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For more than 50 years the world has been flocking to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to get a peek at the latest breakthrough technologies. The CES was the place to launch the computer mouse, CD players, smart homes and 3D printers. Since its first show in 1967, more than <a href="https://www.ces.tech/Media/New-Product-Launches" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">700.000 products</a> have presented at the CES.

In case you didn’t have the chance to follow the show and were relying on Stampede to bring you the latest trends &#8211; we got you covered! From amazing inventions like the WiFi-enabled self-cleaning litter box for cats to  the latest brewing devices that enable you to create your own beer in 10-14 days, we’ll take a look at the latest WiFi trends around the world.
<h3>WPA3 Protocol</h3>
There has been a lot of ongoing discussion about the security flaws in the currently used WPA2 security control after the discovery of the <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/wpa2-breach-is-your-wifi-safe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">KRACK breach back in October</a>. At CES 2018, the WiFi-Alliance announced a new and more secure WiFi Protected Access security protocol.  Added improvements will expulse anyone who tries to snoop around the sensitive data that is constantly exchanged between devices and access points on wireless networks. Unlike WPA2, WPA3 will now block authentication after a set number of failed login attempts. The new protocol is expected to arrive at the beginning of 2018 and we hope manufacturers hurry up to supply us with the suitable hardware for it soon.
<h3>Let&#8217;s connect</h3>
One of the most exciting topics this year was the Internet of Things, an expression as general as the use that we can get from it. Everything is now connected to the internet, exchanging and collecting data to connect our devices, homes, cars and lives. At the CES, we had the first opportunity to look at smart cities, which are fully connected and probably know more about our behaviours and routines than we do ourselves. These smart cities connect absolutely everything, from your cat’s smart necklace to a self-steering car. Another emerging technology that was discussed during the event was the Internet of Life Saving Things (IoLST), which is focused on using connected technologies and captured data to save valuable seconds and lives in case of emergency. For example, a smart watch could detect a heart attack and immediately  call an ambulance &#8211; not bad for a device that was once used to just tell time!
Autobots, roll out!
There was a lot of buzz in Las Vegas this week about the latest developments in the automotive sector. All the big players found their way to the CES this year (so at least they’ve got the navigation systems down right). The trend continues with vehicle technologies taking away most responsibilities from human drivers and focus on safety by connectivity. This is a great mobility enhancement for seniors and disabled people who can&#8217;t otherwise get around. The coolest thing we saw? How about steering a car with nothing but human brain signals (which could be a good or bad thing, depending on the level of intelligence of the person behind the wheel).
Health is Wealth
An immense amount of smart devices at CES were aimed at becoming your own personal trainer. We saw sleep tracking devices that learn your sleep routine and help you to get the most out of the best time of the day and smart <a class="" href="http://www.rotextech.com/en/product.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tracking tattoos</a>, as thin as a sheet of paper, that inform you about heart rate or stress levels. Another fascinating innovation was <a href="https://www.oskawellness.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pulse</a>, a non-drug pain relief device that works with pulsed electromagnetic frequency to decrease pain at a cellular level. Pretty impressive!
Another year, another step forward
As with every year, the world was waiting with baited breath to see what the big players in the field of consumer tech had to offer at CES. Sure, there was some cool stuff, but we have to say,  there were less weird devices than expected- what a disappointment.
The crucial role of connectivity on this year’s CES was unmatched and we hope you can take away some inspiration about what smart homes, lifesaving watches and smart tattoos can do for you. So, if your new year’s resolution for your business is to take it to that next level, we’re happy to help you out you around and introduce you to a little helper that can make a big difference to both you and your customers. Simply hit the button below!
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

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CES 2018: WPA3, SMART TATTOOS and MORE

More and more hospitality operators are looking to take advantage of AI-driven marketing solutions as an opportunity to streamline their operations and support their staff.



In this guide, we will explore how hospitality operators can utilise AI to strengthen their marketing efforts, increase the visibility of their brand and drive growth at every stage of their customer journey.&nbsp;



From gaining AI-driven customer insights, and leveraging marketing automation, to in-depth data analytics and predictions. There are plenty of ways AI can be implemented in various areas of the business.



Now is the perfect time to jump on board with integrating AI into your hospitality business’s marketing plans.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-in-hospitality-marketing">AI in hospitality marketing</h2>



Artificial intelligence (AI), is the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that would usually require human intelligence.



In recent years, AI has revolutionised the hospitality industry, providing ample opportunities for businesses.&nbsp;



For instance, AI can quickly analyse large amounts of customer data to gain insights into preferences and behaviour. This can be used by staff to tailor the service and marketing campaigns. I.e. greeting a hotel guest with his favourite cocktail upon arrival or treating a customer with a restaurant voucher for their birthday.



In addition, AI can adapt the pricing strategy depending on the current market situation and provide future predictions. Managing and responding to online reviews also becomes much easier with AI tools. To name just a few, we will have a closer look at those and others in this guide.



Overall, by using AI in marketing, hospitality operators can create a seamless guest journey from the moment the customer first interacts with their brand, to the point they come back to the venue. This all leads to higher revenue and customer satisfaction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-ai">Advantages and disadvantages of AI</h2>



It is important for operators to weigh the pros and cons before deciding to incorporate AI into their business operations. We have summarised the most relevant ones in this short list below. 



You can find a more extensive list <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-ai-in-hospitality">in this article</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-main-advantages">Main advantages:</h4>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Increased operations efficiency and productivity. AI can streamline and automate repetitive tasks.</li>



<li>Cost reduction. AI allows for data-backed decision-making.</li>



<li>Tailored customer experience. AI provides insights that support personalised marketing and service.</li>



<li>Accurate forecasting. AI can identify revenue opportunities.</li>
</ol>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-main-disadvantages">Main disadvantages:</h4>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Impersonal service. AI lacks the human touch that many guests desire.</li>



<li>System failure. Operators are highly dependent on their digital tools to work seamlessly.</li>



<li>Technical limitations. Not all AI tools are able to cater for the needs of the hospitality industry.</li>



<li>High investment costs. Implementing AI is often a major investment.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-as-a-growth-tool-for-hospitality">AI as a growth tool for hospitality</h2>



AI technology is undoubtedly a growth tool for the hospitality industry, and those who successfully embrace it will thrive in the long run.&nbsp;



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-ways-to-optimise-your-hospitality-business-with-ai">Here are 4 ways</a> it can support different areas of the business.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-operations">1. Operations</h4>



AI technology has vastly improved the way hospitality operators conduct their daily operations and provide service.&nbsp;



Chatbots are a great example, as they can scan common customer queries and answer them in real time. This relieves staff of tedious, repetitive tasks, while still ensuring customers receive an excellent level of service around the clock.



Hotels are also increasingly leaning on AI for contactless check-ins and virtual concierges, making sure guests get the most out of their stay. Self-service kiosks in restaurants on the other hand allow customers to place orders more quickly and efficiently. Again freeing up staff time for other duties.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-marketing">2. Marketing</h4>



AI can massively improve the way hospitality businesses communicate with guests and market their services. It can gather a multitude of data points in one place, coming from tech tools such as Guest WiFi, table booking platforms or loyalty scheme.&nbsp;



Marketers can use the data to better understand customer preferences, habits and needs. This then allows them to provide a more personalised experience, offer relevant promotions and optimise their marketing campaigns for maximum results.



With AI automation, tasks such as uploading data are made simpler and faster. This frees up time and reduces human errors. Trigger-based campaigns based on previous customer interactions can also be easily automated. Such as sending discounts to customers who haven’t been at your venue for a while.&nbsp;



Lastly, AI can power up digital advertising by helping with audience and campaign optimisation. On top, it can monitor social media channels for brand mentions and engagement.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-sales-revenue">3. Sales &amp; revenue</h4>



There is promising potential for integrating AI to improve sales too.&nbsp;



AI can analyse customer data to predict their preferences and suggest personalised recommendations. Equipped with these insights staff can better upsell and cross-sell when customers are in the venue. Marketers as well can take advantage of this with highly targeted campaigns that lead to higher conversion rates and ultimately create more sales opportunities.&nbsp;&nbsp;



AI can further be used for improved revenue management for hotels and restaurants. It creates accurate forecasts by analysing past data as well as external factors such as market fluctuations.&nbsp;



This enables operators to adjust their pricing in real time. So they can take advantage of peak periods while still remaining competitive during off-peak times.



For hoteliers, this also means that they can ensure guests always get the best price when booking direct.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-data-analytics-reporting">4. Data analytics &amp; reporting</h4>



By using AI to generate accurate reports hospitality businesses can become more successful in the long run through leveraging data-driven insights into customer behaviour. So that they don’t rely on guesswork anymore.



A lot of, usually manual, tasks can be automated as well. Such as the creation of monthly reports or the building of customised dashboards with the metrics that matter.



AI can present the data in a way that is accessible to the entire team and that also facilitates performance analysis from relevant KPIs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-ai-use-cases-for-hospitality">3 AI use cases for hospitality</h2>



There are already examples of hospitality businesses successfully implementing AI and it&#8217;s likely that more will follow suit in the coming years.



We’ve summarised 3 <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-revenue-driving-ai-tools-for-hospitality-operators">popular use cases for AI marketing</a> and operations below.



If you’re a hotelier you can find more relevant examples <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-clever-ai-tools-to-support-your-hotel-operations">here</a> and we also got some, especially for restaurant operators <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-restaurant-specific-ai-tools-that-drive-sales">here</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">1. Personalised service</h4>



AI enables hospitality marketers to create a personalised customer experience with ease. Through the smart analysis of customer data, AI can segment customers into small groups according to patterns, demographics and historical interaction.



This empowers businesses to deliver targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customers, helping them feel appreciated and increasing loyalty.&nbsp;



AI also helps to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/another-5-step-recipe-how-to-easily-win-back-lost-customers-part-2-of-5">detect and retain lost customers</a> through automated campaigns that are triggered by pre-defined conditions.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. Content creation</h4>



AI technology can be used to quickly generate various pieces of content. This ranges from email campaigns to social media posts and website copy. Plus, it can translate content into multiple languages so you can reach wider audiences.&nbsp;



AI algorithms can also analyse the most engaging social media posts and create similar ones. Plus, it can also determine the best posting schedules, hashtags and content for various platforms to grow engagement and followers.



When it comes to website content, AI can improve SEO rankings and develop search engine-optimised content by incorporating relevant keywords.&nbsp;



Another example is restaurant menus. They are often seasonal and need to be changed on a regular basis. AI can support operators to come up with enticing menu descriptions and iterations to speed up the process.



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-speed-up-content-creation-with-ai-in-hospitality">Check out this article</a> to find out more about how you can create more hospitality marketing content in less time with AI.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">3. Chatbots</h4>



As already mentioned, hospitality operators are now discovering the value of AI-powered chatbots in providing better customer service that is available for customers&nbsp; 24/7.



Chatbots can be used for a variety of tasks. Common examples are answering FAQs, taking orders in restaurants and helping with general service requests.&nbsp;



Plus, they can act as a concierge and support customers with their travel planning by making personalised recommendations based on past interactions.



With the ability to integrate with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, hospitality operators can further create a more human experience and eliminate the typing for customers.



With these advanced capabilities, hospitality operators can enhance their services while also improving staff efficiency. All without ever compromising on guest satisfaction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ai-can-improve-reviews-management">How AI can improve reviews management</h2>



Online reviews play a crucial role in attracting customers. However, managing these reviews can be a daunting and time-consuming task for busy hospitality operators. This is where AI comes in to lend a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-ai-can-facilitate-reviews-management-for-hospitality-operators">helping hand with your reputation management</a>. 



For example, it takes over previous manual tasks done by staff. So instead of analysing each review platform separately and dealing with spreadsheets, AI can automatically gather all reviews in one place. This allows for quick access and a multi-channel overview. Reviews can be dealt with more efficiently and progress on each response can be tracked easily.



