GHOP 2043 APPLIED INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR HOSPITALITY

SESSION 2016/2017
GHOP2043
APPLIED INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR
HOSPITALITY
TOPIC:
USES OF SOCIAL MEDIA AMONG GUEST
(GROUP: A)
GROUP ASSIGMENT
LECTURE NAME:
DR JASMINE ZEA RAZIAH RADHA BINTI RAJA YAAKUB

PREPARED BY:
NUR AIN SHAHIIRAH BINTI SALLEHUDDIN 231846
MUHAMMAD FARHAN BIN RAHMAT 233086

NOR NILAWATI BINTI HARUN 234426

SYARMIMI BINTI RAZAK 242958

SUBMISSION DATE: 1st Dicember 2016

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GHOP 2043 APPLIED INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR HOSPITALITY

1.0 TABLE OF CONTENT

BIL CONTENT PAGE NUMBER

1.0 TABLE OF CONTENT 1

2.0 SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION 2-3

3.0 IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO HOTEL

INDUSTRY AND GUEST

3.1 Impact of social media on Hotel Reputation. 47

3.2 Customer Review

3.3 Promotion

3.4 Customer Service

4.0 ADVANTAGE SOCIAL MEDIA AMONG HOTEL 8-10

GUEST

4.1 Sharing Information and Experience

5.0 CONCLUSION 11

6.0 REFERENCE 12

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2.0 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY

SUMMARY

The objective of this study is to identify the effects of social media networks in the
hospitality industry. Social media is relatively young and the objective for corporations to
invest and participate in social media platform is to offer an alternative mode of
communication and also it helps to build long term relationships with their guests such as
through the promotional campaigns and new information that can be pushed through social
media channels.

INTRODUCTION.

The hospitality industry tend to be attraction and also one that prides itself by
reaching out to its guests and providing a good experience. The hotel provided
accommodation to the guest such as swimming pool, recreational activities, restaurant and
providing food and drink to the guest. Tourism and hospitality business have to work hard
to develop their competiveness. Traditional hotel industry find the alternative to improve
their quality service for guest for intensive information from guest by hotel started using
adopt computer-based information technology (IT) facilities to improve their operational
efficiency, reduce costs, and increase the service quality.

Social media has been adopted by the small of organization to integrated the
marketing plans. There fill mix of advertisement, public relation, sales promotion, to focus
on customers message. With the evolution of platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook,
Twitter and YouTube, we have the opportunity for exceptional access to the guest. Since
social media is available to anyone with an internet connection, it should be platform that
can be recommended to the hospitality industry to increase their brand awareness and
facilitate direct feedback from their guests. Social networking websites already have
several unique of implication for the hospitality industries including the guest, staff, and
their management. There sites provide a rating system that can be used to generate, monitor
and evaluate the image of the business.

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In addition, making a unique social network that allows guests to create a profile
and share opinions, feelings, stories, and photos. If a guest decides to participate in an
online network, recounts an experience or downloads content, others in the network are
may to be affected by the opinion of the postings. More so than the content contained at a
company specific or industry related website . Another networking and communication
tool that most popular is 9 blogging. The Travel and Tourism Industry today is faced that
blogs give a positive impacts. That can proven hotels that engage their customers through
the social media get their customers to spend more, have higher repeat clientele, and get
more referrals from their guests.

Finally, hotels already started to use the information technology in promoting so

that they can attract new guests and keep the regular guest to increase the sale of the hotel.
Today, these operations are done using the electronic system. The use of information
technology in a hospitality industry is fast growing, thus making work easy.

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3.0 IMPORTANCE SOCIAL MEDIA TO HOTEL INDUTRY AND GUEST.

3.1 Impact of social media on Hotel Reputation.

Hotel Reputation Management is recognized as the practice of monitoring and

influencing the image of property throughout the web affected by the impact of Reputation
Management as the hospitality industry. People all over the world and from all age groups
use to perform online travel research before booking an accommodation. According to Trip
advisor, 93% of the people find reviews important when determining which Hotel they
want to stay at. 53% of the people surveyed would not book a Hotel without having a guest
opinion about it.

The rise of number website like Yelp, Trip advisor, and social networking like
Facebook and My space are used to report experience by making a unique social network
that allows guests to create a profile and share their experience on the hotel on the physical
facilities (room facilities, amenities provided) and the level of service (concierge service,
room cleaning). Next, social media the new age Word-Of-Mouth one of the most powerful
tools used by advertisers to market their brand. And social media, due to its inherent
functionality, provides a great platform for consumer testimonials. The success of a
message depends on the genuineness of the comment as perceived by the reader. If readers
are convinced that the testimonial is by a real consumer- someone who has not been
endorsed by the company for promotion, then they build a higher confidence in the brand
and are more likely to form a stronger bond.

The speed of the internet brings many opportunities to hospitality

industry businesses Satisfied, social media savvy customers ease some of the marketing
burden from businesses so that they can concentrate on improving their products and
services.

