marketing information and research - september 2014

Marketing Information & Research 38425209

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Marketing Information & research

Examination of usage and attitudes towards social

media and other forms of digital communication

amongst Montagu Place Hotel’s current guests.

CIM number: 38425209

Submission date: August 29 2014


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Contents

TASK ONE – RESEARCH PLANNING FOR MARKETING DECISIONS

1. Background and rationale for research…………………………………………………………………………….…… 7

2. Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8

3. Approach and methodology……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9

3.1 Secondary research…………………………………………………………………………………………….… 10

3.1.1 External secondary research Sources…………………………………………………………. 10

3.1.2 Internal secondary research Sources………………………………………………………….. 11

3.2 Primary research………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11

3.2.1 Quantitative research……………………………………………………………………………… 12

3.2.1.1 Methodology and sampling………………………………………………………… 12

3.2.1.2 Purpose, data analysis and justification………………………………………… 12

3.2.2 Qualitative research………………………………………………………………………………… 13

3.2.2.1 Methodology and sampling………………………………………………………… 13

3.2.2.2 Purpose, data analysis and justification………………………………………… 14

4. Timeframe and fees………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14

5. Research Agency team and credentials………………………………………………………………………………… 15

6. Codes of conduct……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15

TASK TWO – FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE AND MODERATOR GUIDELINES

1. Focus group discussion guide……………………………………………………………………………………………… 17

2. Moderator guidelines…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20

2.1 Recruitment…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20

2.2 Moderation………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 20

2.3 Codes of conduct………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 21

TASK THREE – USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CUSTOMER DATA COLLECTION AND INSIGHT

1. Briefing paper…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23

1.1 Usage of social media in UK hotels marketplace………………………………………………………… 23

1.2 Data analysis tools to be used and data protection legislation………………………………………. 24

1.3 Types of social media and digital communications to be used………………………………………. 25

BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 27


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Task One

Research planning for marketing decisions


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1 - Background and rationale for research

Montagu Place Hotel is a 4 star Hotel situated in central London, Marylebone. MP was established 8 years

ago, when an existing hotel was taken over and refurbished completely.

MP has 16 rooms, divided into 3 categories: Comfy Standard rooms, Fancy Executive rooms and Swanky

Deluxe rooms. Like any other boutique hotel, MP offers luxury facilities and its décor and ambience are

recognised as stylish and intimate.

The management structure inside the Hotel is simple: the General Manager refers to the Head Office and

is the ultimate responsible person for the managerial activities of planning and controlling the business.

The Deputy General Manager is the connecting point between the management and the two teams that

follow the day-to-day activities at MP: the front desk team (5 members) and the housekeeping team (5

members).

MP is a home away from home for all its guests. All the objectives derive from its mission: “welcoming our

guests in a world of great hospitality at terrific value”. Operations are carried out responding to a company

philosophy that considers 5 main values: customer service, communication, working together, team

development and community.

Tight relationships tend to be established not just between the Hotel and its guests but also within the

staff and with all the connected stakeholders. MP provides that kind of “never say no” service: the guest is

acknowledged since before they enter the main door and looked after personally throughout their stay.

Among other facilities, MP provides breakfast prepared in house and meals from a local Thai restaurant.

MP in the year from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 20141 made a profit of £215K on turnover of £900K. The main

sources of revenue are: room sold (£845K); food and beverage (£50K, where it is considered also the

meeting room hire); other (£5K). During the same period of time, MP registered a level of occupancy of

90.54%; the net average room rate is £157.30 and the net revenue per room available is £142.42. A total of

8121 sleepers stayed at MP in the year.

Competition in the neighbourhood is fierce: in 0.5 mile radius are located many luxury hotels in the same

price range and new ones are being established. Among the others, MP competes also with Hilton.

Sources of reservations are: online travel agencies, travel agencies that use the GDS (global distribution

system); direct channels such as the website, social networks, telephone, email, walk-in; organisations

located in London that negotiate corporate rates for their employers with MP. Other pressure

groups/opinion leaders/dedicated press (as for example Trip Advisor) may guarantee a direct contact with

the Hotel.

Through the OTA (online travel agencies) comes the 32.09% of the reservations; the GDS brings the 5.52%

of the total of the bookings; through direct channels MP gets 39.12% of those and, finally, organisations

based in London account for the 23.27% of the rooms sold.2

3 major profiles of guests can be identified: there are the ones staying for business purposes, travellers in

holidays and guest visiting London for pleasure (weekenders). There is also a tiny segment represented by

family visitors who have relatives or friends in the neighbourhood.

The business segment accounts for about the 45% of the total of the guest staying over the year; the rest

consists of travellers being in London for holidays, pleasure or visiting.3

Each segment is really different from one another in terms of wants and needs and each group interacts

with PM in a different way.

In particular, MP gets really little feedbacks from business travellers with a corporate account; they

1 Internal data (profit and loss account): the last two months are based on forecast and projections. 2 Internal data (booking source report – period between 1 April 2013 and 19 March 2014). 3 This is an estimate obtained by adding the percentage of guests having a corporate rate and the percentage of solo travellers (generally staying for business purposes).


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generally do not leave any review on Trip Advisor and tend to leave no internal written comments

(although they often express their preferences to the staff).

Corporate guests generally delegate to their PA the process of enquiring, booking the room and often

settling the bill.

MP is on Facebook and Twitter. A really tiny number of followers is represented by its corporate guests.

Likewise, the organisations based in London that book their employees in at MP interact with the Hotel

exclusively through email and telephone.

MP believes that establishing a stronger relationship and interacting through social media and digital

channels with some of its guests/clients may boost the occupancy over the weekend, when this

traditionally in London is weaker than week days.4 This is because they could integrate MP in their social

networks and share with colleagues/friends/families/acquaintances the promotions that MP offers during

the week end, facilitating word-of-mouse spreading. A survey conducted by BluSky Marketing and

reported in the magazine Boutique Hotelier5 says that “on average, 44% of guests at 17 luxury UK hotels

were repeat visitors or staying upon recommendation or through word of mouth”.

