Sure, the instantaneous nature of the social Web can create business crises faster than you can say “Tiger Blood” and “Kenneth Cole is an Oaf”. But, that rapidity also creates unprecedented opportunities for marketers with their antenna up, scanning the real-time horizon for a chance to make a difference.
George Jordan, the General Manager at Hotel Felix in Chicago is all about the antenna. The guy is practically an ant.
In the big Chicago blizzard earlier this year (so big that it was Chicago’s third-largest snowfall day on record), George realized as the forecast turned to Snowmageddon that commuters would be stranded by the thousands.
Seeing an opportunity unfolding, Jordan and his PR firm instantly updated the hotel’s Facebook page, Twitter account, and blog with a special $79 blizzard rate. 41 rooms were booked almost instantly.
This one-night-stand turned into a full-blown dalliance when guests taking advantage of the offer woke up the next morning to find 20+ inches of snow. Anticipating this, Jordan added extra employees to the dining staff, enabling the boutique, eco-friendly hotel to feed guests on-site.
The snow interrupted the hotel’s regular supply chain, so when supplies ran low on the second day, staff trudged through the blizzard to Whole Foods to restock. Stranded is stranded, so many hotel team members stayed in the hotel two or three nights, giving them a fresh perspective on amenities and guest relations.
This is The NOW Revolution in action. Having a culture that supports and rewards quick thinking; listening and responding with context and speed; and using the real-time Web for purposes that support your business objectives.
For his nimble offer that kept both commuters and his bottom line warm, George Jordan is the winner of the inaugural NOW Revolutionary of the Month Award. He’ll be getting a book signed by Amber and me that he can read the next time he’s snowed in.
(Thanks to hotelinteractive.com for their initial coverage of this story)
Who do you nominate for the next NOW Revolutionary award? Let us know in the comments, or on the Facebook page for The NOW Revolution.
Hi Jay!
I keep my social media antenna up at all times, in particular in my local community of Nanaimo, BC Canada (pop. 80,000).
I also like to be a social media catalyst and connector for my local community based on the hits my antenna receives. You can also generate your own social media signals and opportunities like I did when Nanaimo was hit by a snap snowstorm recently.
My tweetmentioning a couple of local hotels in case anyone found themselves stranded in Nanaimo during the storm resulting in a booking for one of the hotels. It also generated a new customer for one of the local restaurants I recommended in a follow up tweet. (You're warm and toasty in your hotel, now how about a nice pizza delivered right to your room!)
My comment here is not to pat myself on the back. It's to reiterate the vast goldmine of business opportunity that arises everyday on social media - the majority of which goes unnoticed by local business. And I'm on a one man quest to change that in my local community.
Social media ROI? Definitely! IF you're listening and you know where (and how) to look!
Cheers!
Looking forward to seeing you at #SMCV11 in Victoria, BC this summer!
- Don@donpower
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