Is Social Media A Game Changer?, © Julius Geis

© 2014 Julius Geis, Independent Brand and Marketing Consultant: www.juliusgeis.com

IS SOCIAL MEDIA A GAME CHANGER?

+ Interview with Brandon McCurley + Learnings and Conclusion

Writer: Julius Geis

http://www.juliusgeis.com

Continue: If a guest has chosen to stay with us, placed their trust in us and invests time to express their impressions after or during their stay, they more than deserve our attention and the respect of a reply.

Positive feedback is always nice to receive, and we’re lucky we have so much of it. These reviews serve as great fuel for positive reinforcement for our team. Reviews that highlight opportunities provide an unfiltered

opinion that has great value from which we can learn and evolve. Second, the Reader – Social Media is the primary source of information for prospective travelers looking for guidance when choosing where to spend their money. As Social Media is an unfiltered form of information and opinions, with limited responsibility of accurate reporting placed on the reviewer, we are at the mercy of the Reader’s willingness to wade through the infinite amounts of information to arrive at an informed decision. I feel a responsibility to represent the hotel and try to offer feedback that thanks, clarifies, or

apologizes as necessary. !!!„Rather than viewing the cost of being active, we look at the cost of

not being active.“

!!

Julius Geis: Is your engagement driven by personal experience? Brandon McCurley: My engagement finds its foundation in my personal values. To have any success as an

hotelier in the premium luxury segment, a desire to serve and genuinely caring for others has to come from within. You cannot turn it off. Social Media adds another avenue to demonstrate your natural commitment

to service. !Julius Geis: How do you manage the manpower to be so active in Social Media?

Isn’t that too expensive? Brandon McCurley: I personally read and reply to all reviews. This is not handed off to a manager to post

formatted replies. Being a smaller Estate of 144 rooms affords me the luxury of being personally involved in all facets of the guest experience. Having worked in much larger properties, it would be impossible for a

General Manager to personally reply to all reviews; however, it is essential to remain in close contact with the individual you designate this responsibility to. Being disconnected from the guest experience does not

serve the guest, employees or ownership well. Our Social Media presence on Facebook and other sites does require more time, and that is handled primarily by our Director of Public Relations and myself. Again,

it is not time consuming if you are passionate about your product and recognize the value of having an online presence. !

Julius Geis: Many companies I know name manpower and budget as their main reason for inactivity. Brandon McCurley: Every company operates differently and places focus on various priorities according to

their business strategies and goals. Hospitality is an industry that is labor intensive and runs very high operating costs as a result. The cost of Social Media and having an online presence pales in comparison.

Rather than viewing the cost of being active, we look at the cost of not being active.


Preamble. Jazmyne Koch, a cultural anthropologist and I travelled for 30 days around the US, without a smartphone, a computer or any access to our private Social Media. This journey was part

of our collaborative project called „Unplugged Experiment“. One day we visited the TripAdvisor website, from a internet café, to get some reviews about a hotel a friend had

recommended to us. The Parker Palm Springs had high ratings from about 663 reviews...but something was different. The General Manager of the Parker Palm Springs, Brandon McCurley, actively responded to every complaint, question, or anything else that

needed a reply. We questioned „what does he see others don’t?“… !Julius Geis: As the General Manager of the high-class resort “Parker Palm Springs,” settled in the popular Palm Springs area, what is your understanding of customer service and how

did that change in the last two years, especially with the impact of Social Media? !!!„In a world of instant gratification, the “change” in

service is centered around the immediacy and urgency

to communicate“

!!

Brandon McCurley: Service is changing rapidly; however, it remains the same at its core. The core responsibility we have as a luxury hotel operator is to cater to the individual needs and desires of each guest and connect with them on an emotional level. Each

interaction must be sincere and personal; each experience must be unique, memorable and relevant to the moment. In a world of instant gratification, the “change” in service is centered around the immediacy and urgency to communicate. There is little tolerance for any perceived delay. Social Media is often posted through a mobile app while the guest is still on site. The positive is it allows the engaged operator to react and salvage the guest experience prior to departure. This level of responsiveness is very much appreciated and creates deeper loyalty with your guests. The negative is if there is any delay in response it

is viewed as a lack of caring. !Julius Geis: Brandon, I saw your personal activity on TripAdvisor and was totally impressed.

I never saw a management so actively responding to their guests’ reviews. What is your intention and expectation behind that?

Brandon McCurley: There are two drivers behind my dedication to responding – the Reviewer and the Reader.


http://www.theparkerpalmsprings.com/


„I feel Social Media will become a truer reflection of traditional

social interactions“ !Julius Geis: Using Social Media to satisfy your customers and to raise your rate of recommendation – was

that suggestion born at the corporate level of Starwood Hotel or is it your own personal idea? Brandon McCurley: The dedication to leveraging Social Media is a shared idea. I brought the approach with

me into a company, Jack Parker Corporation, that had already embraced the same point of view. !Julius Geis: Shouldn’t Social Media be part of any corporate strategy?