To avoid further complications, operators have to react to reach review in a timely manner. This way they can retain unhappy customers and show that their opinion matters to the business.&nbsp;



Depending on the number of reviews flooding in it can be challenging to keep up. With automated response generation, AI can help operators to better handle their to-do lists. Based on keywords AI can generate a personalised reply in no time.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Further, AI-powered sentiment analysis can provide operators with valuable insights into customer feedback. It can detect common themes and tag them accordingly. This enables businesses to quickly identify areas for improvement to enhance their service.



With AI, hospitality operators can better stay on top of their online reputation, and improve their overall scores and customer satisfaction.



If you want to find out how AI can also make it easier for customers to leave a review, check out this article.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summary">Summary</h2>



AI is a very beneficial tool that hospitality operators should look to explore and utilise to back up their marketing strategy.&nbsp;



AI technology has tremendous potential for increasing speed and accuracy in data collection and analysis. This allows operators to provide more tailored services for their customers based on what they&#8217;ve learned from past engagements. But also to make accurate predictions and more informed decisions which will save them time and money.



Moreover, AI can be used to aid in developing marketing content, automating and supporting daily service operations and improving reviews management.



There may be valid concerns around its adoption cost and potential impact on losing the human touch. Though, when leveraged correctly, AI can have significant positive impacts on your hospitality business.

AI In Hospitality Marketing: A Complete Guide

Vertical: The Future of Video Content for Digital Marketing

November – December 2024 Social Media Calendar

October – November 2024 Social Media Calendar

Free September – October 2024 Social Media Calendar

August 2024 Hospitality Email Marketing Guide

August – September 2024 Social Media Calendar

July – August 2024 Social Media Calendar

June – July 2024 Social Media Calendar

May 2024 Hospitality Email Marketing Guide

May – June 2024 Social Media Calendar

April 2024 Email Marketing Guide

April – May 2024 Social Media Calendar

F&B Event Promo HTML Email Template

eCommerce Shop HTML Email Template

Delivery Promo HTML Email Template

Loyalty App Download HTML Email Template

New Menu HTML Email Template

Sports Fixture HTML Email Template

Hospitality Newsletter HTML Email Template

Group Bookings HTML Email Template

Shortcut Your Way To 6x Higher Conversion Rates

February – March 2023 Social Media Calendar

January – February 2023 Social Media Calendar

Hospitality Hashtag Cheat Sheet

8 Tactics to Increase Customer Spend

The Direct Booking Checklist for Hotel Operators

The Reviews Toolkit

There’s a lot of talk about cutting costs these days. What better way to approach that than looking for free alternatives to some of your biggest expenses?&nbsp;



With all the free technology and website plugins out there, some must be at least semi-decent, right?



We wanted to find out more about what you don’t get with free versions, and what that might cost you in terms of customer experience and ultimately, revenue.



For this, we looked closely at 4 popular free WordPress (WP) plugins and compared the most important booking features against each other.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-free-wp-booking-plugins-compared">4 Free WP Booking Plugins Compared</h5>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table valign="middle"><tbody><tr valign="middle"><td class="has-text-centre" data-align="centre">Features</td><td class="has-text-valign:middle" data-valign="middle" data-align="centre">ReDi Restaurant Reservation</td><td>Five Star Restaurant Reservations</td><td>WPCafe</td><td>&nbsp;Quick Restaurant Reservations</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Number of free venues</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1</td><td>1</td><td>Unlimited</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Reservation restrictions&nbsp;(block times/days/length)</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">X</td><td>Only for days and times</td><td>X</td><td>&nbsp;Yes</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Data Export</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Customisable</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Yes</td><td>Only for the form, no custom fields</td><td>Yes</td><td>Only for the form, no custom fields</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">&nbsp;Automated reservation confirmation</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Manual only</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">&nbsp;Booking reminders</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">&nbsp;Support</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>X</td><td>X</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Integrations&nbsp;</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">X</td><td>X</td><td>Yes</td><td>X</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">&nbsp;Additional notes</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">No analytics or statistics</td><td>No front end page to display bookings</td><td>No front end page to display bookings</td><td>No daily or monthly calendar view</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">7 Reasons Why Bookings Platforms Are Worth Paying For</h5>



Here are a few important things you might be missing out on by relying on a free booking platform plugin



Data access:



You often have to pay to access customer data and/or are not able to download it for further usage. This means you can’t contact customers post-visit to ask for feedback or send them offers to bring them back.



Integration with other tech tools:



If you can’t access or download customer data, an integration would at least allow you to use your data to some extent. Without any of those options, you are massively missing out on future revenue.



Limited live or backend support:



You always have to install the plugin on your website yourself, which can sometimes come with its own challenges and takes up time. Plus, not all providers offer free customer support.&nbsp;



Multi-venue:



The majority only have one venue included in their free version. Any additional venues cost extra. Same for having multiple users for your account.



Customisation:



Custom fields (i.e. dietary restrictions, extras) are vital to make your customer experience more personal. Quite often you can only choose from preselected fields, even in the paid plans.



Customer communication:



Most of them don’t allow you to send email/SMS booking reminders. This can lead to an increase in no-shows and high operational costs.



The same applies to the post-visit feedback request, which isn’t available on any free plan.&nbsp;



Automation:



Technology should make our lives easier and help us save time. Booking reminders and review requests are one of the simplest marketing automation to set up but are not included in any of the free plans.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Takeaway</h5>



Free booking platform plugins might satisfy some basic booking requirements. However, the money you save on the free versions often costs you more further down the line.&nbsp;



Being unable to contact customers to drive loyalty is one of the biggest issues here. Your loyal customers are the ones that bring in new customers. And with their connection, the process starts over again.&nbsp;



In this case, it is definitely worth investing in a more complete booking system. Make sure to check out our <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/buyers-guide-11-key-features-your-table-booking-system-needs/">buyer’s guide</a> including the key features you should look out for when choosing a platform.



Get more tables booked, and manage your front-of-house operations efficiently. <a href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request">Book a demo</a> with our team to find out more about Stampede Bookings.

Are Free Booking Platform Plugins Any Good?

Service Recovery In The Hospitality Industry [Updated 2023]

Eat Out To Help Out (EOTHO) has undoubtedly delivered a big boost to the industry. But with the government scheme officially wrapping up this week, what can be done to keep the momentum going?



A large number of venues are extending it out of their own pockets. Why is that such a popular idea? Here&#8217;s just a few reasons:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The public already understand how the promotion works</li><li>There’s existing branding to leverage</li><li>Staff and internal systems are set up for it</li><li>There are customers out there who might have missed the chance first time round. (There are even Facebook Groups to track the offers!) </li></ul>



On top of that, running your own version means you can adapt the promotion to fit your business better, whilst drawing on the easily recognised offer. For example, Pizza Hut are only offering the discount to people who are signed up to their newsletter.



 Some venues are going a step further and creating EOTHO offers ONLY for hospitality staff and/or frontline workers. It’s a brilliant way to control the volume of discounted covers whilst also recognising the hard work of others and earning some kudos in the community.



 Even without a special offer on, it can be worthwhile reminding your regular customers that bookings are still available Monday to Wednesday. The renewal of quieter times of the week might be more appealing to certain customers.



 It’s also a good time to remind customers of other regular promotions you might run, but were overshadowed by EOTHO. Leading with the subject line &#8220;Don&#8217;t forget! You can still get&#8230;&#8221; will catch plenty of eyes in those inboxes.



 Lastly, and most importantly, make sure to touch base with those new customers you had in during EOTHO. Now is the optimal time to nurture that relationship online by <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/#email" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emailing</a> them, getting them to follow you on social media and <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/automations/#reviews" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">provide reviews</a>&nbsp;of their visit.&nbsp;



 Establishing that relationship now means they’re significantly more likely to come back to your venue, helping your business regrow faster.



 To find out more about connecting with those new customers, and reaching out to regular customers, <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> with one of our team members.

Ideas To Grow Beyond August

Did you know that email marketing has an average return on investment <a href="https://dma.org.uk/uploads/ckeditor/National-client-email-2015.pdf">(ROI) of 3,800 percent</a>? This really isn’t surprising, since <a href="https://dma.org.uk/research/dma-insight-consumer-email-tracker-2017">99% of consumers</a> check their email every day!



These statistics make it clear that email marketing is still one of the most popular ways of reaching your target audience – and keeping them <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/building-your-hospitality-brand-with-wifi/">engaged with your brand.</a>



Within the hospitality industry, marketing emails can help you achieve three important goals; increase the number of direct bookings, build customer loyalty and boost engagement.



To do so, you need to plan your campaigns well. For example, automate all your emails (welcome mails, weekly newsletters, special offers), incorporate personalisation, optimise for mobile, etc.



Here are our best tips on how to make the most out of this cost effective strategy to up your conversion rates.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">5 Email Marketing Tips For The Hospitality Industry&nbsp;</h4>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">1. Permission Based Campaigns</h5>



Imagine yourself starting a conversation with the subscriber when you send an email; in short, try to engage your subscribers with meaningful content. &nbsp;



This means two things:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>First, never send a marketing email to someone who has not given you explicit permission. To lend extra legitimacy to your email, you can also include <a href="https://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerce-answers/what-is-a-double-opt-in/">double opt ins</a></li><li>Second, space out your offers. For example, avoid sending five or six emails in a day as this could be seen as spam</li></ul>



The idea is to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-build-an-email-list-for-a-non-digital-business/">grow your list of subscribers organically</a> through branded login portals, optimised landing pages or even a short form with welcome cards that your guests can fill in.



Think about it this way: when you run permission based campaigns, you’re only targeting people who are actually interested in your offer (since they have subscribed to your marketing emails).&nbsp;



This also helps you drive up your open and click through rates – thereby increasing engagement and sales.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2. Keep Mobiles In Mind&nbsp;</h5>



As per recent statistics, <a href="https://www.emailmonday.com/mobile-email-usage-statistics/">47% of people use mobiles</a> to check their email on average. This clearly shows that optimising your emails for mobile is no longer optional – it’s a necessity.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus.png" alt="mobile email reading environment stats 2019" class="wp-image-13156" width="384" height="323" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus.png 512w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-300x253.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-150x126.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-71x60.png 71w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-107x90.png 107w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /><figcaption>Source: <a href="https://litmus.com/ebooks/state-of-email-engagement">Litmus</a></figcaption></figure></div>



There are multiple ways you can do so. For example, it’s a good idea to avoid large size images – or too many images – as they might take longer to load on mobiles with iffy WiFi connections.&nbsp;



Similarly, use a responsive template as these are designed to automatically fit any screen on which the email is being opened.



Other ideas include making your subject line short and precise since phones do not display all the characters when held vertically, and adding call-to-action buttons instead of links.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">3. Email Automation&nbsp;</h5>



As a hospitality business, part of your lead nurturing process will be to send a lot of emails to your subscribers such as newsletters, special offers, pre and post-stay emails etc.&nbsp;



But doing this manually can be tedious. The solution? Email automation.



This is the best way to drive conversions and keep your subscribers engaged at scale – without taking up too much time. In other words, email automation allows businesses to create personalised experiences based on how consumers interact with the brand.&nbsp;



In practical terms, you can automate your welcome emails, weekly newsletters or set up trigger based emails for when a user takes a specific action on site.&nbsp;



Remember, businesses that use automation to nurture their leads or keep existing customers engaged observe <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/products/marketing-cloud/benefits-of-marketing-automation/">45% more purchases</a>.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics.png" alt="Email marketing automation statistics" class="wp-image-13157" width="465" height="375" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics.png 620w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-300x242.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-150x121.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-592x477.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-74x60.png 74w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-112x90.png 112w" sizes="(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px" /><figcaption>4Source: <a href="https://optinmonster.com/31-best-email-marketing-automation-tools/">Optinmonster</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">4. Personalised Content&nbsp;</h5>



Since <a href="https://us.epsilon.com/pressroom/new-epsilon-research-indicates-80-of-consumers-are-more-likely-to-make-a-purchase-when-brands-offer-personalized-experiences">80% of consumers</a> are more likely to purchase from businesses that cater to their preferences, it’s crucial that you focus on personalising your emails to increase reservations, revenue and customer loyalty.