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3.2 Customer Review.

Customers review is the most important part in hotel running. It will influence the
impression of hotel, Customers will get all the review through social media such as
booking.com, Agoda or some other travel agencies. Besides, they can get all the positive
information or negative information through other customers.

While on Google, on Yelp, on Zagat, and on a million other review sites,

customers are talking about the business and giving strong opinions that can influence
others. It consider how many times your opinion of something you don't even know has
been swayed by a good or bad review. Online website will give customers the first
impression of hotels. Review sites are a great way to improve current customer satisfaction
and land new customers. A customer review strategy is also far more targeted than a social
media marketing strategy.

The impact of social media continues to grow in all aspects of digital marketing,
branding and business. Online reviews represent a new paradigm for word of mouth
marketing and should be openly welcomed by marketers of all tactical perspectives.
Comments can be used to pay close attention to the view of the audience, to provide
feedback on a specific marketing campaign, or as a simple benchmark to measure true
success. Without online review management, your social media strategy simply lacks the
data needed to grow and adapt to this ever-changing landscape.

3.3 Promotions

Promotions is a very important element in one business or organization in order to

make others know and have some review about the service product or any else. Promotion
also refers to raising customer awareness of a product or brand, generating sales, and
creating brand loyalty. For example, the most popular promotions nowadays are doing in
the social media. It is a modern way for service provider as example in hotel industry to
interact with customer as it releases news, information and advertising from their hotel to
inform the society in modern technology.

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Social media, as a modern marketing tool, offers opportunities to reach many

people in an interactive way. These interactions allow for conversation rather than simply
educating the customer. For example social media that can used for promotions is
Facebook, Snap Chat, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, Tumbler and others that
can promote services or goods. As a participant media culture, social media platforms or
social networking sites are forms of mass communication that through media technologies.
It can help many businesses to develop more by their promotions in the site.

A company or organization can advertise their services in the social media and
society can directly ask any question through the medium and also can make a survey from
others experiences by the pass review on the post. Making a unique social network that
allows guests to create a profile and share opinions, feelings, stories, photos and others can
be a source of competitive advantage. If a guest decides to participate in an online network,
shares a testimonial or recounts an experience or downloads content, others in the network
are likely to be affected by the opinion of the postings.

According to Levinson and Gibson (2010), a social media marketer on promotions

a restaurant or hotel for example, should have the following characteristics first they should
not be caught up in the enthusiasm of a new service or product before testing the tools and
analysing the results they are actually bringing. Second, a marketer should always be
curious and interested in trying new options he or she should combine different elements
of marketing and strategy in a creative fashion. In a fast paced communication world,
social media marketers should always be prepared for new opportunities and challenges.

3.4 Customer Services

Customer service is essential to any business, and it is no different in the hospitality

industry. Although all companies have various methods to reach out to their customers,
social media has become a preferred form for many. Considering how consumers spend a
lengthy amount of time on social media, it would be a clever idea for hoteliers to respond
to their consumers who reach out through social media. Consumers would be more likely

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to ask for assistance through social media if they could, instead of wasting their time calling
or checking their e-mail for a response.

Social media such as Facebook and Twitter have evolved to become more than
emergent platforms for marketing and advertising but it also become a medium to give a
service to customer through the media social. One of the first challenges to providing great
customer service over social media is determining where to focus time and resources.
While marketing efforts may drive traffic to targeted social sites, customer service teams
must meet their customers where they're already socializing. For most companies,
Facebook and Twitter will be the primary focus for social care, but some brands may find
that their customers also frequent Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, or other social
sites.

The success of your social care efforts will depend, as ever, on the quality of care
you provide. A customer services must respond quickly but not so fast that the issue isn't
properly resolved. Agents must employ their soft skills to read into a customer's emotional
state and properly determine when the informal nature of social media, such as the use of
smiley faces or emoji, are appropriate for conveying friendliness and willingness to help,
or when a more formal statement of empathy or apology might be required before
addressing the customer's issue.

One benefit to using a customer service platform that integrates both social and
traditional channels is that can use social media to let the customer know they will receive
the information they need by email. After an issue is resolved offline, it's important to
return to the social channel and thank the customer for reaching out. The role of customer
service is important to make sure service provider can give an excellent and fast service to
all the customers.

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4.0 ADVANTAGE SOCIAL MEDIA AMONG GUEST

Social media has made a huge impact on the tourism industry. Consumers engage
with social networking sites to research trips, make informed decisions about their travels
and share their personal experiences of a particular hotel, restaurant or airline. Trip
Advisor in particular has had a wide-reaching effect on the industry. It has 50 million
unique monthly visitors who are actively seeking out travel information and advice from
the sources they trust the most: other tourists and holiday-makers. This style of user-
generated content is seen by the online community as more credible and authentic and
for many hotels, restaurants and visitor attractions, if they are not listed in the top five
spots, they are losing out majorly to their competitors. According to Mowat (2010) the
adoption of social media such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn has opened up a variety
of avenues and opportunities to listen to the (hotel) guest. Owning a website is a form of
marketing strategy; there has been a significant increase in marketing over the Internet
these days.

