WHAT IT IS?
Marriott International has 19 brands and 6,000 properties worldwide. Now they have launched their all-encompassing ‘M-Live’ platform. It’s a platform designed to provide real-time content for guests and travelers. This way Marriot hopes to deliver experiences that will engage many with their brands. Immediate and on the spot. The platform collaborates with Silicon Valley start-up HYP3R. If an individual’s accounts is public, the platform can track its conversations on all social media. The technology makes it possible to monitor these conversations by location. Its geofence can vary. From limited — a building, home, hotel — to more broad — a whole zip-code neighborhood. All Marriot’s properties across the world are connected to the platform. It’s all about generating social engagement. But it is also a powerful way to identify trends, to monitor brand performances and reputation flows.
Depending on the nature of the post, Marriott can either use it as a suggestion to improve their services or as a way to give an immediate add-on to enhance customer satisfaction.
For instance, ‘M-Live’ identifies a couple posting on social media about their engagement at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville. The ‘M-Live’ team flags the post, getting the Gaylord brand and property teams involved, in order to deliver to the couple a champagne toast. This results in the couple thanking the property for their hospitality. Which is spontaneous, authentic content — solidifying the association and engagement with one of Marriott’s brands.
WHY IT’S COOL?
The M-Live platform not only triggers engaging messages and relevant alerts. It is also able to send targeted advertisements across multiple digital channels. Last but not least, the platform can send exclusive invites to specially selected guests, from food market treats to canal paddling. This way, enhancing the customer experiences, M-Live increases Marriot’s brands presence amongst its respective customers.
WHY IT HAS FUTURE GROWTH POTENTIAL?
Considering how intensely addicted the younger generations are to social media, the M-Live platform approach has great future potential growth. M-Live’s employees devour Twitter feeds, Instagram photos and Facebook posts in an effort to join the social conversation, increase the hotel chain’s brand presence and be in tune with the latest trends. It’s all about creating a personal relationship with their customers. M-Live has also enabled the brand to identify opportunities that are distinct for each Marriott’s brand.
For further information about M-live please visit: https://news.marriott.com/news/2016/07/25/marriott-international-launches-m-live-europe-the-companys-fourth-global-marketing-real-time-command-centre
4 Comments
More and more people are privacy sensitive and will use tracking blockers for their online presences. I do not believe that everybody wants to be tracked just so a commercial party can “create” authentic marketing moments.
It is creepy and kind of invading people’s privacy because they don’t have consent, but I think nowadays people are aware of these kinds of marketing strategies and don’t really mind.
This marketing project is very scary. People feel threatened when someone is invading their privacy. But unfortunately, most of business now would rather implement such projects just to reach their targets.
I think the idea they had in mind seemed genius yet in practice it does seem a bit scary and invasive. Maybe they should rethink how they can make the experience for guests more effective and personalized without invading any privacy.