MP also believes that improving communication through social and other digital media may help

managing operations between the Hotel and the companies that have corporate rates: a stronger digital

interaction (with a customised log-in area for example) may allow organisations to manage their future

bookings, pull out reports and download invoices; moreover, unpleasant inconveniences such as

overbooking and missed reservation could be reduced or completely avoided.

In the same way, even corporate guests may benefit from a more extensive use of digital media, by, for

instance, communicating with the MP staff in real time and being assisted even before their arrival.

The target audience chosen for this research is therefore the one made by corporate guests and their

relative organisations as well. Although this segment is not the widest one, it is the most consistent in

terms of repeating purchase and it is also well recognisable. MP has set up corporate rates with 24

international companies that have branches in London.

2 - Objectives

The following four major objectives have been set out to meet the research criteria identified in response

to the research brief.

I. To explore ways in which the target audience interacts with organisations using social media and digital

communication.

Ia How often do they interact with organisations using social media and digital communication?

Ib What are the main reasons they seek interaction?

Ic How easy is for them to use social media and digital media to communicate?

Id What channels and devices do they use? Is there any specific medium they like the most?

Ie Does the possibility to use social media represent a crucial factor in choosing an organisation

over another one?

4 According to the “UK performance monitor” report by STR Global, the average occupancy of the London Upper Upscale Class hotels (among which MP is part of) from the 1 January to the 15 March of the current year is 72,58% in the week days and 70,52% during the week end. Quite relevant is the Average Daily Revenue: £153,82 during the week days and £135,22 during the week end. Although the difference between the two occupancy ratio is not wide, it has to be considered that lower rates during the week end strongly encourage bookings. 5 http://www.boutiquehotelier.com/239-loyal-guests-make-up-nearly-half-of-boutique-hotel-visits/


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II. To examine the target audience perception about MP effective usage of social media and digital

communication in relation to other hotels.

IIa Are they aware about how MP is currently using social media?

IIb Have they ever had any successful interaction with MP using social media and digital

communication?

IIc Who are, by the target audience, the key competitors of MP?

IId How do those competitors use social media and how do they communicate by digital channels?

IIe What do they particularly like about MP competitors?

II f What do they like about MP? Would they consider the way in which MP run social media and

use digital communication good enough, compared to its competitors?

III. To determine when and why the target audience would prefer MP to communicate with them through

social media and digital communication.

III a In which stage of the visit life cycle do they prefer to use social media and digital

communication to interact with MP?

III b Would they prefer to be contacted by MP, to have the opportunity to actively contact MP or

a combination of both?

III c Is there any specific situation during the visit life cycle in which they would rather avoid

technology and interact face to face with a human being?

IV. To understand how MP could improve its use of social media and digital communication for interacting

with guests.

IVa Have they ever encountered any difficulties when interacting with MP using social media

and digital communication?

IVb In their opinion, what can be done better in the future?

IVc Is there anything missing that is considered essential by the target audience for the

interaction between them and MP?

IVd Is there anything that annoys the target audience when being approached by MP via social

media and digital communication?

3 - Approach and Methodology

Research design is considered by Wilson (2012:41) the “road map” for the researcher. It guides the

researcher towards the collection of information useful to give answers to the research objectives and,

ultimately, to solve the management problem.

Approaches and methods to conduct a research are influenced by many factors, such as cost and time,

practical issues, requirements of the objectives and value of the information obtained by using a particular

approach (Bakare, 2012:60). In this case, considering the objectives above (mostly focused on defining

attitudes and perceptions of the target audience in relation to MP activities) and the ability to gather

respondent views with ease (the population of interest is quite small), a considerable attention will be

given at primary research rather than secondary data collection.

Among all the different limitations in using secondary data, in fact, in this case two critical aspects such as

applicability and comparability are carefully monitored. It has to be considered, for instance, that the

target audience may generally appear to be enthusiastic in using social media, only to discover

subsequently that it is not the same when it comes to interacting with hotels (this is a specific issue called

“differences in circumstances” by Wilson, 2012:54).


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For this research however, secondary data, wherever not exhaustive in answering a specific objective, will

help at least in providing guidance for primary data collection.

Along the various phases of the research, the acquisition of secondary data comes first.

3.1 – Secondary research

One of the advantages of using data already collected is the fact that money and time can be saved. In this

case though, the biggest benefit deriving from secondary research will result in developing critical thinking:

“rather than searching for the right answer to a question, at this point in the process a researcher should

realise that there may be several right answers, parts of which must be integrated into the final answer”

(Colb, 2008:42).

Therefore, the purpose here is to find, select and keep track of all the meaningful information among the

plenty available. Again, considering the nature of the research objectives, a slight preference will be given

at the qualitative secondary data rather than the quantitative one.

Although it is usually the other way round, external sources are analyzed first, as internal data will be used

later to challenge any possible faulty assumption that may arise when gathering insights from the

collection of external data.

3.1.1 – External secondary research Sources

The reports and articles proposed below will be analysed to provide a comprehensive context about each

research objective. Unfortunately no definitive answers can be obtained at this stage, but each source will

help in obtaining insights and designing the primary research phase.

Sources that inform objectives I:

• “Digital Democracy Survey” by Deloitte.6

Assuming that the target audience of this research is part of a larger population that use

technology to interact with organisations, this survey will reveal significant technology,

media and telecommunications consumption trends including attitudes and behaviours

about social networks and media consumption preferences across platforms and devices,

and the Internet.

• Trade journals such as “Hotel Owner” and “Boutique Hotelier” (both the magazines and

the websites). In particular the article “Is social media still effective for Hotels?”, Martin

Shelton, in Hotel Owner, June 2014.