Effective personalisation can be as simple as sending a welcome email to the guest or as complex as adding a picture of the room that your guest last stayed in.&nbsp;



To start with, you can add the following touches to your emails:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Mention the recipient’s first name</li><li>Use geolocation to make relatable content</li><li>Use stories to elicit emotions (e.g.: taking a break from work and stress for a holiday)</li></ul>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-737x1024.png" alt="Personalised Digital Marketing Figures" class="wp-image-13158" width="369" height="512" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-737x1024.png 737w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-216x300.png 216w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-768x1067.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-1106x1536.png 1106w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-150x208.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-592x822.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-43x60.png 43w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-65x90.png 65w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 369px) 100vw, 369px" /><figcaption>Source: <a href="http://resources.marketsource.com/Personalized-Digital-Marketing.html">MARKETSOURCE</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">5. Analytics &amp; Reporting&nbsp;</h5>



Marketers primarily rely on two metrics for email campaigns; open and click-through rates.&nbsp;



While it is important to track which headlines are getting the highest open rates and which CTA are bringing in maximum clicks, email analytics go deeper than these two factors.&nbsp;



For example, in-depth tracking can yield specific insights about your customers’ preferences and behaviour that you can use to set up certain KPIs.



You can add more layers to email analytics through the following metrics:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Conversion rate</li><li>Unique clicks and unique open rates</li><li>Click-to-open rate (CTOR)</li><li>Unsubscribe rate&nbsp;</li><li>Bounce rate</li><li>Opens by device</li><li>Spam score, etc.</li></ul>



And that’s it – these are the top five tips that businesses in the hospitality industry should use in their email marketing campaigns to increase their conversions and ROI.



With Stampede, it doesn’t matter if you’re a non-digital business. We help you successfully target your customers across multiple touch points through our cloud-based WiFi solution.&nbsp;



Regardless of whether you’re a small café, a five star restaurant, casino, hotel, amusement park or tour operator, we can have your branded WiFi portal up and running so you can start capturing valuable customer contact and information.



The best part is that we are <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/blackbx-wifi-and-gdpr/">fully GDPR compliant</a> so you don’t have to worry about managing personally identifiable data or incurring fines.



Want to learn more about Stampede and our services? <a href="https://stampede.ai/contact/">Contact us today</a>!

Email Marketing Tips For The Hospitality Industry

Feature Update – Improved campaigns, reporting and imports

Improving Conversion Rates in Marketing

Stampede Updates – July 2017

The need for fast and reliable guest WiFi at public venues is becoming as common as running water and electricity. Some achieve this better than others and often the reason for a negative experience is not the software being used or the method of delivery but the hardware behind it.
When we were tasked with delivering a guest WiFi solution to <a href="https://www.royalhighlandcentre.co.uk/">The Royal Highland Centre</a> in Edinburgh, I was happy to learn that <a href="https://whysettle.co.uk/">WhySettle</a> out our IT partners for this install had already fitted out the venue fully with Ubiquiti UniFi hardware all managed using an externally hosted cloud controller. The network consists of 103 access points and has a range of indoor and outdoor spaces with over 18’000 square metres of exhibition space.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-10886 size-full" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map.jpg" alt="" width="2724" height="2650" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map.jpg 2048w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-300x292.jpg 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-1024x996.jpg 1024w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-768x747.jpg 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-1536x1494.jpg 1536w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-1200x1167.jpg 1200w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-150x146.jpg 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-1920x1868.jpg 1920w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-16x16.jpg 16w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-592x576.jpg 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-62x60.jpg 62w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RHS-map-93x90.jpg 93w" sizes="(max-width: 2724px) 100vw, 2724px" />
The Royal Highland Centre hosts over 250 events annually and welcomes over a million visitors each year so, the guest network has to be top notch. Stampede provides a seamless login experience pointing guests to a captive portal allowing the venue to collect any data on guests that they wish. The RHS decided to collect email and postcode information; from this, we are constantly updating a large mailing list and user origin map.
Some say that data is the new oil but data without the proper software and utilisation is about as valuable as oil would be if engines were never invented. Stampede can integrate directly with the vast majority of marketing automation tools such as MailChimp, ConstantContact and Dotmailer. All opt-ins and verification happens right within our system meaning that all information captured is fully compliant with GDPR and verified to be accurate by the user themselves. 
So far, we have collected fully complaint and verified information of around 15’000 people at The Royal Highland Centre all underpinned by a solid UniFi guest network.
Interested in deploying a Stampede network in your venue? <a href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Find out more</a>.

Providing Guest WiFi to the Royal Highland Centre

The opening of Jamie Oliver’s new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hot-dinners.com/2022101211817/Gastroblog/Latest-news/pasta-dreams-jamie-oliver-soho-pop-up-delivery-restaurant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">delivery-first pasta&nbsp;</a>brand has been hitting the news for the last couple of days.&nbsp;



For many of us, ordering a takeaway or delivery has become a regular thing. In fact,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.co.uk/news/ordering-part-brits-weekly-mealtime-routine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">22 million Brits do so at least once a week</a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecaterer.com/news/consumer-spending-slows-barclaycard-september-2022-evenings-in-spending-more-takeaways" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">customer spending increasing</a>&nbsp;by 10.1% since March.&nbsp;



This recent consumer trend presents a big opportunity. By&nbsp;diversifying your revenue streams&nbsp;you can better protect your food and drink business from market fluctuations.



It&#8217;s time to bring back your delivery offers and meal kits to drive some extra revenue this winter.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">10 Tips To Increase Your Delivery Orders</h5>



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Opt for direct ordering rather than 3rd party &#8211; 62% of customers want to order direct and via an app </li><li>Ensure a smooth ordering process and online experience </li><li>Send offers to customers who have ordered only once to encourage more frequent orders </li><li>Use the data insights to create personalised offers, i.e. favourite menu item </li><li>Tie it to your loyalty program &#8211; 70% prefer a ‘ free delivery’ as a reward </li><li>Have an accurate menu description with enticing imagery </li><li>69% of customers rate reviews as a deciding factor for their next order &#8211; actively ask customers for reviews, reply the good and bad ones, and keep an eye on your scores </li><li>Use customer feedback to continuously improve your processes, packaging, etc. </li><li>Make use of upsell options, i.e. drink package, dessert </li><li>Spread the word &#8211; pinned social media post (and link in your bio), website banner, email</li></ol>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-re-create-a-restaurant-at-home-experience">How To Re-Create A Restaurant At-Home Experience</h5>



Customers might cut back on expensive meals over the next couple of months, but they still want to&nbsp;treat themselves. Delivery and meal kits hence fit in as an ideal &#8211; and cheaper &#8211; alternative.



It’s up to you to make the&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-get-it-right-meal-kit-online-sales-success-by-hawskmoor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at-home experience</a>&nbsp;as special as your in-venue one. So, your venue becomes their preferred choice for ordering and you can later&nbsp;turn them into walk-ins.



Here’re some ideas to pimp up your orders:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Come up with seasonal meal kits, i.e. autumn, festive-themed (this also creates a sense of urgency to order and avoid missing the specials!) </li><li>Consider different mid-week and weekend offers, i.e. offer weekend drink packages </li><li>Offer a premium version with high-end ingredients/specials </li><li>Include add-ons, i.e. decoration, curated playlist, printed or digital tasting menus and notes </li><li>Offer a limited special featuring your bestseller and signature dishes </li><li>Include a personal note in your orders </li><li>Sneak in a little surprise in your boxes, i.e. Halloween treats, Christmas chocolate</li></ul>



Further reading &#8211;&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-set-up-a-successful-meal-kit-e-commerce-page/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to set up a successful meal-kit e-commerce page.</a>



Need a hand with promoting your delivery offerings via email and SMS? <a href="mailto:support@stampede.ai?subject=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a> with our team who are happy to help.

Secure Revenue This Winter With Delivery Orders

Did you know that Guest WiFi and Reviews are interconnected? And that you can use the first to boost the second?







It comes as no surprise that great guest review scores are one of the main factors for your business’s financial success. One the other hand, it also doesn&#8217;t require much to understand the possible negative impact low star reviews can have on your business.&nbsp;



Guests score you on a number of factors, such as the level of service and the quality of products you provide. It is, in essence, a grade of the customer experience at your business.



So just imagine. The service is great, the staff are friendly and knowledgeable, the venue is fantastic and the food and drinks…to die for! Imagine letting all that goodwill evaporate when your guests can’t access the WiFi.



Now you may think that will not influence their experience as 4G is widely available,&nbsp;however, 86% of tablets require WiFi, not 4G for internet connection. Recent surveys have shown that 75% of respondents reported that a good WiFi experience would influence them returning to a venue and therefore has an impact on their reviews. 



There are some easy steps you can take to improve the guest WiFi experience and the review score of your business.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Welcome Your Customers</h4>



A WiFi welcome page that is branded for your venue is a great way to welcome guests and to further advertise your business. It is also a way for you to ask customers&nbsp;information about themselves in exchange for free WiFi. This simple method is a brilliant way of getting more back from your WiFi, as well as offering a reliable connection for your guests.



Another step further, if you operate a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-advantages-of-managed-wifi-for-your-hospitality-chain/">hospitality chain.</a> You are able to create a uniform brand experience allover your venues. So that your customers recognise your brand wherever they go. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Welcome Them Back</h4>



In every business the key to success is offering a product that people want to come back for, again and again. Once your guests return to your venue, they do not have to enter any information to connect to WiFi. They will <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/get-your-customers-to-login-once-keep-them-always-connected/">seamlessly connect</a> just as they would at home, and why not welcome them with a &#8216;welcome back&#8217; email? And why not share this experience in a positive review?



That&#8217;s now possible with our <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">Marketing Automation Feature. </a>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Know Your Guests</h4>



As well as giving your customers a fantastic experience, wouldn’t it be great if your&nbsp;WiFi could give you, the business owner, something in return apart from positive reviews? With a good Guest WiFi solution, you can now know how often guests return, which days/times they return, how long they stay and much more. Very valuable <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-marketing-power-of-wifi-analytics-for-your-business/">analytics</a> for the savvy business owner.



Using these insights, you could then create special campaigns. Say you&#8217;ve identified a quieter time during the week, so why not send out special offers (2-4-1) to boost them?



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Keep the Conversation Going</h4>



So your review scores are increasing and you have a growing, happy and loyal customer base, that you know quite a lot about. The information obtained can be used to spread brand awareness with your customers and give “<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/engaging-customers-through-wi-fi-marketing/">calls to action</a>” through loyalty programs, special offers &amp; discounts.



So, why not invest in great Guest WiFi system to make your customers happy, increase your review scores and use fantastic marketing tools to keep <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/building-customer-loyalty-with-blackbx/">them coming back?</a>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Increasing your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">Online Reviews</a></h4>



If all the above is not enough for you and you still want to get more reviews from your WiFi. Why not try out our reviews feature?



With this, you are able to automatically ask your customers for a review once they&#8217;ve left your venue. In a round-robin-like system, these reviews will be evenly distributed to your TripAdvisor, Google and Facebook. 



But this is not the best part of the feature. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">Negative reviews</a> often cannot be prevented, even if you gave your best. So, everything below 4 stars will go to a hosted form only you have access to. This allows you to get in touch with the customer and take any counteractions to turn a negative experience into a positive one.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<div class="wp-block-media-text" style="grid-template-columns:36% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12864" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300.png 600w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-300x300.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-150x150.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-96x96.png 96w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-560x560.png 560w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-16x16.png 16w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-592x592.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-100x100.png 100w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-60x60.png 60w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-90x90.png 90w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Want to Take Full Control Over Your Reviews?



