Hotel Customer Experience Design

The last time you called customer service… You weren’t talking to a person. You were talking to a machine. And not the kind that reads from a script and says “I'm sorry to hear that” with all the emotional range of a soggy cardboard box. No. This one listened to you and solved your problem by understanding it properly. Let that sink in. Because while the rest of the world was busy arguing over whether AI could write poems or pass bar exams, PolyAI quietly became the voice of Marriott, PG&E, and half of Vegas. Try calling Caesars Palace. That warm, charming voice on the other is Raven, an AI And guess what? Reservation? Booked. Payment? Processed. Upsell? Delivered with cheeky finesse. This is AI that acts, not talks. So good, callers ask it out on dates. So trusted, Gordon Ramsay rolled it out across his restaurants. So what’s new? - Raven V3 just dropped. It's faster, smarter and never switches languages midsentence. - They have secured Series D funding. The valuation is through the roof.  - The best part is, you can give it instructions in English and it'll answer in fluent Japanese, Italian or Portuguese, without blinking. What I’m really saying? The future of your customer experience isn’t only a team. It’s a voice.

Stop Posting Just Room Photos on Socials! Here’s What Guests Actually Want to See. Be honest with yourself, how many times has your hotel’s socials posted a perfectly polished room photo with a caption like: "A cozy escape awaits. Book now. ✨" And how many times did that post actually drive engagement… or, better yet, a booking? The truth? Guests don’t book because of a bed and four walls. They book for the experience. Yet, so many hotels (and restaurants) flood their feeds with soulless, salesy photos that look just like every other property. If your social media feels more like an online catalog than a destination, you’re missing the point. And here’s the real game-changer: With AI improving at an insane pace, software will soon generate better images of our hotel rooms than we ever could anyway! Perfect lighting, flawless composition, AI will do it all. Just like the image in those post. So, what will actually make a difference? The stories and experiences we share. What Should You Post Instead? 📍 The Destination : Guests aren’t just staying at your hotel; they’re visiting your city. We’re focusing on highlighting local gems, hidden spots, and experiences they won’t find on TripAdvisor. 👩🍳 Behind-the-Scenes Stories : Meet the chef behind your restaurant. Show how your cocktails are crafted. Introduce the team that makes the magic happen. People connect with people, not just places. 🎥 Guest-Generated Content : A guest’s TikTok or Instagram Story will always feel more authentic than a corporate post. That’s why we’re actively encouraging and sharing real experiences from real people. 🐶 Unique Experiences – Is your hotel pet-friendly? Show a guest’s dog getting VIP treatment. Do you have a rooftop with an insane sunset view? Capture it in the moment. We’re prioritising content that makes guests feel something. 😂 Relatable Moments – The WiFi struggle at check-in. The joy of room service at midnight. The feeling of slipping into a fresh hotel robe. We’re leaning into humour, nostalgia, and moments guests actually remember. The Bottom Line? Our guests don’t just want a room. They want a story to tell and a memory to take home. That’s exactly why our hotel group has shifted the focus of our social media strategy. Less staged perfection, more real experiences with the teams on the ground diving right in to get on board! AI will generate the polished images, but it won’t replace human connection. What’s the best-performing post you’ve seen from a hotel or restaurant? Drop a link, I’d love to check it out! 👇🏼