Sources that inform objectives II (especially IIc and IId which are about MP’s competitors):

• Market reports from either “STR Global” or “HotStats Hospitality Intelligence” to identify

the key competitors of MP.

• Key competitors’ websites and social media.

Sources that inform objectives III and IV:

• Articles available in the hospitality directory of PwC UK website

(http://www.pwc.com/hospitality). In particular: “The social media opportunity for hotels”7

which shows the advantages provided by social media during “every step of the guest’s

6 http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/Industries/media-entertainment/digital-democracy/index.htm 7 http://www.pwc.co.uk/hospitality-leisure/publications/the-social-media-opportunity-for-hotels.jhtml


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experience journey” (also called in this research proposal “visit life cycle”); “Megatrends:

technological change – where is digital taking hotels?”.8

• Trade journals such as “Hotel Owner” and “Boutique Hotelier”. In particular the article

“Mobile devices are creating interesting possibilities, but how to get started?”, in Hotel

Owner, June 2014.

3.1.2 – Internal secondary research Sources

Although very specific, a few research objectives can be answered by data already available produced

inside the Hotel.

Sources that inform objectives Ia, Id, IIa and IIb:

• List of followers, number of likes, participants to competitions run through social

media (Facebook, Twitter) by MP. The analysis of these lists will produce quantitative

data: the percentage of guests (being part of target audience) that already interact

through social media can be calculated.

• Social media dashboards and statistical tools. The usage of these tools will permit the

collection of quantitative and qualitative data. It will be possible not just knowing how

many guests interact with MP, but also in which way they do so and how often. In

particular, the tool for Twitter called “Followerwonk” shows who (among MP followers,

hence among the followers being part of the target audience) chases MP’s competitors.

There will be then the chance to know in advance who exactly interacts with MP’s

competitors: this gives the opportunity to adopt an accurate non-probabilistic sampling

method to gather participants for a focus group.

Sources that inform objectives IVa and IVb:

• Guests’ feedbacks and complaints. MP keeps a feedback and complaint file. Although

guests tend to report at the front desk issues regarding their stay in the Hotel, they may

occasionally mention problems experienced while making reservations. Any difficulty faced

or suggestion may have come up already and may have been already reported.

• Email inbox folder where all the correspondence between MP and the target audience is

stored. Double checking the conversation already had between MP and its target audience

may help in picking up issues or inconveniences that occurred in the past.

3.2 – Primary research

Sources of secondary data proposed above are not sufficient to give exhaustive answers to the research

objectives. As previously said, a significant importance is attributed at primary research, which will be

designed ad hoc to meet that purpose. Taking into account the secondary data gathered, this phase

consists in the execution of quantitative and qualitative researches in combination.

Quantitative data will be collected first. Babbie states that “quantification often makes our observations

more explicit. It also can make it easier to aggregate, compare and summarize data”; though, he also adds

that “quantitative data, on the other hand, carry the disadvantages that numbers have, including a

potential loss in richness of meaning” (Babbie 2013:25). For this reason, the collection of quantitative data

in this research will address objectives that don’t involve a deep understanding of the reasons that lead

respondents towards certain behaviours. On the contrary, relying on a synergetic approach, qualitative

research will investigate motivations, intentions and respondents’ dispositions.

8 http://www.pwc.co.uk/hospitality-leisure/uk-hotels-forecast/megatrends-technological-change-where-is-digital-taking-hotels.jhtml


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3.2.1 – Quantitative research

An online questionnaire was preferred to a telephone survey. Although an interview over the phone would

guarantee a better control over the respondents, with an online survey a couple of significant issues are

avoided. First of all, MP has a database of the entire population of interest: this includes email addresses,

but not every record is associated with a telephone number. Secondly, being many respondents non

English native speakers, a written questionnaire gives them extra time to think and choose the preferred

answer, rather then feeling the pressure of the interviewer who waits for them to reply.

3.2.1.1 – Methodology and sampling

The questionnaire will be as short as possible, simple and effective. These characteristics respond to a

particular need of the client organisation (to keep costs low) and to other needs of all the parts involved in

the survey: the client (again) “requires the questionnaire to collect the information that will enable them

to answer their business objectives”; the interviewers “want a questionnaire that is straightforward to

administer and has questions that are easily understood by the respondents”; “respondents want a

questionnaire that poses them questions that they can answer without too much effort, and that

maintains their interest, without taking up too much of their time” (Brace, 2008:9).

Respondents will be asked in advance to participate at the survey so as not to arouse any suspicion when

receiving the email with the link to the questionnaire.

It is really important to remember at this point that the rationale for research refers to two independent

management problems. One of them involves the target audience made by corporate guests staying at

the Hotel; the other one comprehends their relative companies/personal assistants/persons in charge to

liaise between the company and MP.

Therefore, there will be two samples and two separate sections of the questionnaire, each one addressing

a particular target audience and specific research objectives.

Having all the contacts in the database, it will be easy to gather a relatively large sample that will be high

representative of the population of interest. All the corporate guests can be listed randomly and

respondents can be chosen at a uniform rate from the list (1 every 5 items from a chosen start point in the

directory of names). This is a probabilistic sampling method called “systematic sampling”. Likewise, from a

list ordered randomly of all the companies which have corporate rates with MP, a sample of companies

(and their relative reference contacts) will be picked up using the same method.

12 companies will be selected over 24: this allows to cover the 50% of the population of interest. 60

respondents among the corporate guests will be part instead of the other sample. This number represents

1/3rd of the entire population of interest.

Both the guests and their companies can be offered some incentives: completing the survey, each

respondent gets a free room service at the Hotel or, in case of the companies, each representative will

receive a 10% discount for the next booking (the reward is intended to be symbolic as the questionnaire

will take no longer than 7-8 minutes to complete).