_______________



<a href="https://stampede.ai/reviews/">Check out our reviews tool</a>
</div></div>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Got curious? Do you want to see all this in action? Get in touch with us now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="#schedule-demohttps://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a></h2>

How WiFi Can Help Boost Guest Reviews Of Your Venue

We all know Tripadvisor mainly as a platform for reviews and hotel bookings. But did you know that they also have a new Holiday Rentals section on their website?&nbsp;High market competition from vacation rentals and AirBnBs has always been a challenge for the hotel industry. The pandemic further led to a shift in demand patterns with customers looking towards a more private setting for their holidays.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



With the lodging industry slowly opening up again, <a href="https://www.hotelbenchmarking.com/blog/2021/04/surge-summer-bookings/">(staycation) bookings</a> for holiday rentals are highly popular. Many places are already fully booked for the Summer season. Better opportunities for social distancing and staying within your own household might be a reason why people opt for holiday rentals rather than staying in a hotel.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-ways-to-ramp-up-your-hotel-bookings">4 Ways To Ramp Up Your Hotel Bookings</h4>



This all might sound daunting for hotels. However, if you level up your Tripadvisor strategy and get your promotions right, there is still a big piece of the pie left that could be yours.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-reassure-potential-customers-through-travel-safe-feature">1. Reassure Potential Customers Through <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/safety-measure-transparency-on-tripadvisor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Travel Safe&#8221;</a> Feature</h4>



Win back customers and boost their confidence with the Tripadvisor safety measures option, which is not available for holiday rentals. Tripadvisor allows customers to filter their searches by properties who have added Travel Safe features. So, if you haven’t set it up yet &#8211; <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-update-your-tripadvisor-with-safety-measures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">check out our quick guide</a> to get you started.



Extra tip &#8211; the Travel Safe section includes the date that it was last updated. Make sure it indicates a recent date to show that your measurements are updated on a regular basis and in-line with any regulations.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="414" height="434" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25.png" alt="" class="wp-image-19955" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25.png 414w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25-286x300.png 286w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25-150x157.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25-16x16.png 16w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25-57x60.png 57w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-2021-04-26-at-11.07.25-86x90.png 86w" sizes="(max-width: 414px) 100vw, 414px" /></a></figure></div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-keep-your-tripadvisor-page-updated">2. Keep Your Tripadvisor Page Updated</h4>



Just as you do with your website and social media channels make sure you keep your Tripadvisor page updated with fresh content.



Upload new images, showcasing all the health &amp; safety measurements you have in place to generate trust. The better your guests can picture their experience at your venue in advance, the higher the chance they’ll decide to stay with you.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-last-minute-offers">3. Last-Minute Offers</h4>



Many are still hesitating to book their Summer holidays yet. But most of the vacation rentals are already booked. So, this is your chance to promote last-minute deals in your hotel and win those customers over to your venue. Your turn-over is most likely higher than those of holiday rentals, which could present some attractive availability options for those bookings.



Whilst you’re promoting any last-minute rooms, use the opportunity to upsell. Think of an attractive combined offer with your restaurant/spa facilities.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-showcase-your-amenities">4. Showcase Your Amenities</h4>



Need a break from DIY meal-kits and takeaway food? Could you do with someone pampering you for a while? Keywords that might trigger a lot of us right now. The beauty of staying in a hotel lies in the fact that you don’t have to take care of yourself!



The all-in relax package, which holiday rentals don’t offer. A fact you should tap into right now and center your promotional messaging and Tripadvisor page around. “Get spoiled and take the break you deserve”.



If you need help sending out your email and SMS promotions to your customers or looking for more Tripadvisor best practice to increase your hotel bookings, <a href="contact@stampede.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> with one of our team.

How to Tackle Tripadvisor’s Latest Hotel Booking Challenge

Social Media, blogging and emails are the predominant tools that help build a marketing strategy, we use them ourselves for personal purposes and know that they work. But how does a <a class="" href="http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2017/10/27/how-many-people-see-your-content-each-digital-channel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">98% open rate</a> sound to you?

Yes, <a class="" href="http://info.dynmark.com/hs-fs/hub/307137/file-650880813-pdf/whitepapers/Intelligence_Review_Edition2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">you heard right, 98%!</a> This is only one of the convincing <a class="" href="https://www.textlocal.com/blog/2017/06/16/5-stats-that-prove-2017-is-the-year-for-sms-marketing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">benefits that SMS Marketing</a> brings to the table. The straightforward and intimate nature of SMS were other reasons for Stampede to make it part of the <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">marketing approach</a> we offer with our software.
<h3>GDPR Changes</h3>
As you must have heard by now, changes concerning data privacy are ahead in form of the General Data Protection Regulation (known as GDPR), which will be implemented in May 2018. For email and SMS marketing, that means an opt-out or unsubscribe option must be included in every communication you send out.
SMS messages sent through Stampede were previously limited to 160 characters, but due to the GDPR changes and the necessity of an unsubscribe option in SMS, the new maximum number of characters you&#8217;ll be able to use to promote your brand and services will be decreased to around 133 characters. It is quite difficult to send long links to your customers that allow them to unsubscribe. 
Don’t worry, as usual, we have the solution for you.
<h3>URL Shorteners</h3>
Long URLs can be easily shortened with free tools like <a class="" href="https://bitly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://bitly.com/</a> and <a class="" href="https://goo.gl" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://goo.gl</a>. All you have to do is copy the link you want to shorten to one of the tools and you’ll receive a neat looking, short link right away! Using the short link in SMS will now save characters, which you can use to promote your business instead.
<h3>Way more than just a link</h3>
Links enable us to quickly visit a site on the Internet, save helpful resources and share cute cat videos with our friends. They are used in every channel for every conceivable purpose and shortening them is not the only thing you can do.
<h3>Link Branding</h3>
You can brand your shortened link to give some context to the click and let others know what they are about to see before they even click the link. You&#8217;ve probably seen this on sites like YouTube &#8211; like so &#8211; <a class="" href="https://youtu.be/rNSnfXl1ZjU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://youtu.be/rNSnfXl1ZjU</a>.
A branded short domain is where the true experience starts for your customer.
<h3>Link Insight</h3>
Another decisive benefit you can get from URL shortening is insight. We here at Stampede have always been convinced that <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#insight" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">understanding your customers</a> is the key to success. With our software we enable you to track new and returning visitors to your venue. To track link clicks, shortened links can be used. They give you the opportunity to measure your performance with link analytics. Insights are a powerful tool to not only track your marketing efforts but also to adapt them continuously.
<h3>Let&#8217;s be honest</h3>
Wouldn’t you like to find out how many of your friends secretly click your cute cat video? 
<iframe loading="lazy" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rNSnfXl1ZjU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
If you crave more powerful insights into your customer&#8217;s online behviour through awesome guest WiFi, there&#8217;s no reason to wait- click the button below and find out how Stampede can help you boost your business!
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Shorter is Better! The 133 Character Limit

With Google announcing the end of third-party cookies in 2024, the clock is ticking for hotels to switch to a first-party data strategy for good.



For many this radical change has already proven worthwhile. As per a recent survey by Sojern, <a href="https://www.sojern.com/press-release/81-percent-of-hoteliers-see-a-lift-in-revenue-once-a-first-party-data-strategy-is-implemented">81% of hoteliers said they have seen an increase in revenue</a> since changing their game plan.&nbsp;



No doubt, this is a big strategic move that requires thoughtful resource management and planning.



We’ve gathered some key things to keep in mind before you get started.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-first-party-strategy">What is a first-party strategy?&nbsp;</h2>



First-party data refers to data that is obtained by the hotel through its owned digital channels. Examples are their Guest WiFi, loyalty program or website booking integration.



The biggest benefit is that operators have full ownership over this type of data. They can store, access and manage it directly and use it for marketing purposes and more.



In addition, 1st party data is often more accurate and relevant as it is willingly provided by customers to the company.



However, the current situation is more like a mix of first- and third-party data. The latter often comes from guests booking through OTAs rather than direct.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why opt for a first-party-only strategy?</h2>



Without third-party tracking and data, operators miss out on essential interaction points in their customers’ journey.&nbsp;



Personalised marketing and on-site service become nearly impossible, the outcome is a rather disjointed guest experience. 



For example, hotels <a href="https://stampede.ai/downloads/the-direct-booking-checklist">don’t get access to OTA booking data</a> and can therefore not contact guests prior to their arrival to tailor their stay.



So in an ideal scenario, all the data is collected by the hotel based on actual customer interactions. From the first touch point, i.e. the initial booking, onwards when guests return.&nbsp;&nbsp;



This then allows operators to create a holistic guest profile which stores preferences and previous interactions. Insights that can be used for personalised marketing to drive long-term loyalty and revenue.



Though, the key to a successful 1st party strategy is getting the right data from the right sources.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10 most-used 1st party data sources for hotels</h2>



How can hotel operators gather their own data covering online and offline events? Let’s have a look at some common first-party sources:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Property Management System (PMS)</li>



<li>Customer Relationship Management System (CRM)</li>



<li><a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi">Guest WiFi</a></li>



<li>Website &#8211; newsletter sign-ups</li>



<li>Mobile app sign-ups</li>



<li>Online booking engine</li>



<li>Guest surveys</li>



<li>Loyalty program</li>



<li><a href="https://stampede.ai/get-bookings">Table booking platform (F&amp;B)</a></li>



<li>Social media channels</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4 steps for implementing a first-party data strategy</h2>



Here are 4 essential actions to take to start shifting your strategy:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Map out your entire customer journey. Consider all potential online and offline sources. Define your marketing short/long-term goals.</li>



<li>Determine the required data and its sources. What is the current process in place and what is missing? Close potential data gaps.</li>



<li>Make the best use of your data. Choose the right technology to manage your data most efficiently.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Analyse and adjust if necessary. Build your own customised dashboards and reports to keep an eye on progress.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to maximise your first-party data</h2>



In general, the more data sources hotels can access, the easier it is for them to build a 360-degree customer view.&nbsp;



However, this can also quickly lead to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/5-common-data-integration-flaws-in-hospitality-tech">disjointed data silos</a> piling up, which requires a lot of manual labour and time to connect them. But without their integration, the data is of no use and correct attribution is nearly impossible.&nbsp;



In addition, handling various systems and spreadsheets also increases the potential risk of a GDPR breach.



So, in order to use the data in the most efficient and secure way, hotels should therefore opt for a <a href="https://stampede.ai/">unified CRM solution</a>. It automatically syncs all their sources into one place without the need for integrations.



All staff members get access to the same data and from there they can quickly analyse it, segment it and use it to drive their marketing efforts.&nbsp;



Plus, with a multi-functional system, the overall data quality increase as guest profiles are always up-to-date. Which in turn results in better marketing conversions.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Make sure to check out our <a href="https://stampede.ai/downloads/the-direct-booking-checklist">FREE Direct Booking Checklist</a>. Our step-by-step guide features examples around social media, email marketing and SEO to ensure that you’ve ticked every box when it comes to your direct bookings.

A Quick Guide On First-Party Data Strategy For Hotels

At-home meal kits. It all started with &#8220;pizza in the post&#8221; during the first lockdown. Since then the process has been refined to the point where replicating it can lead to near-guaranteed success.



The kinks have been worked out in the ordering process, and customers know what to expect &#8211; it properly works now. Getting it right means people will tell others, and order more themselves.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



The whole process is based on an adapted eCommerce platform. This helps because it’s what the majority of people are familiar with, so ordering a meal-kit isn’t a step too far. 



We’ve looked at some popular examples to see what it takes to get it right.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-delivery-date">Delivery Date</h4>



Unlike many things ordered online, the customer chooses their delivery date upfront, instead of just being told when to expect the item. This is where the lines blur with fast-food or instant delivery and perhaps where some of the teething issues came from in the past.



For <a href="https://store.dishoom.com/bacon-naan-roll-kit" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dishoom&#8217;s bacon naan roll kit</a>, a pop-up box to choose your delivery date appears as soon as you hit the &#8220;Order&#8221; button, before an “added to cart” confirmation.



<a href="https://home-x.com/pages/home-by-nico" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Home by Nico</a> has an additional piece of information about the delivery date:



&#8220;DELIVERY DATE: Choose a delivery date one day before you wish to dine&#8221;



People are conditioned to an order > delivery > eat-on-the-same day mentality. Any additional detail you can include that differentiates your meal-kits from this will help manage expectations for happier customers.



