchases based on demand and availability. However, that doesn’t necessarily correlate with AI or ML. Programmatic advertising automates the ad placement decision-making process.
Specifically, the DSP technology that Radisson works with uses algorithms that automatically adjust bids and buying behavior based on performance. Carl added, “This is a fast-moving space and we’re constantly evaluating new technologies to see what advancements are being made that we can leverage. Our partnerships with industry leaders like Accenture Interactive will help us blend machine-learning technologies with our programmatic technology. Then, we can always be relevant to our guests, and engage with them in real-time.”
A New Approach to CX
Many brands have looked to data to help with their customer experience initiatives. Yet, Radisson offers a new, comprehensive approach. It blends cutting-edge technology with personalized messaging and customized tactics. Other brands can emulate this approach and potentially achieve the same enhanced results.
This article originally appeared on Forbes.
