The MT Conferences section did not involve the reporting or the editorial staff of The Moscow Times.

Elena Belashova
General Manager
Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre

Each year, competition on Moscow's hospitality market continues to increase. Though according to recent surveys, most hotels of similar star ratings are all very much alike with the same cloned services and products. Most hotels do not stand out to guests and are not focused on supporting guests' unclearly obvious needs. Due to rising competition, hotels fiercely fight for their clients, offering various additional services and products. It is widely believed that by such means the loyalty for a specific brand or hotel should rise. Yet,However there appears to be an issue in the fact that competitors immediately pick up your ideas, more or less transformed, and start implementing them in their own activities. And at that moment, we face the question of how to not only survive but also win in such a fast growing market.

The answer is quite simple: Give your client exactly the things he or she needs, foresee the expectations and exceed them. The other problem could appear when you ask yourself ¨C what exactly are the products and services he thinks are necessary for him? What is his purpose for traveling and what is important to him? What will make his stay comfortable and pleasant? This was also a matter of question for Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre hotel as we started more and more distinctly to face the rising competition and began to find solutions for how to overcome it. Our target audience is business travelers. We defined that our guests are travelers who want a hotel that understands them and that helps them achieve their goals while they are traveling. They are high achievers and want to be successful in everything they do. They value a hotel experience that makes it easier for them to support their usual way of doing things and a team that can take away some of the usual frustrations and irritations that staying in a hotel can sometimes bring.

So here was the answer for us. Guests should be able to do their best, achieve their goals and be recognized for their success. A hotel should strive and do its best to help them reach their personal business goals and accelerate their journey to efficiency. Now the question arises: How can we reach this objective? The trick is simple: combine the best facilities with great service so guests can feel productive, accomplished and re-energized during their trip. Try and identify the key drivers of guest's satisfaction. And it is not a matter of service only. A great experience also combines product, process and people. Focus on raising product quality and consistency. Create and deliver an experience that exceeds the needs of guests and stands for something distinct and valuable. Create a team of talented people who deliver seamless service. Employees should be visible and present when guests need them; their work style should be adapted to match the needs, mood and pace of guests. Guests should feel they are valued, important and respected. Thoughtful choices are to be made to make it happen for guests. Perception and recognition of spoken and unspoken needs with appropriate response is the key. Take ownership and responsibility for getting things done, setting clear expectations and following up with guests so they know they can trust you.

Ultimately, we should create a product and service that are worthy of a premium rate.

In sum, we should encourage the success of our guests by supporting and respecting them and their goals, recognizing them and making them feel valued and important, and also offering thoughtful choices to help them feel restored and balanced. Travel is not their goal but success is. And their success is our success. Customers who love their experience will return again and recommend us to others.

The MT Conferences section did not involve the reporting or the editorial staff of The Moscow Times.

SECURITY FAILURE

B2B: The Way to Succeed Is by Helping Your Guests to Succeed