Think of it this way &#8211; the wording should be more akin to ordering a supermarket delivery, than a cooked meal delivery.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rich-detail">Rich Detail</h4>



Meal-kits are rarely as simple as supermarket food to prepare, however, but that’s part of the fun of them.



You can’t go wrong going into too much detail about the kit and prep instructions. Make a how-to video like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61hJFUeK0nw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pizza Pilgrims</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV2bKqHSu7k&amp;feature=emb_title" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dishoom</a>, create an instructions sheet that can be downloaded as PDF, &nbsp;viewed online as a webpage and goes in the box too.&nbsp;



Give people plenty of pictures of “how it should look”. Also, a breakdown of what’s included, what’s constructed, and what needs put together. So they understand the level of effort required before ordering.



<a href="https://home-x.com/products/home-by-nico-february-2021-menu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Home by Nico’s</a> ordering page has a full scrolling section presenting each course with high-quality pictures and ingredient details. The page also includes reassuring practical details such as “After delivery, pop your box in the fridge to keep fresh. Enjoy for up to 48 hours.” 



The secret to their success is to get customers prepared. When they succeed, you’ll succeed because they’ll become your advocates. Happy customers will tell others about your excellent meal-kit alongside your “easy to follow instructions” and “clear pictures and video guide”. And this will generate more sales.



It’s about the whole experience working &#8211; from order, to prep and consumption &#8211; that makes meal-kits appealing.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lean-on-the-functionality">Lean On The Functionality</h4>



A final note on using eCommerces systems: make sure to explore all the features your system of choice offers. Dishoom has a tab for “Related items” to try and generate cross sales from their bacon naan roll kit, by advertising the vegan sausage roll kit.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="829" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-1024x829.png" alt="" class="wp-image-19545" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-1024x829.png 1024w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-300x243.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-768x622.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-150x121.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-592x479.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-74x60.png 74w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items-111x90.png 111w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dishoom-Related-Items.png 1166w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



They could equally well include individual jars of the tomato-chilli jam, which features heavily in the bacon roll kit, for those who want more than what’s in the kit.



What else could you advertise as related or similar on the meal kit product page? Think about increased order value and enhanced customers’ experience.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-next">What Next?</h4>



If you’ve gone to all the effort of establishing a robust meal-kit operation, sending regular reminders to your customers is a must.



This is expected when the menu changes every so often (like Home by Nico). For fixed menu items, keep the emails and social media posts frequent to maintain order volumes. Experiment with different imagery, times of day and subject lines to reach the widest possible audience.



If you need any assistance setting up campaigns for your meal-kits, <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> and we’ll be happy to help.

Couple cooking dinner using a digital tablet and smiling in kitc

How To Get The “At-Home Meal-Kit” Formula Right

A new venue opening is always exciting and creates a big hype.



Press coverage, opening events, social media posts, website launch… And of course, word-of-mouth from those who have already paid you a visit.



Inevitable, after all the buzz there will eventually come a time when the&nbsp;initial spike in your footfall&nbsp;will start to slow down.&nbsp;



The good news, there’s a way to prevent this from happening.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Keep Up Your Footfall With Customer Data</h5>



If you capture customer data from the moment you open the doors of your new venue, you’re able to&nbsp;build and grow a strong mailing list.&nbsp;



This mailing list is the foundation for your marketing and helps you turn all those first-time visitors into loyal customers.&nbsp;



The graph below helps you visualise how footfall is impacted over time, depending on if you have access to customer data from the beginning or not.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="636" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29-1024x636.png" alt="" class="wp-image-22567" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29-1024x636.png 1024w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29-300x186.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29-768x477.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29-150x93.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29-592x368.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-17-at-11.08.29.png 1050w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-quickly-grow-a-mailing-list">How To Quickly Grow A Mailing List</h5>



However, building a mailing list from your&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-revenue-boosting-combo-of-wifi-and-bookings-data/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">table booking system</a>&nbsp;alone will only provide you with a limited amount of data. You will get the data from the lead booker but not the entire party, hence you’re missing out on a big bunch of customers.



So, ideally, you want to&nbsp;get the contact details of everyone&nbsp;who is in your venue.



The best way to gather this real-time data is by using your WiFi as a <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">captive portal</a>. This means customers enter their contact details when they sign up for your WiFi. 



Now all you need to do is to set up email and SMS campaigns to reach out to those customers.



Save some time and make use of&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/easy-and-profitable-marketing-with-automations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated campaigns</a>:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Post-visit&nbsp;&#8211; thank them for their visit and offer a discount for next time</li>



<li>Referral&nbsp;&#8211; offer a discount or upgrade if they bring in new customers</li>



<li>Win-back&nbsp;&#8211; reach out to those who haven’t come back yet with a special deal</li>
</ul>



Tip: If you ask for your customers’ dates of birth, you can surprise them with a personalised offer for their big day!



Start capturing your customer data to sustain your footfall in your new venue.&nbsp;<a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;with our team to find out more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stampede Captive Portal</a>.

New Venue? Keep Your Footfall For Longer With Customer Data

How To Make The Most Of Your Restaurant Outdoor Seating Space In Summer

4 Ways To Optimise Your Hospitality Business With AI

The Pros And Cons Of Using AI In Hospitality

4 Revenue-Driving AI Tools For Hospitality Operators

3 Restaurant-Specific AI Tools That Drive Sales

How AI Can Facilitate Reviews Management For Hospitality Operators

How To Speed Up Content Creation With AI In Hospitality

3 Clever AI Tools To Support Your Hotel Operations

Become A Stampede Pro With These Hidden Features

Tammie Hurrell

Montpeliers Group

Grant Murray

CRU Holdings

Emma Luke-Ward

Lane7 Group

Steve Watson

Signature Pub Group

Nick Gregory

Society Manchester

Shivani Kenth

Zindiya Streatery & Bar

Graham Atkinson

Butta Burger

Lottie Bedford

Birdhouse London

Chris Hughes

Mele Group

Chris Aitchison

Bar Tonic

Ieuan Davis

The Coal Exchange Hotel

Personalisation is an ultra-hot topic in HORECA. There’s no denying hospitality is a human art. The word describes the relationship between guest and host. We know that technology can put the ‘person’ into personalisation. Wait staff ask customers how they like their steak and coffee shops now offer a world of variation on the humble cup of coffee. But should businesses like yours adopt an even more personalised approach? What are the actual benefits of personalisation?







<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Bolster your marketing efforts</h4>



When you need to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/tracking-digital-marketing-roi/">increase the ROI of your marketing</a>, targeting through personalisation gives you the edge. Tailoring your marketing makes your money work harder. We’ve covered the basics of how to get started with personalisation in Useful data for restaurant marketing. It’s most important to realise that personalisation can help at each stage of the customer journey. It informs campaigns so you use the right tactics to reach and <a href="http://www.hemingwayapp.com/#_msocom_1">influence your audience and boost your engagement</a>. Plus, you can serve your paid social ads, email offers and stories in a personalised way too.&nbsp;



Your personalised marketing efforts shouldn’t stop once a prospect becomes a customer either. By building up a profile of your guests, you know which special email offers will tempt them to visit you. Additional benefit to make it even more personalised, with Stampede, you can even choose to present your guests&#8217; different offers while they’re on site. Our stories feature gives an easy way to entice customers with the right offer.&nbsp;



You may be lucky enough to have great wait staff that get to know your customers, what they like and how to upsell them. But the reality of the hospitality industry is that you lose information when staff members leave. They move onto a new role and take that important customer rapport with them. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">By collecting the right data</a> to feed into your CRM, you can use personalisation to give all your staff a confident starting point. This makes connections easier to build and maintain.



Further reading: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/personalise-your-customer-journey-at-your-restaurant/">https://stampede.ai/blog/personalise-your-customer-journey-at-your-restaurant/</a>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Standout customer service</h4>



We recently wrote about personalisation as an important factor in <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-nail-customer-service-for-families/">customer service for families.</a> There are obvious benefits to offering picky-eating kids exactly what appeals to them. But why restrict such choices to children only? You could opt to provide personalisation at the ordering stage, like McDonald&#8217;s. They reported a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">30% rise in order values in US trials of self-ordering screens</a> and these screens have now made their way to the UK. The evidence suggests that when people are able to order something exactly how they like it with less fuss, they spend more. And isn’t smooth service good customer service?&nbsp;



To elevate service through personalisation, businesses can use technology to anticipate and meet customer preferences. This needn’t apply to the menu only. By incorporating order ahead or takeaway options, we give customers more control over their journey. It will be interesting to see if service levels become even more personalised in the future beyond the world of fast food. 



Could you offer customers a cheaper price for ordering via technology at the table? And would this encourage shy customers to order or visit you more? How about giving any noise-averse customers the option to book during a ‘quiet hour’ in the same way travellers can book a quiet coach?&nbsp;



Offering countless variations on every aspect of your menu or service is unlikely to be practical. But simply knowing some preferences are catered for can make choosing your venue simpler for individuals as well as groups. It’s not necessarily about offering overwhelming levels of choice. Customers want to feel listened to and valued. Whether that’s auto-filtering a menu for allergy sufferers or helping those with decision fatigue to make a faster choice. Like the ideal burger, ideal customer service differs between individuals, are you catering to your customer’s needs?&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Personalisation’s business lessons</h4>



You need to have some idea of your customer’s needs and preferences to cater to their personalisation want. But in doing so, you have the potential to gain further valuable information. Offer your burgers with or without gherkins and you may discover most of your customers don’t like them. This will allow you to save on stock and rethink your recipe.&nbsp;



Marketing can also be supercharged when you know what tempts individual and segments of visitors to visit you. You might even choose to use a guest’s previous ordering history to target marketing specifically to them before and during a visit. And you can be sure your message is delivered to them according to their preferences for a better response rate. 



Offer and analyse points of differentiation to see what makes your customers tick. In turn, this should improve your marketing reach, lead to more visits and higher sales. Personalisation can fuel everything from customer acquisition to more effective customer loyalty programmes.



If this sounds a little far-fetched, let us show you how bringing together this information together can be easier than you think. Our solution also integrates with CRM systems to help you better understand each customer journey. Are you ready to create tailored experiences that build loyalty for your business?



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>

The Benefits of Personalisation for HORECA Businesses

How often should you email your customers? According to research by <a href="https://pos.toasttab.com/resources/restaurant-guest-industry-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Toast</a> 34% of consumers want emails from restaurants a couple of times a month.&nbsp;



 To get those two emails in the bag, we’d recommend a newsletter style email to kick-off with a variety of topics, followed by a special offer or&nbsp;promotion email 4 &#8211; 9 days after that.



Tying that promotional email back to the newsletter content will be especially effective at converting readers into repeat customers.



 However, two emails a month can easily get swallowed up in a busy inbox. Let’s look at what else customers might want by email.



 Toast’s <a href="https://pos.toasttab.com/resources/restaurant-guest-industry-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>&nbsp;indicated that the most popular topics are promotions/discounts and relevant updates on COVID-19, but after that people want announcements about new menu items and then birthday coupons.



 We covered <a href="https://marketing.stampede.ai/in-browser?message_id=mkm_a9fea0f4a95da1991ec3c941f9313a32&amp;profile_id=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birthday offer emails</a> a few weeks ago &#8211; with the right technology this can be super high converting email with minimal effort, via <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/automations/#campaigns" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automation</a>.



 Menu item announcements are a brilliant opportunity to get creative and experiment with new content formats, such as videos. Likewise, you can increase customer engagement by directing them straight to your social media for more details of your new menu.



Email is an immensely powerful tool to connect with your customers and build a relationship with them that leads to more repeat business.&nbsp;



To learn more about <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/#email" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stampede&#8217;s email marketing tools</a>, please <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> with one of our team.