Brandon McCurley: Absolutely. I don’t feel the value of Social Media is lost on many corporate bodies at this stage; however, they do fail to cultivate this understanding at the property level. Corporate

bodies determine the focus of the property via goal setting and incentives. At the property level, you invest your time where you are measured. This is where many hotels fall short. !

Julius Geis: In June, I personally was a guest at your resort. We followed a recommendation by friends. How would you rate a personal recommendation vs. a recommendation from

Social Media like TripAdvisor? Brandon McCurley: Social Media has the potential to speak to a much broader audience; ho

wever, a personal recommendation brings greater weight. Accepting or ignoring a recommendation from a friend, family member or colleague has the benefit of your personal knowledge of that individual’s tastes, habits, expectations, etc. No single recommendation, positive or

negative, can be taken at face value in Social Media. The cumulative impressions of all reviews on a site can be relatively accurate. The fact that one business’ ratings can fluctuate dramatically

from one site to another demonstrates the perils of placing too much importance on any one source. !Julius Geis: What do you think is the position of Social Media in your industry in the future?

Brandon McCurley: I feel Social Media will become a truer reflection of traditional social interactions – engaging in conversation rather than a series of statements and opinions.

Continuing interview Brandon McCurley:



About Brandon McCulrey.

!Brandon McCurley holds the position of General Manager at the Parker Palm Springs. In this role, Mr.

McCurley oversees the 13 acre luxury Estate, including 144 rooms and villas; three dining venues; the award winning Palm Springs Yacht Club spa; corporate meetings and special events with 9,000 square feet of

indoor function space and outdoor function space able to accommodate 600 people; and a 24-hour Room Service Operation. !

Prior to joining Parker Palm Springs in 2011, Mr. McCurley’s hospitality career path focused on Food & Beverage as he worked in various properties and locations across the country, including The New York Palace

as a Dorchester Collection hotel; The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan; The Waldorf Astoria in New York City, and The Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, Florida. !

Various awards and accolades achieved during his leadership in Food & Beverage include One and Two Star Michelin Guide ratings; and the Wine Spectator Grand Award. !

A native of Sydney, Australia, Mr. McCurley earned a degree in Hotel Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Institut Hôtelier “Cesar Ritz”, Switzerland.




VS. Julius Geis: Brandon, let's play a game called “Versus.” Please pick one word and explain

why with one sentence. !Listening vs. Talking

Brandon McCurley: Listening. Listening allows one to understand, respect, and involve others. Ultimately listening delivers superior results. !

Search Engine vs. Social Media Brandon McCurley: Social Media. Social Media is interactive and subjective. !

Strategy vs. Sales Brandon McCurley: Strategy. Strategy is multifaceted and delivers results in many forms.

Greater return over time. !Brand vs. Revenue

Brandon McCurley: Brand. Customers engage, and connect, with a brand. Brand, when respected and embraced, builds revenue. !!

Julius Geis: Brandon, at conclusion let me ask one philosophical question. Do you think Social Media helps us to connect more to each other around the world,

or is the result just the opposite? Brandon McCurley: Social Media is a wonderful source to share ideas, opinions,

experiences, etc. There is no doubt it has served to break down barriers, broaden and open lines of communication, and make the world a smaller place; however, connection to me is much more personal. I love technology and embrace its value, but I’d much rather

see my wife’s smile during dinner than look at my iPhone. !Julius Geis: Thank you very much Brandon! !!!!


Follow up: „learnings and conclusions“ - next page.



LEARNINGS. 1. Be Relevant

„The core responsibility we have as a luxury hotel operator is to cater to the individual needs and desires of each guest and connect with them on an emotional level.“

"Be relevant" is our first lesson for business success using Social Media. Be the business that cares about your customers' needs, and treat them as people,

not as target groups. !2. Be in Time

„In a world of instant gratification, the “change” in service is centered around the immediacy and urgency to communicate.“

Be on Time, be an active social communicator. It is not good for your business if you take too long to respond to your customers' requests. Social Media provides a hub to share

opinions from around the world, but it requires instant communication. Don’t fall behind. !

3. Be Present „Social Media is the primary source of information for prospective travelers looking for

guidance when choosing where to spend their money.“ Be present, or be where the money is going to be spent. Social Media is a place of

decision-making, not a chatty teenage bubble. !4. Be Active

„Rather than viewing the cost of being active, we look at the cost of not being active.“ Be active, not ignorant. There is an active, sparkling world out there. There are people who are dying to interact with your business, waiting for more inspiration, or asking to become

part of your team. Take that opportunity and transform it to your business's advantage. !5. Be Integrative

„Social Media adds another avenue to demonstrate your natural commitment to service. “ Be integrative, and view Social Media as part of your global service policy. Do not ignore

the fact that people will always view your business as a single brand, no matter what. !