The analysis is intended to have a “statistical sound” and, here, the nature of the research is not

exploratory but conclusive. To facilitate data analysis and avoid language issues, closed ended question

will be preferred to open ended ones.

3.2.1.2 – Purpose, data analysis and justification

This phase of quantitative research will mostly seek to answer questions from the objectives I and II .

Indeed, after the analysis of this piece of data, objectives 1 and 2 are expected to be extensively clarified.


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Obviously, further investigation of qualitative nature will fill any gap of knowledge left by the survey.

Equally, a little part of the questionnaire can be dedicated to the other objectives, so as to have an

additional kind of numerical integration to the descriptive findings of the qualitative research that serve

better objectives III and IV .

Data will be analysed using the online survey platform called SurveyMonkey. Thanks to this software it will

be possible to design the questionnaire, collect and analyse the data and show the results.

3.2.2 – Qualitative research

As mentioned above, this phase intends to investigate mostly objectives III and IV . However, a few points

from objectives I and II (Ie and IIe) will be analysed as well, since they need to be explained by the

respondents adopting a sort of narrative argumentation. The collection technique that serves better the

purpose of this piece of research is a focus group. A part from incentives, it is not expensive to conduct and

it can be executed quickly. Gathering respondents at the same time in the same place would be a major

drawback (many of the corporate guests live abroad): this is why it is suggested to carry out an internet

focus group. Many, in the marketing field, believe that focus groups through the internet are not genuinely

accurate9, but in this case the internet represents a cost-effective and time-efficient replacement that

cannot be ignored.

Secondary data and quantitative primary data findings will be also used to prepare the discussion guide

necessary to lead the focus group.

3.2.2.1 - Methodology and sampling

The most critical aspect for the success of the survey is sampling. It needs to be considered again that two

samples will be object of analysis and, in this case, the sampling method suggested is non probabilistic.

5 groups consisting of 6 corporate guests can take part at the focus group. Among them, it would be ideal

to include the ones that follow MP’s competitors in social media (see internal secondary research Sources).

English language knowledge shouldn’t cause any particular issue as, although conducted over the internet,

each respondent will feel confident enough to interact with the moderator using some sort of non-verbal

communication as well.

2 groups of 6 respondents will be part of the survey for the PAs/Office managers sample. Again, a non-

probabilistic sampling method is suggested as it is worthwhile including intentionally whoever tends to use

the phone to make reservations rather than any other digital media.

Considering the possible troubles caused to the respondents (in terms of time consuming and stress),

adequate incentives have to be offered. Corporate guests who participate to the focus group can be given

a voucher to be spent for treatments in a SPA located nearby MP. Members of the other sample can be

offered instead a free night stay at MP over the weekend, either for themselves or for a couple of

relatives/friends.

Specific respondents will be asked through email to join the internet focus group and a date and time will

need to be agreed. All the rest of the population of interest will be sent an email afterward and the firsts to

join and agree with the schedules arranged will take part to the focus group.

Two discussion guides have to be prepared for the two different samples in order to address all the

research objectives left (see next sub-chapter).

The online focus groups are expected to last 1 hour and an half plus a short break; everyone will be free to

9 http://www.groupsplus.com/pages/qmrr0798.htm


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choose their own preferred environment as location, as long as it is quiet and doesn’t cause distractions.

The number of 6 respondents for each group has been set out as maximum limit because otherwise it

would be difficult for the moderator to manage the discussion.

3.2.2.2 - Purpose, data analysis and justification

Although there are two different samples, all the research objectives that have to be investigated in this

phase (Ie, IIe, III , IV ) will be addressed in both discussion guides. Obviously, all the main points of the

guide will be phrased in a slightly different way for each target audience, considering that the two samples

interact with MP for different purposes and that the research objectives serve the resolution of two

different management problems.

After having collected secondary data and quantitative primary data, this exploratory phase ends the

entire research. The subjective comments captured and the evaluation of them will provide an

understanding of perceptions, attitudes and motivations useful to fully answer the majority of the research

objectives.

Transcriptions of the focus groups are highly recommended. Although that requires long time (“one hour

of taped focus group may take 8 hours to transcribe”), “attempts at analysis without transcriptions will

lead to loss of much of the richness of the data and will risk a selective and superficial analysis (Bloor,

Frankland et al, 2001:59).

Transcripts, moderator’s own notes and notes taken by those viewing the focus groups will be adequate

tools to write a report which summarizes all the qualitative findings.

4 – Timeframe and fees

It has been indicated a budget of £5,100 for the 10 week research programme. All the details are identified

below:

W1 Presentation of research proposal; planning.

W2-W3 Gathering, processing and report of internal and external secondary data.

W4-W5 Primary quantitative research: questionnaire design; seeking participants and report

findings. Intermediate client debrief.

W6-W7 Primary qualitative research: focus group design; recruitment participants.

W8 Implementation of focus groups.

W9 Analysis of primary qualitative data.

W10 Conclusive report and final presentation of results.

Type of research Description Quantity Timeframe Costs

Secondary Gathering external source,

analysis internal sources.

n/a 2 weeks £140 (Deloitte Survey)

Quantitative Designing and executing

questionnaire.

72 surveys 2 weeks £1,200

Qualitative Designing discussion

guides and conducting

online focus groups.


Analysis and report Results from surveys,

transcripts, final analysis.



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5 – Research Agency team and credentials

The chosen Research Agency is based in Baker Street, Marylebone, in the same neighbourhood of MP. It

was established in 2002 and it has been involved many times in surveys for the hospitality field. Recently

they carried out a research about hotels performances in W1 London. The key members are:

Bill Smith – Project Leader

Bill is the owner of the Agency. He has previous experience in market research, having worked for other

prestigious agencies in London before. He is member of Market Research Society and he holds MSc in

Social and market Research. Having wide range of experience, he will be the ultimate responsible for

writing the report with the final results.