Sensory Architecture: A Journey Through the Senses A client approached us with the vision of creating a wellness retreat that transcended the conventional. As with all our projects, we began with Land Studies, exploring its natural systems and understanding that the users were not the only guests but also the flora, fauna, and ecosystems of the place. This research led us to question: What if architecture did not only adapt to nature but co-created with it? More than a physical space, a wellness retreat is an experience. Designing in harmony with nature means creating a living, responsive architecture that interacts with its surroundings and strengthens the connection between people and the natural world. To achieve this, we studied light, sound, wind, vegetation, temperature, smells, and the metaphysical features of the site, asking key questions like: How can sensory experiences promote healing? Each site visit revealed new aspects, allowing us to map natural rhythms—light movement, wind patterns, biodiversity, influenced by the time of day and the season of the year. Studying the senses can seem overwhelming due to their subjective nature, so it was essential to understand how to measure and quantify the effects of these sensory elements on well-being. •⁠ ⁠Sight and Light: Light, essential for visual perception, influences emotions and biological rhythms. Orange light (582-620 nm) stimulates vitality, while blue light enhances concentration but can disrupt sleep. Based on these effects, one can design lighting strategies that respond to the physical and emotional needs of users at different times of the day. •⁠ ⁠Sound and Frequencies: Sound travels in waves and affects mood. Low frequencies induce relaxation, while high frequencies create alertness. Mapping natural sounds—wind, water, birds—allows us to define zones of tranquility and areas with greater sensory stimulation.  - Touch and Textures: Tactile perception involves pressure, temperature, and texture. Smooth wooden surfaces convey warmth, while rough stone evokes stability. By analyzing local materials, we design spaces that foster relaxation and a connection with nature through touch. •⁠ ⁠Smell: Smell is linked to the limbic system, influencing emotions and memories. We identified natural fragrances—like citrus & wood—to integrate them into architecture and enhance well-being. For example, we aim to design an experience where guests wake up to the invigorating scent of citrus, promoting energy and alertness, and wind down at night with the calming aroma of lavender, encouraging restful sleep. To bring this vision to life, we are working with experts from various disciplines, focusing on ecology, environmental conservation, neuroscience, and the use of local materials and construction techniques. Sensory architecture transforms design into a living organism that breathes, listens, and responds.

2026 will be the year of the Event Engineer. and it will be clear which companies get this. Event Engineering applies systems thinking to live experiences. It’s the discipline of architecting the tools, automations, and data flows that power an event from first registration click to post-event revenue attribution. An Event Engineer doesn’t design stages or write content. They build the tech and systems that makes events measurable, repeatable, and scalable. They ensure: - Clean data flows between registration, CRM, and analytics - Automations trigger in real time based on attendee behavior - Integrations are designed for reliability, not duct-taped for launch day - Reporting connects engagement to pipeline and retention It’s not event planning. It’s system architecture. Why Now The timing is perfect. Companies are cutting tool sprawl. Marketing teams are being asked to prove ROI. But two shifts are the real drivers: - Tech became part of the event experience, not just part of operations. - The rise of AI shifted trust building back to in real life. At a high level, Event Engineers: - Design the end-to-end event workflow - Integrate CRM, marketing automation, and event tech - Define data schemas for engagement and attribution - Manage automation logic and contact matching - Translate business goals into event KPIs They’re the product manager for the event tech stack. Event Engineering isn’t about taking creativity out of events. It’s about giving creative teams the infrastructure to go bigger, faster, and with more measurable impact. The best events don’t happen by accident. They’re engineered. The next generation of events won’t be just experiential. They’ll be intelligent. And the people building that intelligence will be Event Engineers. We built Accelevents for Event Engineers. DM me if you want to see what we mean.

Two Years in Dubai: Lessons in Hospitality as a Hotel GM Two years ago, I arrived in Dubai, stepping into one of the most dynamic and competitive hospitality markets in the world. As General Manager of a five-star hotel, I knew the expectations would be high. Today, I reflect on the key lessons I’ve learned about delivering exceptional hospitality in this unique city—one that is arguably at the forefront of the global hospitality industry. ➡️ Exceeding Expectations is the Baseline Dubai redefines luxury. Guests arrive with expectations shaped by the city's reputation for innovation, excellence, and impeccable service. Here, meeting expectations isn’t enough—exceeding them is the norm. From personalized welcomes to anticipating unspoken needs, every detail matters in crafting unforgettable experiences. ➡️ Cultural Sensitivity is Non-Negotiable With visitors and employees from every corner of the world, cultural intelligence is essential. Understanding diverse traditions, communication styles, and service preferences allows for a more personalized and respectful guest experience. Training teams – in our case of 75 nationalities- to be culturally aware ensures seamless interactions and elevated satisfaction. ➡️ Agility Defines Success Dubai’s hospitality and gastronomy moves very fast—trends shift, guest preferences evolve, and market dynamics change rapidly. Staying ahead means embracing agility, whether by integrating new technologies, rethinking service models, or responding to global challenges. Adaptability is key to maintaining a competitive edge. ➡️ A Five-Star Team Creates a Five-Star Experience Exceptional hospitality starts with an exceptional team. Employee engagement, well-being, and recognition directly impact service quality. Investing in training, fostering a strong service culture, and ensuring top-tier staff accommodation are critical in driving performance and morale. Happy teams create happy guests. ➡️ Technology Enhances, but People Deliver While technology plays a growing role in streamlining operations and enhancing convenience, for me true hospitality remains personal. No digital solution can replace looking for the “Golden Nuggets“or an anticipatory customer service of a well-trained team. Balancing tech with human touch ensures efficiency without compromising the emotional connection guests seek. Looking Ahead Dubai continues to evolve, and so does its hospitality landscape. The past two years have reinforced that success in this industry is about staying guest-centric, adaptable, and innovative. As I look forward, one thing remains unchanged—hospitality isn’t just about service; it’s about creating experiences that leave an ever lasting impression. What have been your key learnings in hospitality? I’d love to hear your thoughts! #Hospitality #Hotels #Luxury #WhatInspiresMe