When & What to Send Customers

As soon as it was announced that hospitality businesses should collect contact details when reopening, the topic of marketing to track and trace customers was a major point of contention. It’s uncharted territory for everyone and not something that was factored in when GDPR was created.&nbsp;



Many specialists have issued warnings about using track and trace contact details to market to customers visiting hospitality venues. And while such warnings are warranted, <a href="https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2020/06/24/Coronavirus-track-and-trace-7-steps-to-complying-with-data-protection-law-GDPR-hospitality-restaurants-bars">they were issued very early</a> on and didn’t take into consideration exactly how customer data would be collected.



So we’re going to try and provide some clarity in the foggy area of whether you can market to customers who provide their details for track and trace.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-short">In Short</h4>



YES it’s possible to market to track and trace customers, with certain measures in place.



It all comes down to empowering customers to make the choice. That’s what GDPR is ultimately all about &#8211; giving people more control over their personal information and its use.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breaking-it-down">Breaking It Down</h4>



If your method of data collection and storage for track and trace gives the customer no option to manage, update or easily opt-in or out of communications then it’s a no go. A basic pen and paper or spreadsheet collection method would fall into this category.



When it comes to digital track and trace systems, it’s pretty much the same story. When a customer provides contact details, such as by scanning a QR code and filling in a form, are they given the choice to receive marketing information? Can they update their own information and opt-out at any time? If the answer is no to any these then once again it’s not possible to use their details beyond track and trace.



This is the risk with many of the newly developed apps that launched within days of the reopening guidelines being published. &nbsp;They’ve only been designed to do track and trace in terms of capture and compliance. There’s no way to layer the marketing option on top.



And that’s why we can say that it is possible to market to them. At <a href="https://stampede.ai/covid-19/track-and-trace/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stampede</a> our system is already set up to handle all the GDPR for data collection.



Our <a href="https://stampede.ai/covid-19/track-and-trace/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Track and Trace</a> system explicitly asks if customers want to join the mailing list or not. If they don’t give an answer, the system assumes opt-out and the customer will not be available to email. If they say yes to joining the venue&#8217;s mailing list and opt-in they can manage their data and preferences at any time.



As long at it’s in the customers’ power to choose, then there is no problem with giving them the option to join your mailing list when they sign up to Track and Trace.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-for-thought">Food For Thought</h4>



When the GDPR legislation was rolled out people focused more on the headaches it would cause for businesses and marketers. Over time we&#8217;ve all learned to work within it and it&#8217;s become another piece of the scenery. 



But now GDPR shows itself in a new light. Where we once thought of it as restrictive, GDPR now acts as the fall-back needed to make better decisions on how we treat customer data. Without its clear rules, setting up something like Track and Trace would be far more complicated. Just look at the state-to-state situation in the USA. No hard and fast rules on data protection and collection have made a track and trace system almost impossible to set up there. 



If you have more questions about marketing and track and trace then please <a href="mailto:contact@stampede.ai?subject=Track%20and%20Trace&amp;body=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reach out to our team</a>.

Marketing to track and trace customers in hospitality

Can You Market To ‘Track and Trace’ Customers?

If you’re a hospitality operator looking to keep your guests engaged and loyal, personalised marketing is your secret weapon. However, to offer truly customised experiences businesses have to include one invaluable tech tool in their overall customer relationship management <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-create-a-hospitality-crm-strategy-that-drives-results">(CRM) strategy</a>: their CRM platform.



In this blog post, we’ll discuss how hospitality operators can create personalised email &amp; SMS marketing campaigns powered by their CRM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-personalised-marketing-and-why-does-it-matter">What is personalised marketing and why does it matter?</h2>



Personalised marketing is the process of creating and sending out email and/or SMS campaigns that are tailored to each customer. Studies show that <a href="https://www.epsilon.com/us/about-us/pressroom/new-epsilon-research-indicates-80-of-consumers-are-more-likely-to-make-a-purchase-when-brands-offer-personalized-experiences">80% of customers are more likely to make a purchase from personalised marketing</a>.&nbsp;



The approach involves combining data insights with creative messaging and personalised content to create the ultimate customer experience.



By leveraging data insights, hospitality marketers can create more relevant content that resonates better with their target audience. This leads to increased customer loyalty and a higher chance of repeat business.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to get started with personalised email &amp; SMS campaigns using your CRM</h2>



If you&#8217;re looking to step up your email and SMS marketing game, then targeted campaigns are the way to go.&nbsp;



The data from your CRM builds the foundation for your personalised marketing. Data points can include everything from customer purchase history to personal preferences.&nbsp;



Once you have a good understanding of your audience, it&#8217;s time to use your CRM system to create targeted campaigns that speak directly to them.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Build a holistic customer profile</h4>



Creating a comprehensive customer profile in your CRM is crucial for any business looking to better understand its audience. To build a holistic customer profile, it&#8217;s important to collate all data sources in your CRM system to gain a full picture of the customer journey.&nbsp;



In order to get the most out of your customer profiles, you should strive to combine as much data as possible by accessing different sources. For example through your Guest WiFi, <a href="https://stampede.ai/get-bookings">table booking platform</a> or loyalty scheme. This includes everything from basic information such as age to interests and purchasing habits.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Create segments</h4>



To effectively reach and engage your target audience hospitality marketers need to create marketing segments within the CRM platform. These segments can be based on demographics such as age or gender as well as geography and behaviour.&nbsp;



By understanding the unique characteristics and needs of each segment, you can tailor your messaging. This way you will resonate better with them and improve the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.&nbsp;



Additionally, businesses should make use of a CRM’s tagging feature. Profiles that are tagged based on triggers can further enhance segmentation by identifying specific actions or behaviours.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Set up automation</h4>



Marketing automation is one of the most valuable CRM features for hospitality operators.



With the ability to trigger email and SMS campaigns based on certain customer behaviour and interaction, businesses can create personalised messages that really engage with their audience.



For example, a simple <a href="https://www.coastdigital.co.uk/2020/01/02/email-marketing-why-you-should-embrace-birthday-emails/">birthday email can generate 342% higher revenue </a>compared to a traditional promotional email. Additionally, businesses can utilise automation to retain customers who haven&#8217;t visited their venue in a while with a special discount.&nbsp;



One big benefit is that this CRM automation saves valuable time for staff as once set up, they run automatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How other hospitality venues have successfully used personalised marketing</h2>



One of our customers, <a href="https://stampede.ai/customer/birdhouse-london">Birdhouse London</a>, has saved 2 hours per week on their marketing by using automated email campaigns. When customers subscribe to their newsletter, they get an automated email with a free margarita offer.



Another successful example comes from <a href="https://stampede.ai/customer/the-coal-exchange-hotel">The Coal Exchange Hotel</a>. They’ve used the clever Stampede CRM segmentation tool to tag customers that would be interested in their ‘kids eat free’ deal. From this, they were able to generate over £900 return visit revenue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Summary</h2>



Personalisation is transforming the way hospitality operators communicate with customers. With specific and personalised campaigns, you can increase your revenue by targeting customers who are most likely to take action.&nbsp;



The first step to getting started is building a holistic view of your customers using your CRM data. Other successful implementations are creating segmentations and setting up automation.&nbsp;



As seen in the examples above, hospitality businesses can double their sales just by using personalised <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing">email and SMS marketing</a> in a more intentional way powered by their CRM insights. Personalisation is key when it comes to reaching higher ROI in your marketing campaigns.

How To Create Personalised Marketing Campaigns With Your CRM

The acceleration of technology over the last decade has left <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-guide-on-current-hotel-industry-challenges/">no industry untouched</a>. With an explosion of online travel agencies (OTAs) creating both opportunities and threats for independent hotels. The process that many customers now use to choose and book a stay away from has changed beyond all recognition. There are still ways to encourage direct bookings vs OTAs and plenty of reasons to do so, which we will explore in this article.&nbsp;







On the one hand, OTAs offer a unique channel for promotions and market access. The volume of traffic they command gives independent hotels the opportunity to get offers out in front of thousands of potential customers who might never otherwise encounter their service. 



On the other hand, competition is often ferocious. Many independent hotels find this becomes a disheartening “race to the bottom”. The only winners in this scenario are those willing to cut their profit margins to the bone. With some operators apparently willing to boost occupancy at almost any cost.&nbsp;



The obvious benefit of direct bookings is the fact you won’t have to pay a commission to a third party. It’s all between you and the customer, giving you far more scope to make a healthy profit. Also, you have full access to your customers&#8217; data, which otherwise would stay with the OTA. Allowing you to get back in touch with your guests.



With this in mind, let’s explore some tried-and-tested ways that you can boost your direct bookings and drive up profits for the months ahead. 



Further reading: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/new-tech-friend-or-foe-for-independent-hotels/">https://stampede.ai/blog/new-tech-friend-or-foe-for-independent-hotels/</a>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">User-test your website</h4>



Did you know that <a href="https://www.edhotels.com/80-hotel-bookings-made-mobile-devices/">up to 80%</a> of hotel reservations are made from mobile devices? Despite this statistic, many hotel websites make it difficult to make an online reservation from a phone. User test yours to make sure that you can easily and quickly make a reservation from your smartphone &#8211; if you’re not getting as many direct bookings are you would expect, this could be a prime reason.&nbsp;



Customers are increasingly impatient. If your website isn’t properly optimised for mobile or lacks a touchscreen-friendly booking engine, then they will abandon their attempt to reserve a room at the first hurdle. Similarly, test that your website loads quickly. As many as <a href="https://www.pegs.com/blog/10-reasons-why-hotels-must-embrace-mobile-optimization/">49% of visitors</a> will abandon your website if it doesn’t load within 8-10 seconds.&nbsp;



Finally, the phone number on your website should be a clickable link for mobile users. So that they can call you with one touch rather than having to dial the number manually. Again, the easier you make it for people to get in touch with you, the more calls you will get. It sounds simple, and it is… But it’s surprising how many don’t take this basic step of testing their website as a customer would have to use it. 



Make sure that you check your website from a user perspective regularly. At least once per month &#8211; and it should also be the first thing you do if you notice a sudden fall in direct bookings that wasn’t expected.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Make full use of Google My Business</h4>



Speaking of resources that are often not taken full advantage of. Have you registered your hotel on <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/business/">Google My Business</a>? It’s free, and it’s packed with a host of tools that you can use to help you get more visitors to your website. Ultimately, more direct bookings as a result. Not only will visitors to your area see a full detailed listing on your business when they search for “hotels” within Google Maps, but you can also display special offers, weekly menu updates, photos, and much more.&nbsp;



Again, although this tool is available to all hotels, it’s surprising how many don’t take full advantage of it. Make your Google My Business page a “favourite” on your browser and set a weekly reminder to add new content to it. Respond to reviews that you receive; even negative ones can be turned to your advantage with a little skill.&nbsp;



Keeping your Google My Business page updated with seasonal opening times, latest menus and special offers will boost the overall traffic your website receives. As well as increasing it’s SEO ranking (increasing the likelihood of getting to that coveted front-page-of-Google result for certain keywords!)&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Take advantage of changing habits by using Influencer Marketing</h4>



People’s leisure habits have changed remarkably over the last decade. In 2011, traditional TV consumed over 4 hours of time per day on average, whereas social media consumed just 90 minutes. By 2021, it is estimated that this statistic will have been turned on its head. With traditional TV relegated to less than one hour per day, and social media accounting for over 3 hours!&nbsp;



You can take advantage of this change by utilising <a href="https://goatagency.com/">Influencer Marketing</a>. This method of getting your hotel’s brand in front of a new audience allows you to micro-target very specific demographics. It can often be surprisingly cost-efficient when compared to other forms of advertising. Best of all, you can tie in a special offer to your influencer marketing campaign. This allows you to accurately measure the exact return on investment.&nbsp;



This marketing route lifts you right out of the run-of-the-mill comparisons that afflict OTA websites and allows you to package a stay at your hotel as an experience in its own right, rather than just a convenient stopping-off point to grab a quick sleep before heading out again.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Capture the email address of drop-in visitors &#8211; and turn them into repeat customers!&nbsp;</h4>



Did you know that a major source of direct bookings could be literally walking in (and out) of your front door as you’re reading this? Every day, people use your reception and bar/restaurant for business meetings, as a place to catch up with their emails or grab an after-work drink with colleagues. By utilising <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">WiFi marketing</a>, you can capture their email address and entice them to return with some carefully selected offers. 