Rebecca Whitehead – Marketing Research Consultant

Rebecca joined Bill since the Agency was funded. She started as post graduate in Marketing and she has

now 12 years of experience in the field. She will follow the day-to-day activities and gather the secondary

data, external and internal. She will be also supervised by Bill in designing the primary quantitative

research.

Amanda Durnin - Focus Group Moderator

Amanda just finished her CIM Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism marketing. She has been working in this

Agency for 3 years. She had previous experience in working in marketing research and recently she started

focusing on qualitative research. She will be responsible for designing the focus groups discussion guides,

organising the meetings, carrying out the focus groups and analyse the results. She will be helped by a

member of the back-office in transcribing the conversations.

6 – Codes of conduct

The Research Agency is very concerned about data protection legislation. It complies with the Data

Protection Act 1998 in regards of protection of personal data and adheres to all the professional standards

of MRS. Professional and ethical rules listed in the ICC/ESOMAR International Code of Conduct will be also

taken in consideration when carrying out primary research.


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Task Two

Focus group discussion guide and moderator

guidelines


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1 – Focus group discussion guide

Discussion guides are a general outline of the topics that moderators have to cover during the focus

groups. Each concept addresses a specific cluster of research objectives. The moderator is supposed to

follow the sequence of the topics listed, even though additional questions may arise during the focus

group and the conversation may flow differently than initially outlined.

The discussion guide below is written for the target audience consisting of corporate guests. The

moderator will use the same guide for a series of four groups.

Each piece of the guide has a headline which informs about the topic covered and timing. Comments in

the column on the right add further information for the moderator (research objectives served, use of

projective techniques and any other suggestion useful to keep participants on track and to stimulate them

in specific sub-topics).

The moderator will use his own judgement in choosing the appropriate projective techniques in order to

get the purest answers from the respondents. In fact people, when interviewed, may prefer (consciously or

not) to indulge the moderator giving him the answer he wants to hear. However, for this guide, two

specific projective techniques fit appropriately the type of topics/questions listed below: “third person” and

“brand personality”.

Bakare (2012:112) describes well in a few words these two research methods: “third person, or friendly

martian […], is designed to get the respondent talking about issues which do not interest them. The

researcher asks the respondent to describe what someone else might do”; “brand personality asks

respondents to describe a brand as a person. […] Associations can also be made with objects or known

people or celebrities; the reason for the association is the most important thing here”.

(5 min.) Introduction

- Greeting.

- Purpose of focus group.

• Opportunity to offer opinions/input about MP’s usage of social

media and digital communication; explain ways in which they

would prefer to interact with MP using social media and digital

communication.

- Ground rules.

• Role of moderator.

• Recording of conversations.

• Confidentiality of comments/responses.

• Individual opinions (no right or wrong).

• Speak one at a time and as clearly as possible.

- Brief get-acquainted period.

• Participants’ names, positions, companies, social media and PC

experience.

NO SPECIFIC NOTES DURING THE

INTRODUCTION OTHER THAN THE

INDICATIONS GIVEN BY THE

GUIDE.


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(15 min.) CONCEPT 1 – Interaction with organisations using

social media and digital communication

- Till what extent is it important for them to establish a sort of

relationship (any) with the organisations when buying products or

services?

- Would they generally prefer to interact with organisations using

social media, emails, apps, rather than human contact?

- Does the possibility to use social media and digital communication

represent a crucial factor in choosing an organisation over another

one?

• Would they trust the organisation more?

• For which other reasons?

• Have they ever chosen a hotel specifically because of its usage

of social media or digital communication?

(20 min.) CONCEPT 2 – MP’s usage of social media and digital

communication in relation to other hotels

- Share screen and show MP’s social media and its competitors’ for 5

minutes.

- Which are the best Hotels in the area using social media and digital

communication?

- Which kind of successful/pleasant digital interaction had with MP

can they recall? And have they had any successful/pleasant digital

interaction with its competitors? Which one?

- What do they particularly like about MP’s competitors? And what do

they like about MP?

- Would they consider the way in which MP run social media and use

digital communication good enough, compared to its competitors?

(10 min.) BREAK

(20 min.) CONCEPT 3 – When and why the target audience

prefers MP to communicate with them through social media

and digital communication

THIS CONCEPT REFERS TO THE

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES I.

THIS QUESTION ANTICIPATES

OBJECTIVE III C WHICH WILL BE

INVESTIGATED LATER AS WELL.

THIS QUESTION IS LITERALLY

TAKEN FROM THE RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES (IT IS OBJECTIVE IE)

AND IT IS THE KEY QUESTION FOR

THIS TOPIC.

THIS CONCEPT REFERS TO

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE II .

A PREVIOUS ANALYSIS HAS TO BE

UNDERTAKEN: WHILE SHOWING

THE SOCIAL MEDIA, HELP THE

PARTICIPANTS TO NOTICE THE

DIFFERENT PROMOTIONS RUN,

APPROACHES, STYLES, INTER-

ACTIONS PROPOSED AND ASK

THEM TO REMEMBER THEM.

USE “THIRD PERSON” AND

“BRAND PERSONALITY” PRO-

JECTIVE TECHNIQUES. THEY MAY

BE RELUCTANT IN GIVING

ANSWERS THAT UNDERVALUE

MP; ASK THEM TO MAKE

CHOICES PRETENDING TO BE

MARTIANS LANDED IN LONDON.

MAKE ASSOCIATIONS HOTELS =

FAMOUS UK STORE

DEPARTMENTS.

THIS QUESTION IS OBJECTIVE IIE.

IT IS THE KEY QUESTION FOR THIS

TOPIC.

THIS IS OBJECTIVE II F. IF THE

CONVERSATION DEVELOPS, THE

ANSWERS MAY GIVE INSIGHTS

FOR RESEARCH OBJECTIVES IV .


RESEARCH OBJECTIVE III .


