Captivating Customers in the Digital Age

Work on your digital platforms to rule over your market. Get the details right, create an unforgettable experience for your guests.

‘In the high street, you may be one of five, Online you’re one of Thousand’


Both the restaurant and hotel sectors have felt the full impact of technology-driven democratisation, and customer’s growing appetite to share their experiences online. More than one in five smartphone-using adults have used a restaurant app, and half of all hotels or restaurants guests will upload a review up to six times each year. Where once guests trusted the brands, they now trust each other. Reputations have become harder to protect. If a restaurant takes its eye off the ball for a week, public opinion will pounce, with caustic reviews that will follow them around for years.

This change reflects a wider situation where emerging generation is way smart in carrying out deep research on the best and venuses & keenest prices. Younger generations are also more willing to share their restaurant or hotel experience during and afterwards on social media. Many admit that investing time in the research process improve notions of guilt through self-indulgence.

In this environment where irregular information has been all but removed, there is a new law for restaurants and hotels. Excellence must not only be achieved, but it must also be seen to be achieved. The power and influence on the major players in the aggregation space have made it highly dynamic and investable. New apps, with new twists, are popping up all the time. Put simply, two maxims are now key – know the digital landscape and know how to work the rules to your advantage.

A few names to know….

Different sites offer different specialities. TripAdvisor is India’s most popular, enjoying a third of search traffic. It curates detailed review information, acting as a ‘north star’ of what you can expect from your restaurant or hotel. By contrast, Make my trip takes a more openly commercial position with an attacking pricing strategy and strong multi-platform experience. 

Goibibo is another household name, delivering well-managed bundling capability, and a rewards programme.

In restaurant tech, Zomato is an ordering and delivery service which also curates reviews, and whose vision is no less than ‘To create the world’s greatest food community’. Restaurant India offers both booking services and reviews for its users. For restaurants, it also offers reservation management, guest recognition, and marketing services.

In such a crowded space, restaurants and hotels can feel that key success factors are moving beyond their control. However, the reality is quite the opposite. This market is, and will always be, experiential – high-touch, sensory and usually discretionary. Whilst aspects of the market have been transformed by technology, great experiences will always bring customers back. Sites such as TripAdvisor are effective because they provide transparency and a shared community goal – to ratify previous reviews and guide the choices of future visitors. 

The process of ‘trial by review’ is arguably fairer and more meaningful than, say, twenty years ago when a single restaurant newspaper critic could create or destroy a reputation in a few words.

What can restaurants and hotels do to thrive in the information age?

Firstly, stand out. On the high street, you may be one of five. Online you’re one of five thousand. Present your key features in their best light – perhaps your restaurant enjoys a stunning view, or your hotel is next to a beautiful river. Perhaps your wine cellar is particularly well-stocked, or your vegetables are all grown yourself. In the digital age, these features can quickly be brought to the attention of customers to whom they really matter, and who may then travel to you from beyond your traditional catchment.

Second, ask for reviews – travel sites are as interested in the number of reviews, as well as the quality. The volume provides a more meaningful cross-section of customers and their experiences.

Thirdly, review operations regularly, and get the essentials right. A towel that has been lovingly folded into a swan will be quickly forgotten when a guest has waited fifteen minutes to settle their bill. Payment is often the final guest interaction, so handling it well is vital to cementing a great experience.

In conclusion, whilst the promotional environment has become more complex and fragmented, the fundamentals are as they always were. Get the details right, create an unforgettable experience, and win your market one customer at a time.

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