Want to learn more about WiFi Marketing? Get in touch.



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These drop-in visitors could be your best source of direct bookings, as they already know the location of your hotel. They have had a chance to sample your friendly, efficient service. Thus, they are more likely to be tempted to return by an offer of a free extra night or a free room upgrade. Best of all, when you email these previous visitors, you are not competing with anyone else for their attention. You have direct access to their inbox, and a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/email-marketing-tips-for-the-hospitality-industry/">carefully-crafted email campaign</a> can be used to woo them to return again, and again!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Bringing it all together&nbsp;</h4>



We’ve explored four different methods, from basic to advanced, for helping balance the volume of direct vs. OTA bookings your hotel receives. While the proliferation of online competition might appear disheartening for independent hotel owners, there are ways you can turn the tide in your favour. Which combination will you choose to make your next year more profitable and rewarding?



Further reading: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/10-tips-on-nurturing-customer-loyalty-in-the-hotel-industry/">https://stampede.ai/blog/10-tips-on-nurturing-customer-loyalty-in-the-hotel-industry/</a>



Stay tuned for more articles to help you grow your business. Or join our email list to make sure you never miss out.&nbsp;

Direct Vs. OTA Bookings – Getting the Right Balance for Independent Hotels

Gift card sales have skyrocketed over the past years with customers being keen to support their local businesses. Though,&nbsp;how many of your sold gift cards have actually been redeemed yet? Fact is,&nbsp;<a href="https://enjovia.com/make-more-restaurant-profit-with-vouchers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">customers spend up to 72% more than the actual value of the card when they redeem it</a>. 



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Time to unlock your hidden revenue with a personalised gift card reminder campaign using our simple 5 step recipe.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">1) The Data</h5>



For this campaign, you need to access your&nbsp;gift cards buyer data. The data should include the purchase date and gift card status, i.e. redeemed or unredeemed.&nbsp;



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2) The Trigger Event</h5>



Now segment your data into customers&nbsp;who have purchased a gift card but have not redeemed&nbsp;it yet.&nbsp;



If your gift cards come with an expiration date you can use this as a trigger event, e.g. set up an automated reminder campaign for the month before.&nbsp;



Otherwise, you can choose the timeframe that works best for you. Ideally, you would run this sort of campaign during quieter times to further boost bookings.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">3) The Messaging</h5>



Your gift card reminder message should go straight to the point.&nbsp;Keep it simple with a strong call-to-action&nbsp;at the end. Also, use your subject line to tell your customers what your email is about to increase your open rates.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">4) The Offer</h5>



There’s no need for an additional offer in your campaign.&nbsp;



However, you can use your customers’ attention to&nbsp;promote certain events&nbsp;or&nbsp;fill in for last-minute cancellations&nbsp;with a prompt to book quickly due to limited availability.



Here&#8217;s how your gift card reminder email could look like:



Subject line &#8211; [Name] have you redeemed your gift card for [company] yet?



Don’t forget to pay us a visit and redeem your gift card!



Why not come by this weekend? We’ve got [event] coming up and only limited space available. So better be quick!



Book Your Space Now



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-the-outcome">5) The Outcome</h5>



You certainly don’t want to miss out on all this&nbsp;additional revenue&nbsp;coming with your gift card redemptions. So, keep on top of your gift card sales and make sure customers redeem them in time.&nbsp;



Besides, for many gift card holders this might be the first time at your venue. This is your chance to exceed their expectations and turn them into repeat customers.



Be sure to keep an eye out for our next part of this series on how you turn customers into regulars across all your venues.



Take your&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/gift-cards/#gifting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gift cards</a>&nbsp;to the next level and go digital.&nbsp;<a href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;with one of our team to find out more.

Unlock Hidden Gift Card Revenue: The Next 5 Step Recipe [Part 3/5]

Digital marketing analytics have changed with the iOS15 Apple privacy protection update from last year. Emails are now counted as open once they’re received rather than actually opened and read in some cases, which falsely increases email open rate.



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Some outlets are suggesting that&nbsp;email open rates are less useful as a measure&nbsp;of marketing success now. We’ve always taken the stance that conversions are where you should focus your attention, but that doesn’t mean open rates are useless.



There are other ways your email open rates can still be a valuable metric for your marketing. You just need to take on a new approach to your email open rate analysis.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">How to use open rates to measure your efforts</h5>



Rather than measuring your open rate as a stand-alone metric, you have to&nbsp;analyse the broader picture. Treat it in relation to other elements of your campaigns.



There are many factors that influence the success of your emails:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/5-minute-guide-creating-great-subject-lines/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subject line</a> &#8211; what is the value for the reader?</li><li><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-tips-for-an-outstanding-email-design/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Email content and design</a> &#8211; is it appealing and enticing enough?</li><li><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-big-hospitality-email-marketing-questions-answered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sending time and day</a> &#8211; when are customers online and engaging?</li><li><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-5-step-recipe-that-creates-profitable-personalised-marketing-part-1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Targeted or to all customers</a> &#8211; is it relevant to the individual customer?</li><li>Click rate &#8211; have you included (enough) links and buttons?</li></ul>



Keep those questions in mind when crafting your emails and these will also be the main part of your email analysis which you will compare against your open rate.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Set up your own email open rate analysis</h5>



A&nbsp;simple Excel sheet&nbsp;is all you need to get started with your open rate analysis, and it’s quick to set up.&nbsp;



Have a look at this fictional sample sheet to see what you should include and keep track of.



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="http://assets.stampede.ai/downloads/email-marketing-analysis-template-stmpd22.xlsx"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/187/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMi8wNi9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjItMDYtMDMtYXQtMTMuMjIuMzMtMTAyNHgxODcucG5n" alt="" class="wp-image-21789"/></a></figure>



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Download this Excel template <a href="http://assets.stampede.ai/downloads/email-marketing-analysis-template-stmpd22.xlsx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HERE</a> to see it in full and start using it for yourself to spot trends and find out what’s giving you the best results.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-example-email-open-rate-analysis">Example email open rate analysis</h5>



Here are some&nbsp;key takeaways&nbsp;from analysing the email campaigns in relation to their open rates:



Sending times



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Regular Monday emails perform better later in the morning</li><li>In general, afternoon sending times result in higher open rates</li></ul>



Days



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Emails sent towards the end of the week get higher open rates as customers might be in the right mindset of planning their free time</li><li>For mid-week reminders use them in combination with PM sending times</li></ul>



Click rate



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>You want customers to take action and book a table/room. If your emails include relevant (limited) offers with a clear call-to-action your click rate will increase</li><li>Personalised content, such as the loyal or new menu offer will also increase click rates</li></ul>



Subject lines



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>For reminder emails &#8211; create a sense of urgency by including ‘last chance’, ‘secure now’ for a higher open rate</li><li>Vague subject lines result in lower open rates (special events to mark, 2 events coming up)</li><li>Including your company name will make it instantly recognisable and more relevant</li></ul>



Make it personal and targeted



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The highest open rate comes from emails that include the customer’s name in the subject line</li><li>The new menu launch offer targeted at loyal customers only makes them feel extra valued</li></ul>



Save time and automate your email campaigns. <a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a> with our team to get started.

How To Get Insight From Questionable Email Open Rates [Part 1]

Today, online reputation is everything. Within this, TripAdvisor and Facebook can be seen as the major players in the hospitality reputation space. But online reputation is also probably the most difficult thing to control. Once something is published online, it stays there. What if there would be a way of controlling it through your offered Guest WiFi?







<h4 class="wp-block-heading">The importance of online reputation</h4>



When asked by TripAdvisor, 93% of customers said that online reviews impact their booking decisions and that 53% of customers say they won’t visit a venue that doesn’t have any online reviews. 



Additionally, a study by Cornell University found that a 1x increase in a venue’s average user rating on a 5-point scale makes potential customers 13.5% more likely to come along. 



It’s pretty clear that <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">online reputation</a> should be a critical objective for any business operating in the service industry. Especially, as online reviews affect bookings, revenue and much more. Both in the positive and negative direction. So, getting the control back over your online reviews and hence reputation should be your utmost goal.



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<div class="wp-block-media-text" style="grid-template-columns:38% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-1024x768.png" alt="Reviews-feature" class="wp-image-13241" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-1024x768.png 1024w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-300x225.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-768x576.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-150x113.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-560x420.png 560w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-900x675.png 900w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-592x444.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-80x60.png 80w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more-120x90.png 120w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Addons-reviews_more.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Get the control back over your online reviews.



<a href="https://stampede.ai/reviews/">Check out our Reviews Feature.</a>
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In order to get the most accurate picture of your guest experience, it’s important to get as much guest feedback as possible. As your online reputation is mainly built based on this feedback. However, if you don’t have your customers&#8217; contact details, how can you do this? 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Boost your online reputation with your Guest WiFi</h4>



Well, one obvious way is having an automated solution, integrated with your guest WiFi. This would allow you to send emails / SMS to your customers, asking them to review you on TripAdvisor and like you on Facebook. Pretty straight forward. 



With <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/">Stampede</a><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/"></a><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/"> Guest WiFi</a>, you offer your customers a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/engaging-customers-through-wi-fi-marketing/">great WiFi experience</a> whilst they are on your premises. In addition, Stampede now has an integration that will automatically email guests after they have left, encouraging them to leave an online review on TripAdvisor and like you on Facebook. Also, it&#8217;s entirely up to you if you want to send this notification directly after they&#8217;ve left or an hour or so later.



On top of that, Stampede customers have experienced a 200% increase in Facebook likes by offering a smart guest WiFi solution.



Do you want to achieve the same results? Why not contact Stampede and start increasing your online reputation and <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-wifi-can-help-boost-guest-reviews-of-your-venue/">get more TripAdvisor reviews</a> and Facebook likes?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="#schedule-demohttps://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a></h2>



Or sign-up for a free trial today. Boost your online reputation by using your Guest WiFi.



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Improve Your Online Reputation Through Guest WiFi

The Power of Reviews and Recommendations

Team Update

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Website Terms of Use

Montpeliers launches Fringe Festival Cocktail Club with Stampede

<img decoding="async" class="" style="width: 640px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Stampede Mapping " src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Blog/Location%20map%20HOME.png" alt="Stampede Mapping " width="640" data-constrained="true" />
Big Data&#8230; The latest buzz-word thrown around the internet, almost as much as &#8216;the Cloud&#8217; or &#8216;the IoT&#8217;. Contrary to what the international businessman would have you believe, Big Data is a myth. 
We currently receive and store around 10,000 lines of new data per minute. But this raw data is pretty boring and useless on its own, unless you have a team of data scientists on hand. Coming up with new ways to visualise data is an integral part of our offering, giving power back to the smaller businesses who don&#8217;t have the resource or time to interpret it is really what it&#8217;s all about.
<h2>Customer Mapping</h2>
If you&#8217;ve decided to capture customer postcodes, using Stampede, you will be used to seeing the map of the UK depicting where your customers are coming from.
We&#8217;ve now taken this to the world stage, using <a href="https://geocoder.opencagedata.com">OpenCage</a> we were able to process around 70,000 users in under 4 hours and the result is absolutely stunning.
<img decoding="async" class="size-tb_large wp-image-2700 alignnone" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 600px;" title="Stampede OpenCage Data" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Imported_Blog_Media/-Opendata-800x169.png" alt="Stampede OpenCage Data" width="600" data-constrained="true" />
Having this information at your disposal 24/7 from any device anywhere in the world gives you the power to better understand your customers.
<h2>Better Data, Better Customers</h2>
If you can truly understand how your customer is interacting with your brand in the real world you are in a much better place to serve them. Mapping their point of origin may only feel like one piece of a bigger puzzle but it may help you decide if you need to have your menu in other languages or which languages staff need to be fluent in.
These seamless customer experiences could be the point of difference that makes your customers return more frequently and stay for longer.
So, how much of your trade comes from overseas?
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Mapping: How we did it

New Integration With Storekit

Patrick Clover

Compared: 4 Time-Saving Social Media Scheduling Tools [Updated 2023]

4 Best Restaurant Table Booking Software Compared

What&#8217;s the first thing that comes to your mind when visiting a hospital or emergency waiting room? A clean, well lit, area to sit? Access to staff? How about WiFi?