19

- In which stage of the “visit life cycle” do they prefer to use social

media and digital communication and when, instead, they would

rather avoid technology and interact directly (face to face/phone)

with a human being?

• Give examples: research of hotels, booking, pre-arrival, check-in,

stay, check-out, post-stay.

- For the appropriate situations, why would they prefer to use social

media and digital communication?

- Do they prefer to proactively establish an interaction or they prefer

to be contacted and involved by MP?

- How many times (roughly) do they consider appropriate to interact

with MP during the whole “visit life cycle”?

(20 min.) CONCEPT 4 – How MP can improve its use of social

media and digital communication for interacting with guests

- Even considering the prior comparison between MP and its

competitors, what can be done better by MP?

• Is there anything missing?

• Have they ever experienced difficulties while interacting with

MP using social media and digital communication media?

• What would they like MP to have/provide?

- Have they ever been bothered by any sort of digital interaction

arrived from MP?

• If yes, which one and why.

(5 min.) CLOSING COMMENTS

- Any additional comments?

- Thanks participants and remind them of incentives offered.

OBJECTIVES III A AND III C. THE

MAJORITY OF CORPORATE

GUESTS ARE BOOKED IN BY THEIR

PA: WOULD THEY LIKE, FOR

INSTANCE, TO USE AN APP TO

CHECK THE STATUS OF THEIR

FUTURE RESERVATION WITH MP?

ANY OTHER APP/TOOL/SERVICE

PRIOR ARRIVAL OR AFTER

DEPARTURE?

LOOK FOR EMOTIONAL REASONS

(TRUST, CONFIDENTIALITY) AND

PRACTICAL REASONS (PROMO-

TIONS, DISCOUNTS).


RESEARCH OBJECTIVES IV .

USE OF PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUE:

BRAND PERSONALITY. THINKING

AGAIN AT THE ASSOCIATIONS

HOTELS = FAMOUS UK STORE

DEPARTMENTS, WHAT DOES MP

MISS IN TERMS OF ABSTRACT

CONCEPT (SUCH AS CHARM,

FRIENDLINESS, INNOVATION,

ETC.)?

OBJECTIVE IV A.

ANY SPECIFIC PRACTICAL TOOL.

USE OF PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUE:

THIRD PERSON. IF THEY WERE

THE PRESIDENTS OF THEIR

COUNTRY, WHAT WOULDN’T

THEY LIKE TO WASTE THEIR TIME

ON? WHAT WOULD THEY

ABSOLUTELY AVOID RECEIVING

FROM MP?


20

2 – Moderator guidelines

“Unbiased and professional moderating is key to meeting focus groups’ objectives […] and a moderator

can make or brake the entire research project” (Edmunds, 1999:69). Although a successful conduction of

focus groups relies on natural talent and certain acquired skills of a professional research moderator, a list

of precise guidelines has to be provided by the agency. In this case the guidelines need to inform the

moderator about the recruitment of adequate respondents, about how to effectively moderate the group

in order to avoid bias within the data collected and about relevant code of conduct issues that have to be

handled.

2.1 - Recruitment

According to the research proposal (paragraph 3.2.2.1 of Task one), 5 groups consisting of 6 corporate

guests each will take part at the focus group (there is a different sample for which another discussion guide

and moderator guidelines will be prepared apart).

First of all, the moderator needs to identify the sample source from which choosing the right participants.

That is MP’s guests list (database), filtered in order to have suitable respondents who meet certain criteria:

the sampling method used is, indeed, non-probabilistic. The moderator is asked to include guests who are

capable to give exhaustive answers especially to objectives III and IV : to be eligible, they simply need to be

PC literate and familiar with the use of social media (some of them have to be followers of MP’s

competitors).

In order to assess the potential accuracy of the respondents, the moderator will design and send to the

whole corporate guest list a screen questionnaire. This is a sort of pre-focus group survey (a few basic

questions) that allows the moderator to determine whether contacts are qualified to attend the group:

“the recruiter invites qualified contacts to attend a group and leaves unqualified contacts feeling that they

have completed a research study, unaware that they are not actually participating in the study itself”

(Edmunds, 1999:31).

Once the appropriate participants are identified, the moderator will make phone calls to formally invite

the selected guests to attend the focus group; afterwards, participants who have agreed to participate

will receive a confirmation letter from the moderator including all the useful information (time, date,

duration, incentives). It is also advisable to make a confirmation call the day prior the focus group as a

reminder for the participants.

The moderator will prepare a participant profile matrix in which is reported information (obtained with

the screen questionnaire and secondary sources already analysed) about: social media used, devices used,

MP’s competitors awareness, any possible complaint already made).

2.2 – Moderation

The discussion guide is a framework that has to be followed carefully: however, the moderator needs to

be flexible when conducting the focus group. Here, being flexible means allowing the conversation to flow

in a natural sequence, while at the same time maintaining a prearranged direction. Doing so, hidden ideas

and comments may arise: the ability of the moderator consists on weighing the importance and

pertinence of this extra information in order to evaluate its meaningful impact on the quality of the

research.

A few major rules are reminded to the participants during the introductory stage of the focus group (these

are listed in the discussion guide above); to ensure an effective moderation of the group, the moderator


21

needs to maintain control of the group discussion by curbing the most enthusiastic respondents and

encouraging the quieter ones to participate more proactively at the discussion. Moreover, the

conversation needs to be kept on track: in spite flexibility, the moderator has to refocus participants if

they wander too far off the topic.

A number of questioning techniques can be used by the moderator to draw out meaningful information

from the respondents. “In focus group the facilitator seeks group interaction […] the moderator’s

questions are thus a focusing exercise, an attempt to concentrate the group’s attention and interaction on

a particular topic” (Bloor, Frankland et all, 2001:43).