6. Be Passionate „It is not time consuming if you are passionate about your product and recognize the value

of having an online presence. “ Be passionate, is my favorite tip and a great recipe for success with Social Media. You

have to love what you are doing. Don’t hold back and scream it out loud. Take the potential of Social Media, and have an eye to eye communication with your customers and don’t

judge it as something exhausting. !!7. Be Orchestrated

„Corporate bodies determine the focus of the property via goal setting and incentives. At the property level, you invest your time where you are measured. This is where many

hotels fall short.“ Be orchestrated, and make sure that your strategy paper is well organized and distributed

to each and every employee working in your business. !!!!!!!!

!!!! !!!!

1. Be Relevant 2. Be In Time

3. Be Present4. Be Active

5. Be Integrative6. Be Passionate

7. Be Orchestrated

Conclusion - next Page.



The End!

CONCLUSION. To meet Brandon McCurley was a true inspiration and a great best practice that proved my

belief: "Social Media is more than a tool." The Parker Palm Spring is part of an industry that feels the ups and downs of social reputation instantly, not just in weak ratings on

TripAdvisor, but even more in a weak occupancy rate with their bookings. So we are talking about Dollars. !

Many times, my clients confront me with their belief in Social Media and how important their customer's opinion is to them. But at the same time, their belief in the power of

impact from Social Media, in regard to their business goals, is very little. For most of them, Social Media is a tool, not a serious business platform. And it is true, many industries do

not feel any effect, whether positive or negative, based on their Social Media presence. My answer to that is: not yet. I believe there is, or will be, an effect, and hospitality is a great

example of that, as it shows that Social Media can affect people's behavior. !So think about your product as part of the fast-moving consumer chain. A bad reputation has an instant effect on your sales. Any information suggesting a lack of quality will make consumers stop buying your product and believing in your brand. This is why, in fact, most

of the companies selling fast-moving consumer goods already use Social Media. (How successfully they do that is another story.) Some studies suggest that over 70% of

consumers with internet access interact with other consumers in Social Media before they purchase a new product. Moreover, over 90% of consumers will trust a friend's

recommendation more than they will an advertisement. Social opinion matters! !

So buckle up and use my lessons for your business's success. If you have any further questions or business topics you would like to share with me, please contact me at

[email protected].


mailto:[email protected]


About Julius Geis. Julius Geis ... tried to be a proper Swabian and got a decent education at a bank before he

realized that following his passion to connect people would need a different work environment. Julius started his marketing career as brand and marketing manager for

different sports brands including Hawk, Gotcha and Nitro Snowboards. Subsequently he worked for “sueddeutsche.de”, the online portal of one of Germany’s most influential

newspapers, as a marketing manager. In 2008 he joined the creative agency H2O Media, inventing effective online and Social Media campaigns for brands like Windows, Windows

Live Messenger, Hotmail, Bing, Cab – Cola & Beer, Gore-Tex and Kia. !In 2010, he founded the agency label On Any Given Monday and became the international Social Media lead for legendary sports-lifestyle brand Bogner, created an innovative and

very successful campaign for Sony Music, and consulted for the Munich 2018 Olympic Bid Committee. In the same year he became co-founder of the international non-profit

organization Aloha in Action, based out of Maui, Hawaii; and was an international guest speaker for the Rotary Club organization. !

Since 2011, Julius works as an independent brand and marketing consultant. His clientele structure ranged from Corporations to innovative Start-Up companies. !

In October 2013 Julius joined as an Associate Partner of FISCHER & Partner Executive Solutions, a consultant agency based out of Hamburg, Germany. !

!Skills. !

digital strategy channel strategy

social media social branding social media monitoring social media controlling

branding

more Skills - www.juliusgeis.com




Contact Julius Geis, Independent Brand and Marketing Consultant

Blankeneser Hauptstr. 37, 22587 Hamburg, Germany P +49(0)40 60940518-0 E [email protected]

www.juliusgeis.com

!Links

Parker Palm Springswww.theparkerpalmsprings.com !

Credit @ Photos – Parker Palm Springs !

Thank you, Interview Issue 001! Brandon McCurley (Parker Palm Springs), Marissa Zafran (Parker Palm

Springs), Jazmyne Koch, Maria Peterson, Sandra Aurich, Tina Lia. !Impress

All copyrights are owned by Julius Geis. The content and works provided on these pages are governed by the copyright laws of Germany.

Duplication, processing, distribution, or any form of commercialization of such material, beyond the scope of the copyright law, shall require the

prior written consent of its respective author or creator.

BOXES ARE GREAT. SERIOUSLY.®


mailto:[email protected]


http://www.theparkerpalmsprings.com

Is Social Media A Game Changer?, © Julius Geis

Social Media

Transcript of Is Social Media A Game Changer?, © Julius Geis