The most dangerous mindset in hospitality right now? “We’ve always done it this way.” That one sentence has quietly killed more innovation, guest satisfaction, and employee retention than anything else in this industry. We are living in a time when customer expectations are changing weekly. Content trends are evolving daily. And yet, behind the scenes at some hotels, cruise lines, and destinations, the same outdated strategies are still being passed around like family recipes. “That’s how we’ve always handled check-ins.” “That’s how we’ve always posted on Instagram.” “That’s how we’ve always trained new hires.” Let me ask you this, how many guests have walked out of your lobby, or off your ship, thinking “That was fine… but I probably won’t come back” because the experience didn’t evolve with the times? Here’s some tactical advice I’ve seen work firsthand: 1. Quarterly innovation reviews: Every 90 days, sit your leadership team down and ask, “What are we doing just because it’s tradition?” Replace at least one of those things with something bold and guest-focused. 2. Rotate team members into social media strategy: Don’t let your digital presence be dictated by one person’s routine. Frontline staff have real-time insight into what guests actually care about, put them in the room where content ideas are born. 3. Reverse mentor your executives: Your youngest employees see things differently. Once a month, have someone under 30 lead a meeting about what content, platforms, or service experiences feel outdated, and what’s inspiring them right now. 4. Stop rewarding tenure over traction: Respect loyalty, but measure success by adaptability, not years served. The brands thriving in 2025 are the ones hiring for mindset, not just experience. 5. Audit your guest journey like a TikTok user: Fast. Visual. Emotionally clear. If any step of your guest experience is clunky, confusing, or uninspired, fix it. Don’t defend it. No one cares how long you’ve done it that way. The hospitality industry isn’t dying, but the old way of doing it is. What’s replacing it is faster, bolder, more digital, more transparent, and driven by stories that actually matter. Don’t get left behind because you refused to change something 'that always worked.' If that mindset worked in 2015, great. But this isn’t 2015. This is now! ---- I'm Scott Eddy, keynote speaker, social media strategist, and the #15 hospitality influencer in the world. I help hotels, cruise lines, and destinations tell stories that drive revenue and lasting results — through strategy, content, and unforgettable photo shoots. If the way I look at the world of hospitality works for you, and you want to have a conversation about working together, let's chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com.