Effective techniques that can be used are: “ranking” (respondents are asked to rank their top choices when

options are given); “comparison games” (similar to the projective technique “brand personality”, it is a

comparison-type game that allows the moderator to get emotional insights by asking the participants to

describe certain things as they were other desirable objects.

2.3 – Codes of conduct

Two international associations for market and opinion research such as ESOMAR and MRS provide

guidelines for the ethical conduction of a focus group. Their codes of conduct classify rules that derive

from professional and ethical principles and comply with national and international legislation.

MRS CODE OF CONDUCT10: the moderator has to gain a comprehensive understanding of all the

principles of the code (10 principles) to ensure all the actions undertaken

during the qualitative exercise are fair and ethical towards the respondents.

The following rules of section B of the Code (specific rules as they apply in

different aspects of the research) need to be carefully considered:

B.8 and B.9: anonymity of Respondents.

B.14: capability of respondents to provide information in a way that reflects

the view they want to express; respondents are not led towards particular

points of view.

B.18: respondent’s right to withdraw from a project at any stage must be

respected.

B.25: Where Incentives are offered, Members must clearly inform the

Respondent who will administer the incentive.

B.34: At the time of recruitment Members must ensure that Respondents

are told all relevant information regarding: location, presence of observers,

when and how the exercise is to be recorded, likely length of the exercise,

member/Agency that will be conducting the exercise.

ESOMAR CODE OF CONDUCT11: the 8 key fundamentals of the Code must be understood and followed. In

particular, the following articles need to be considered:

Art. 6: Respondents has to be informed before recording equipment is used

for research purposes. If respondents so wish, the record or relevant section

of data will be destroyed or deleted.

Art. 7 (b): Respondents need to be aware of the purpose of collection.

10 https://www.mrs.org.uk/pdf/code%20of%20conduct%20(2012%20rebrand).pdf 11http://www.esomar.org/uploads/public/knowledge-and-standards/codes-and-guidelines/Code.pdf


22

Task Three

Using social media for customer data collection and

insight


23

1 – Briefing paper

To: Montagu Place Hotel – Marketing manager

From: Research Executive

Subject: Using social media for customer data collection and insight

Date: 08/26/2014

1.1 - Usage of social media in UK hotels marketplace

A report recently released by BluSky Marketing12 shows how, among 3882 real guests of 15 UK luxury and

boutique hotels interviewed, only 1% of them got to know the Hotel they stayed in through social media

(excluding TripAdvisor). According to this survey, hotel awareness through social media is still in its early

stage. Though, experts know that social media have the potential not only to drive enquiries but generate

sales for hotels.

In fact, trends in hospitality (see TravelClick survey)13 highlight that hoteliers are increasing budgets for

online and social media advertising/presence.

What are the advantages of using social media for hotels? Three key concepts are part of the answer:

importance of reviews shared by travellers; importance of findability (since, for instance, Google and Bing

search engines included social media activity in their ranking algorithms); importance of interacting with

guests during the visit life cycle.

Regarding the importance of reviews, a research (The impact of social media on lodging performance) 14

attempts to determine ROI for social media efforts in the hotel industry. The results, summarised in 2 brief

points, are significant: 1) “the percentage of consumers consulting reviews at TripAdvisor prior to booking

a hotel room has steadily increased over time, as has the number of reviews they are reading prior to

making their hotel choice”; 2) “if a hotel increases its review scores by 1 point on a 5-point scale (e.g. from

3.3 to 4.3), the hotel can increase its price by 11.2 percent and still maintain the same occupancy or market

share”.

Potentially, each social network may become a reliable source of reviews and word-of-mouth: this

phenomenon is not limited to TripAdvisor only.

The importance of findability lies down in the fact that travellers tend to land on the hotel’s website or an

OTA (online travel agency) to book a room only after having gathered information in the web (How

travellers use online and social media channels to make hotel-choice decisions)15.

Finally, interactions. Leisure guests and business travellers seek interaction with hotels for many reasons.

Below are a few successful examples of how hotels have interacted with different segments of guests to

satisfy different needs:

- Brand awareness: The Marylebone Inn Hotel in London offered a free night stay for 2 people to one of the

first 100 who “liked” its Facebook page.

- High tech facilities for business guests: Marriott Hotels allow a “mobile check-in and check-out” and

designed an application that becomes the guests’ personal concierge16.

12 http://www.bluskymarketing.com/5th-luxury-hotel-report-highlights-social-media-perform 13 http://www.travelclick.com/en/news-events/in-the-news/hospitality-trends-hoteliers-increasing-marketing-spend-online-and-social-media 14 https://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/abstract-16421.html 15 https://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/abstract-15359.html 16 http://travel-brilliantly.marriott.com/our-innovations


24

- High tech facilities for leisure guests: LoungeUp, a Company that offers mobile hospitality solutions,

developed an application that allows hotels to send tourist recommendations directly to its guests’ mobile

phones, as if the guests were at the hotel reception17.

1.2 - Data analysis tools to be used and data protection legislation

Above are many reasons for which hotels and guests interact with each other. The interaction represents

for both parties a mutual benefit. Guests get useful information about the hotels, find the best deals,

familiarise with the ambience since before arrival and take advantage of the best facilities/feature to

maximise the pleasure during the visit life cycle. Likewise, hotels need to process a very large amount of

information in order to improve their customer relationship management.

First of all, what are the digital sources from which MP currently gets its guests’ data?

• MP currently runs two social networks: Facebook and Twitter.

• The Hotel has a website from where bookings are made and from where anyone can subscribe and

receive monthly news and offers.

• MP receives reservations and booking enquiries directly via email.

• OTAs and review websites are also channels through which MP acquires data.

Depending on the nature of data, two categories of tool can be implemented: one that analyses data and

gives a quantitative/analytical output (for example, monitoring contact’s surfing behaviour and producing

percentages as result) and another one that allows MP to manage individual profiles for each

guest/contact. Below are four data analysis tools MP could use to gain more insight into its

guests/potential guests’ interests and preferences.

