Orientation

The first step in the Guest Experience Cycle is the orientation-phase. During this phase any possible customer is looking for a suitable place for a visit. The reason for their visit will determine what kind of place they are looking for. Some examples:

• Business lunch

• Drinks with friends

• Dinner with family

• Coffee and a place to work(flexworkspace)

• Tourists wanting a beer

Once the reason is established, the guest will start to find the perfect place for the occasion. Several ways of finding the perfect place:

• Ask your network for recommendations, face-to-face or online(social media)

• Online search engines with specific query

• Established databases with reviews(TripAdvisor, Google, Yelp, Yandex, Facebook, etc.)

• Own memory of places they heard about or visited before

You have to make sure you are covered in the areas which can control or affect. The online presence of your business is the most important part of the orientation phase. You have to:

• Work your professional social media profiles on at least a weekly basis

• Optimize your search engine-keywords

• Actively monitor and reply to reviews across several websites

It is a lot of hard work to put in, and it is not even your main business. It is marketing & communication. Luckily there are a lot of businesses out there to help you, perhaps through a school assignment or internship when budget doesn’t allow professional help. Of course DenTheMan24 will get you started as well. Have a look at our full features to kick-start your online presence.

Personal note:
Most entrepreneurs got into hospitality because they love the business. Interacting with people, being creative with the interior. Experimenting with food and drinks. Having a strong online presence does not have to be for the bigger players only. It all really depends on choices in time management. Take time to get all this sorted out.

Sincerely,

Den The Man