Over the years, I've learned that true hospitality entails not just delectable food and a lovely setting, but also consistency, personalization, and attention to detail. From the time a guest arrives until they leave, every interaction counts. Whether you're new to the hospitality industry or creating your own concept, here is my ultimate checklist for creating a memorable guest experience: ✔️ First impressions set the tone The moment a guest walks through your doors is the moment their experience begins. Make it count. Make sure to greet them with a smile, eye contact, and enthusiasm that embodies the character of your venue. Within the first few seconds, people remember how you made them feel. ✔️ Anticipate needs before they ask Good service turns into great service at this point. Is your visitor running low on water? Between courses, has the table been waiting too long? Does a frequent visitor have a preferred seat or dish? Teach your staff to watch and respond before a request is made. Proactive service fosters loyalty and demonstrates concern. ✔️ Perfect the little details Often, the smallest things have the greatest effects. Consider how the lighting changes from day to night, how a napkin is folded, or how the music enhances the atmosphere. A unified, unforgettable atmosphere is produced by these details. Every location is created with the intention of telling a story, and the details are what make the tale come to life. ✔️ A strong team = exceptional service Without an empowered, well-trained, and mission-aligned staff, no venue can succeed. Being a host is a team sport. Make an investment in your people. Celebrate your victories. Openly discuss difficulties. Above all, establish a culture in which each team member takes ownership of the visitor experience because their concern is evident. ✔️ Tech should enhance, not replace hospitality Use technology to make things smoother, not colder. Digital tools and AI can help personalize menus, expedite reservations, and increase operational efficiency, but nothing can replace the human touch. Instead of reducing interaction, use technology to free up more time for your team to spend with guests. ✔️ Guests don’t just choose food, they embrace experiences We are now in the experience business rather than the food industry. People go out to experience celebration, comfort, connection, and excitement. Create moments that transcend the plate by planning your areas, your service, and your narrative. That's what makes a new visitor become a devoted regular. A successful F&B venue is about how you make people feel, not just what's on the menu. That’s the heart of hospitality. What do you think? What else would you include on this list? I would be interested in hearing your viewpoint. #HospitalityExcellence #CustomerExperience #HospitalityChecklist #7Management

Boom is a two-year-old AI-powered hospitality management platform whose latest funding round is a shot across the bow for every CXM platform with a foot in hospitality. The Bay Area-based company just raised $12.7 million to weave AI into the operational fabric of hotels. If you recall, Medallia started with Hilton as its first customer, so this is a particularly interesting story to follow. Boom isn't offering a chatbot in the lobby. On the contrary, they're promising conversational AI, hyper‑personalization, and predictive analytics that can learn, adapt, and autonomously manage complex tasks. Why does this matter for Qualtrics, Medallia, Sprinklr, and every other CXM vendor with hospitality clients? Because the data plumbing and decision‑making layers are moving deeper into the hotel. They're not going to live on a dashboard or inside a GenAI capability that a hotel manager uses to automatically generate a response to a low-NPS guest. This stuff will go by the way of the dodo bird. Imagine what this could look like: At Hilton, their Watson‑powered concierge “Connie” (now nearly 10 years old) answers questions about amenities and local restaurants. With Boom's AI capability, Connie could remember your running route from your last stay, pre-book your gym slot, and push a personalized offer through your loyalty app before you even unpack. Marriott Hotels has tested in‑room voice assistants that let guests control lighting and temperature. Layer predictive analytics on top, and the system could anticipate when you typically request room service, ask if you’d like your favorite snack delivered, and feed that behavior back into Qualtrics or Medallia for real‑time NPS tracking if you're into that sort of thing. Here’s how hospitality brands can turn this technology into magic: Connect your feedback loop. Integrate AI‑driven interactions with your CXM platform so every guest preference and sentiment automatically informs product and service tweaks. Train employees to be AI translators. Your staff should know how to interpret AI signals and add the human touch, whether it’s a concierge upselling a spa package or a manager smoothing out a glitch. Pilot, then scale. Start with a single property or service (e.g., check‑in) and use tiger teams to refine the experience before rolling it out chain‑wide. Frankly, I think Boom is ripe for a CXM provider looking for a nice tuck-in acquisition to boost their action-focused future and valuation. Because the future is not about delivering thermometers. The future is about enabling action at scale. Boom’s vision hints at a future where hotel stays feel bespoke at scale. If you were running Hilton or Marriott’s CX program, what’s one AI‑driven experience you’d implement tomorrow? #customerexperience #hospitality #ai #futureofwork #cxm #saas