Tools useful to analyse quantitative and qualitative data obtained from social networks (Facebook and

Twitter):

• Followerwonk: this is a specific tool for Twitter that (as already explained in the research proposal,

paragraph 3.1.2) enables MP to know who are its followers, where they are located and the

frequency they tweet. It also shows who follows competitors and, using appropriate criteria, it finds

the most important and influential followers in MP’s market niche.

• Hootsuite: another social media analytic tool that allows MP to manage its social media accounts

through just one dashboard. MP can make the most of this tool thanks to the capability to monitor

what topics are the contacts more involved in, which posts/tweets are most successful and what

stimulates user’s attention.

Tool useful to analyse quantitative data obtained from MP’s website:

• Google analytics: besides informing about sales and conversion rate, this tool offers up to date

information about how visitors utilise the website, how they landed there and what can be done to

persuade them to come back.

Tool useful to analyse data from any other digital channel (email, OTAs), qualitative data obtained through

social media that needs human elaboration and personal data submitted for any reason via any channel:

• Database included in the Hotel Management Software: the System database is a computerised

source of data that generates new records each time a new booking is made. However, the database

can be manually amended (comments and preferences can be added to existing records) and new

17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7y4ySfpjiw


25

profiles can be created. The information gathered under each single record is a combination of

profile data, behavioural data and volunteered data.

The collection and usage of data is regulated by the law. Data obtained through social media and digital

communications makes no exception. In UK, the Data Protection Act of 1998 defines a legal basis for the

handling of information relating to living people and, a part from domestic purpose, everyone needs to

comply with the principles of the Act when processing personal data.

Practically, MP, while collecting personal data for subscriptions, bookings, competitions, must ask for

permission and ensure that people know18:

• Who MP is;

• What the data will be used for;

• To whom it will be disclosed.

In case sensitive data is collected, beside the necessary authorisation, MP must also ensure that adequate

security is in place for the protection of sensitive data.

Moreover, MP, while handling personal data for liaising, designing promotions, implementing marketing

strategies/activities, must to ensure that19:

• All personal data is both accurate and up to date;

• Errors are corrected effectively and promptly;

• The data is deleted/destroyed when it is no longer needed;

• The personal data is kept secure at all times (protecting from unauthorised disclosure or access);

• Use the data for any purpose it was not explicitly obtained for;

• Transfer personal data outside of the European Economic Area unless you are certain you are

entitled to or consent from the individual concerned has been obtained.

1.3 - Types of social media and digital communications to be used

The recommendations below take into account the characteristics of MP and its guests, internal know-

how, probable budget for marketing and other minor variables that will be considered along with each

suggestion:

• Google+ profile: Google+ is expected to become one of the largest review website. Customers will

be looking for organisations and recommendations from other people. Organisations will be shown

in the map and creating a profile (for free) allows MP to link its page to its YouTube channel. This will

also help with SEO. Developing a professional presence on Google+ will impress both leisure and

business guests.

• YouTube channel: another account that can be set up for free and can be managed internally. The

possibility to load video and embed them in MP’s website and other social media will help again with

SEO. Leisure guests will be mostly interested in this channel; there will be the chance for them to

leave comments and interact at any stage with MP during the visit life cycle.

• Online text messaging service: this service will be extremely useful for corporate guests. They are

almost exclusively booked in by their PA or travel agencies and, often, misunderstandings or change

of plans lead to no-shows or late cancellations (which would incur in an unpleasant charge for the

18 http://dataprotectionact.org/3.html 19 http://dataprotectionact.org/4.html


26

company). A text message sent by MP 72h prior arrival would allow the Hotel to avoid unexpected

situations and would allow MP to stay in touch with each corporate guest, assisting them in the early

stage of the visit life cycle. The service is relatively cheap. All the corporate guests who stayed at

least once have left their telephone number.

• HotelTonight: this is a mobile travel App for iPhone and Android devices that allows users to find

discounted last-minute hotel rooms. MP will be able to sell rooms at the very last minute, increasing

its RevPAR (revenue per available room). Setting up an account is free of charge; HotelTonight will

only retain a percentage on the accommodation amount advertised on line. This solution will be

particularly useful for weekenders.

• Facebook and Twitter: since MP is already running them, they have to be maintained and

developed.

Research Executive

Marketing Department

MONTAGU PLACE HOTEL

Tel. 800.800.800.800

[email protected]


27

Bibliography

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Babbie, E., 2013. The practice of social research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning

Wilson, A., 2012. Marketing research: an integrated approach. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall

Kolb, B., 2008. Marketing research: a practical approach. Los Angeles; London: SAGE

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marketing research. London: Kogan Page [for] MRS

Edmunds, H., 1999. The focus group research handbook. Lincolnwood, Ill: NTC Business books

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Printed articles

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Owner, June 2014

Online articles and Websites

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http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/Industries/media-entertainment/digital-democracy/index.htm

http://www.pwc.co.uk/hospitality-leisure/publications/the-social-media-opportunity-for-hotels.html


28

http://www.pwc.co.uk/hospitality-leisure/uk-hotels-forecast/megatrends-technological-change-where-is-

digital-taking-hotels.html

http://www.groupsplus.com/pages/qmrr0798.htm

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http://www.bluskymarketing.com/5th-luxury-hotel-report-highlights-social-media-perform

http://www.travelclick.com/en/news-events/in-the-news/hospitality-trends-hoteliers-increasing-

marketing-spend-online-and-social-media

https://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/abstract-16421.html

https://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/abstract-15359.html

http://travel-brilliantly.marriott.com/our-innovations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7y4ySfpjiw

http://dataprotectionact.org/3.html

http://dataprotectionact.org/4.html

marketing information and research - september 2014

Documents

research planning

qualitative research

quantitative research

primary research

research agency team

research montagu place

marketing decisions

star hotel