The vast scope of it means that you can extend your offering to a huge potential
audience. Social media isnt just a tool either, but rather a toolbox. Various platforms
offer different opportunities. Twitter is excellent for brief messages and exchanges; with
the retweet function meaning enormous numbers of users can conceivably be reached.
Multiple retweets of a mouth-watering image of the chefs special can potentially be seen
by thousands, causing food envy the world over. Instagram in particular, is a popular
platform for hoteliers, as it allows you to market yourself through its visual appeal.
Showcasing eye-catching imagery of the surroundings, events, food, treatments on offer
in the spa, or other seasonal activities, allows you to tell a story that guests will engage
with. This will help to provide them with an insight into the indulgent experiences that
you have on offer, inspiring them to visit.

As well as promoting your hotel to prospective guests, social media is also an

excellent method of maintaining contact with previous guests. Timely social posts that
are suitably beguiling help to remind them of their stay, hopefully encouraging them to

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relive the experience and book another visit. Its also regarded as less invasive than the
more traditional forms of internet marketing, such as email updates.

4.1 Sharing Information and Experiences

Nowadays, the customers are getting more resourceful and would do their
research online for their travel needs before making a decision. A lot of time is invested
and when online initiatives are carried strategically, they are able to see the fruits of their
labour. Hotels that experience healthy returns on their investment should continue to
increase their intensity on the time spent in order to build the business for their online
market. While others who have not venture into the online era for their business, must be
aware that their customers may not necessary make a booking online, but would utilize
online resources when making a decision.

One of the most significant impacts that social media has had is the growing
importance and abundance of customer reviews. While a positive review can generate
business, a negative assessment can just as easily drive customers away. Savvy hospitality
businesses assign at least one employee to monitor blogs and social media sites and
respond when appropriate. Industry website eHotelier.com recommends addressing
negative reviews by thanking the reviewer, apologizing, explaining the steps taken to
address the problems and avoiding any appearance of defensiveness.

Besides that, with the media social customer can give their feedback in the post.
This can help the hotels or any organization to improve their service in order to fulfil
customer needs. When ones customers comment about service or anything, the
management need to take action on it because others customers will do a research and
find information about the service in blog, twitter, Trip advisor and others media social.
To make customer confident to use the service, the management need to make sure all
the post, all the previous guest give a positive comment to avoid other guest unbelieves
towards that hotel services.

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Social media also important in order the guest wants to share their experiences
with the services. As a new customer, of course we want to see others experiences first
when we want to find a place to get the service. Guest will find all the review from
previous guest and will evaluate it before they used the service. The social media adapted
are very useful nowadays. It can help the hospitality industry to develop more
grammatically and growth very fast if compared to the old ways of promoting, exposure
the industry to society with the newspaper, pamphlet and others. With the technologies
nowadays, it makes the industry easy to society, easy to service provider to fulfil
customers satisfactions.

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5.0 CONCLUSION

Social media not only plays a significant roles to the hotel owner to improve their
service, but also to the hotel guests. Social media give a big impact towards the feedback and
comment left by the guest. Hospitality industry rely on word of mouth (WOM) and good reviews
from loyal customers through the social media based on their great experience, and comment. The
impact can influence the hotel reputation and this will decides the profitability of a hotel. Manager
of the hotel play important role to understand the important of social media to hotel guests that
included act as a planning resources for hotel guests, about the promotions of a hotel, contact to
the customer service through social media and also review others customer feedback for a hotel.
Beside that, social media act as a tool for the hotel guests to contact the hotel easily. The also share
their experience through Facebook, You tubeand blogs by sharing their experience for the stay
in a hotel. Thus, we can conclude that social media plays an important roles in hospitality industry
especially in hotel.

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6.0 REFERENCES

Begwani.S.& Pal.A. (2014). The Social Media Mandate for the Hotel Industry. cognizant 20-20
insights. Pp.1-11

Chen, R. W. (2014). An Empirical Study on use of Social Media in the Hotel Industry in China:
A Study of Customers. The Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School.

Mahmood A. Khan. (June 2012). Social Medias Influence on Hospitality & Tourism
Management. Journal of Business & Hotel Management, vol 1(2), pp1,2.

McCarthy, L., Stock, D., & Verma Ph D, R. (2010). How travelers use online and social media
channels to make hotel-choice decisions.

Seth, G. (2012 ). Analyzing the Effects of Social Media on the. UNLV Theses, Dissertations,
Professional Papers, and Capstones.

Internet

Rouse, M. (2016, September). WhatIs.com. Retrieved from Definition of Media Social:

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/social-media

Time, F. (n.d.). Small Bussines. Retrieved from Social Media & the Hospitality Industry:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/social-media-hospitality-industry-37599.html

Zendesk. (n.d.). Retrieved from Providing Great Customer Service Through Social Media:
https://www.zendesk.com/resources/customer-service-through-social-media/

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