How did an iconic hotel in Singapore, Marina Bay Sands, cut labor dependency with AI and robots by 30% while simultaneously generating 162,000 manhours of greater value with its staff? The secret lies in treating AI and robotics as a partner for your people, not a replacement. Marina Bay Sands (known as MBS here) in Singapore, a large-scale integrated hotel + casino + mall, is demonstrating that AI and robotics are now fully viable for complex, large-scale hospitality operations. MBS became the first in Singapore’s hospitality industry to deploy a fleet of 12 Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for back-of-house deliveries across its hotel and convention center. Facing a 35 percent surge in delivery volumes between 2019 and 2023, the resort turned to automation to manage growing demands. The deployment of AMRs, which handle manpower-heavy tasks, carrying up to 300kg and moving at 84 meters per minute, resulted in a 30 percent drop in labor dependency. However, the crucial insight for long-term value and staff adoption is the strategic focus on the workforce, repurposing Talent for Sustainable Value. MBS's comprehensive automation efforts, which include over 200 automated work processes across various functions (like 'The Wardrobe' system managing over 200,000 uniforms via ultra-high-frequency chips and automated stocktaking, or the automated upcycling of 100% of food waste by end of 2025), have resulted in the repurposing of over 162,000 manhours annually towards greater value-added tasks. For example, instead of job elimination, members of the procurement and supply chain teams who previously handled manual deliveries are now trained in new, higher-value roles such as inventory management and robot dispatching. By investing in innovation and fostering a culture of productivity, MBS leadership proves that successful integration requires to be people-driven just as much as you are AI-driven. Repurposing staff generates motivation, long-term value, and ensures technology adoption, making automation a key driver of human capital enhancement. full article here: https://lnkd.in/g_M3bpPs #HospitalityInnovation #AIinHospitality #Robotics #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureofWork #MarinaBaySands #GenAI #Leadership #Singapore #TheWayForward

✈️ From Dream to Booking: How Social Media Is Completing the Travel Funnel Back in the early 2000s, during my time with Priceline and Travelocity (now part of Expedia), we nailed the UX and supply side—but struggled with demand, interest, and conversion. Travelers were inspired, yet getting them to book directly from inspiration remained elusive. Fast forward to today: ✔️ Travelers now visit up to 277 web pages in the 45 days leading up to a booking. That’s up from just 38 in 2013. The path to purchase is increasingly fragmented. ✔️ 81% of travelers say social media inspires their travel decisions. TikTok has become one of the most powerful discovery tools, especially for Gen Z. ✔️ But sourcing inspiration across platforms and then seamlessly booking through OTAs? The funnel was broken. ⸻ A Game-Changer Emerges Booking.com and TikTok have just raised the bar. In the U.S., select users can now: ✔️ View hotel availability, ratings, prices, reviews ✔️ Book directly within the TikTok app ✔️ Receive confirmations straight in their TikTok inbox This is a watershed moment: social media is no longer just about inspiration—it’s becoming a distribution and booking platform. ⸻ Why It Matters ✔️Travel inspiration and booking are finally converging in one seamless experience. ✔️TikTok’s highly personalized feed now drives real-world decisions, and Booking.com brings the commerce element in-app. ✔️This integration showcases how visual storytelling can lead directly into transactions—no friction, no tabs, no abandonment. ⸻ Tryp.com: Cracking the Inspiration-Booking Gap This is why I’m so inspired by what Tryp.com has built: ✔️An AI-powered experience that turns inspiration directly into full itineraries—flights, trains, buses, hotels, activities—based on your preferences. ✔️ In just four years, André and his team have taken the idea of inspirational travel and made it instantly bookable. ✔️ They’ve essentially reimagined the top of the funnel, turning browsing into booking. I have no connection to Tryp.com—I’m simply excited and impressed by how they’ve solved a problem that many of us have wrestled with for decades. ⸻ The Future of Travel Commerce ✔️ Social platforms will increasingly act as both the spark and the checkout. ✔️ AI-driven inspiration platforms like Tryp.com are pivotal in shaping how travelers move from dream to itinerary. ✔️ The travel industry is on the cusp of a funnel transformation—and it’s fascinating to watch unfold. Could AI-powered inspiration be the next growth engine for travel tech? I believe Tryp.com and innovations like TikTok + Booking.com are pointing the way. #TravelTech #Innovation #AI #SocialCommerce #TravelInspiration