Access to WiFi in waiting rooms is one of the recommendations in a <a class="" href="http://www.rcem.ac.uk/RCEM/News/News_2017/RCEM_asks_Emergency_Departments_to_meet_50_standards_to_ensure_quality_emergency_care.aspx">report justreleased by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine</a>. WiFi in hospitals and patient waiting rooms is categorised as a &#8220;Developmental&#8221; standard in the RCEM report. Services in this category aren&#8217;t required for patients and staff but serve as goals over and above services in the &#8220;Fundamental&#8221; category, such as access to a TV and a properly staffed waiting area.<img decoding="async" class="" style="width: 700px;" title="Stampede Hospital wifi" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Blog/hospital-wifi.jpg" alt="Stampede Hospital wifi" width="700" data-constrained="true" />
As Dr. Taj Hassan, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, explained when the report was released: “We have also suggested some initiatives and ideas for departments to develop for patients, that we hope will add just that little bit extra to patient experience.”
By combining their Guest WiFi experience with a <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#analytics">WiFi analytics tool,</a> hospitals and waiting rooms can go even farther in enhancing the patient experience. What&#8217;s the average wait time a user spends in a waiting area? What&#8217;s the gender breakdown? Are users accessing the WiFi on mobile, tablets or laptops? This last insight would further enhance the waiting room experience. For example, if a hospital noticed that more guests are <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/articles/wifi-in-hospitals">accessing hospital WiFi</a> over mobile or tablets, USB sockets for recharging would be a simple and quick waiting area upgrade, leading to an enhanced patient experience. How about a quick survey on a branded splash page before users log in? Helping hospital and waiting room staff understand their patients and their families needs.
Work for a hospital and want to improve your patients experience?
Do you have any experience you would like to share? Please leave it on the comments below.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://stampede.ai/get-started">Click here to get started.</a>

WiFi in Hospitals – Improving the Patient Care Experience

The Ultimate Beginners Guide to WiFi Jargon

Snap Box – Stampede Network Application

A new kind of marketplace for hospitality apps

October Update – 3x Faster Guest WiFi and more

New Features & Updates – September 2023

Better Marketing For All

The Path To Regrowth

Apple ID login now available for Stampede Guest Wifi Solution

Apple ID Login – New Feature

Stampede now integrates with TP-Link and their Omada controller

New Integration with TP-Link Omada

When it comes to collecting customer details we understand that registering with a venue through WiFi isn’t possible 100% of the time. So we’ve put together a system to cover those instances and still provide the benefits of using a digital <a href="https://stampede.ai/covid-19/track-and-trace/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">track and trace system</a>.



 Customers can also scan a QR code specific to Stampede venues that is printed on posters and floor stickers.



How it Works



They enter their contact details in a form which go into the same secure storage as the information collected from the WiFi. This keeps it simple for staff with one location for all customer data.



 What makes this QR scan-in special is that there are no venue-specific ID numbers to enter, nor are there different QR codes for each venue. It’s one QR code that works for any Stampede venue. This way of keeping it simple is the ideal solution for everyone.



No phone, no problem.



 For those customers without access to a smartphone or a WiFi-enabled device, staff can add them to the system manually, still keeping all the data in one place.



 Altogether it&#8217;s a fast and easy way to tick this data collection job off your list so you can spend your time where it’s needed most.



 To find out more or ask any questions, <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contact</a> one of our team on <a href="tel:+441315107008" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">0131 510 7008</a>, by <a href="mailto:contact@stampede.ai?subject=QR%20Code%20Info&amp;body=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> or visit <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/hospitality-reopening/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our website</a> to live chat with us.

Covering All The Bases

Normally, a pineapple isn&#8217;t something you should be afraid of. Ok &#8211; you can be a little afraid of pineapples because they are spiky on the outside. And sometimes they contain tasty drinks that make people get a little crazy. But in this case we&#8217;re talking about an entirely different type of pineapple &#8211; a WiFi pineapple. This device allows attackers to snoop and sniff over any WiFi network, where they can <a href="https://www.news4jax.com/consumer/travel-warning-do-not-use-public-wifi-in-airports-hotels">steal passwords, information and all sorts of personal data</a>.
So, where do these pineapple attacks take place? Just about anywhere with an open, unsecured WiFi connection &#8211; like coffee shops, pubs, airports &#8211; probably most of the places where you use WiFi. And the worst part? These Pineapple devices are pretty cheap &#8211; for about $100 you can buy a Pineapple Nano, which slips right into a USB port, or, if you&#8217;ve got some hard core hacking to do, you can plop down $160 and get the Tactical Elite &#8211; complete with an antenna extension and handy carrying case. As stated in the catalog, the WiFi Pineapple will &#8220;Command the WiFi landscape and direct attacks from a live recon dashboard, passively monitoring all devices in the vicinity.&#8221;
Kinda scary, innit?
But there are steps you can take to protect yourself. First of all, never use unsecured WiFi.  That&#8217;s bad. Turn on two factor authentication for services like email and anywhere you store sensitive data. This typically involves you logging into a service, then receiving a text message or generated password through your mobile phone. This service is available in Google and most banks are using two factor authentication. Another solution is to invest in a <a style="font-size: 15px; background-color: transparent;" href="http://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-vpn-services-and-vpn-deals-of-2017">VPN (Virtual Private Network) service</a>. This encrypts your data, even on public networks, and sends it securely through a secure tunnel to its final destination.
If you&#8217;re running a business and want to ensure your customers have a secure connection available &#8211; well, you&#8217;ve come to the right place. Stampede can give your customers a <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#security">seamless and safe WiFi experience</a> no matter the location size. From <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#coffee">coffee shops</a>, to restaurants, to malls and <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#arenas">stadiums</a>, Stampede has you covered.
How has your WiFi experience been? Have you ever been compromised by a pineapple? Feel free to leave us a comment below. 
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Has Your Data Been Compromised by a WiFi Pineapple?

If you logged into your Connect dashboard and noticed that things looked a bit slicker, you&#8217;ll be relieved to know that your eyes aren&#8217;t deceiving you. What you&#8217;re witnessing is the debut of our newest release: Connect V3.0!

We&#8217;ve been Beta testing the dashboard for a few weeks now. We appreciate the feedback we have gotten during this time and have made some changes based on your input.
<h2>General</h2>
First off &#8211; as we mentioned above, we&#8217;ve done a total redesign of the user interface. You&#8217;ll find all the menus you need to offer awesome Guest WiFi right at the top of the dashboard. Even better, we&#8217;ve made it even easier to get to the dashboard &#8211; you can login with Google! New notifications include network online/offline and notifications for capture connections, payments and validated emails.
<h2>Marketing Suite</h2>
We&#8217;ve included a whole raft of marketing templates so you can get started with our automated marketing features right away.
<h2>Integrations</h2>
Our bigggest integration feature is the addition of support for Cisco Meraki equipment. Here&#8217;s a quick video that shows you how to get started.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/b5pEDFzJ1J8" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
We&#8217;ve also simplified the UniFi integration so that you only have to enter your controller details once and likewise for Paypal. No matter what equipment you&#8217;re using, with Stampede you&#8217;ll be up and running in minutes.
<h2>White Label Partners</h2>
For our White Label Partners, we&#8217;ve added a support link to the dashboard so customers can reach you directly.
<h2>And We&#8217;re Not Done Yet!</h2>
We&#8217;re always looking for ways to make Connect better for you, so if you&#8217;ve got an idea or suggestion, head over to our feature page and let us know.
And start getting ready for Connect V4.0 &#8211; it&#8217;s going to be a mind-blower!
What are you waiting for?
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Connect 3.0 is Here!

Why, it seems only just a few short days ago that we were writing about enabling <a class="" href="/blog/facebook-wifi-your-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook Wifi checkin for your business</a>. As many of our readers know, the world of the internet moves fast and furious.. In just that short time, Facebook founder <a href="https://www.recode.net/2018/4/10/17216734/live-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-testimony-senate-hearing-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mark Zuckerberg found himself being grilled on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC</a> over data concerns with their social media platform. Shortly afterwards, UK pub giant Wetherspoons announced that they would be <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43781281" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shutting down all of their social media accounts</a>.

So should hospitality owners be worried? Short answer, NO.
Although the growth in Facebook has slowed in 2018, in truth, it’s still the largest social media platform out there, used by over 2 BILLION people. That’s almost one quarter of the population of the planet. That being said, after the revelations of the past couple of weeks,  users may have some concerns with using Facebook and may start posting with less frequency. At least for a while.
What Facebook does with customer data is beyond your control. What you CAN do, however, is offer your customers a fast, safe and convenient Wifi connection so they can access their Facebook accounts. To that end,  you have a number of different ways that you can let customers connect to your networks. You can give out the password so everyone can connect freely, you can let your customers login via a social network like Facebook or Twitter, or you can ask them for certain data, like their email and/or post code, in return for unlimited Wifi.
Let’s take a look at these in light of recent concerns and see which might be best for your hospitality business.
<h2>OPEN NETWORK</h2>
This is still how many hospitality and retail businesses are running nowadays. There’s typically a password written on a wall or menu somewhere which allows users to connect. The benefits of this type of network are obvious &#8211; it’s easy for anyone to connect. The bad part about this type of network is that….it’s easy for anyone to connect. Hackers looking to steal data can easily connect to the network and, <a href="/blog/articles/data-comprimised-wifi-pineapple" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">with a Wifi hacking device like a pineapple</a>, easily intercept your data.
<h2>SOCIAL MEDIA LOGIN</h2>
In this type of connection, a user logs into a Wifi network by <a href="/blog/social/facebook-checkin-on-wifi" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">authenticating against one a social network like Facebook or Twitter</a>. The benefits of this type of connection is that, for one, it’s somewhat more secure than a network with an open password and, since nearly everyone has a social media account, it’s easy for users to connect to your Wifi network. But connections aren’t free and, in most cases, buy connecting trhough a social media network, the user then will broadcast their connections to their friends on the network.
For example, a user that connects with a Facebook login will have their location announced to their Facebook friends. Until now, this wasn&#8217;t a big deal, but, as we’ve seen with the recent Facebook news, users might be less and less willing to share their data.
Social media login is one of the ways that Wifi users can authenticate to Wifi through our Stampede platform. It&#8217;s popular with a number of our customers. But, an even more powerful and flexible way for your customers to connect to Wifi is through the use of a captive portal.
<h2>CAPTIVE PORTAL LOGIN</h2>
Here’s how it works: when a user enters your location, they connect to your Wifi. Once connected, a browser opens prompting the user for their email address. This is so the user can be verified through our Stampede platform before the Wifi allows them to connect. In addition to their email address, capitive portal solutions can ask for additional information, like sex, age and post codes.
Although this may seem intrusive, most users have no problem with providing some user data in return for free Wifi. And, if you let them know that by providing you with their email address, you’ll use the data to keep them informed of upcoming offeres or specials, they’ll be happy to give it to you.
The other benefit of a captive portal is that once a customer is logged in, they stay logged in. Even better, if you have Stampede deployed in multiple locations &#8211; let&#8217;s say a chain of pubs &#8211; they can stay connected from venue to venue (pub crawl, anyone) <a href="/blog/wifi-in-your-venue-login-once-login-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">without ever having to login to the Wifi</a>!
<h2>WHICH SOLUTION IS RIGHT FOR YOU?</h2>
That depends on your business and your needs.
If you’re looking to just provide Wifi to increase dwell time at your hospitality or retail business, then you can go with an open network or social media login. These type of networks are easy to setup and require little or no upkeep. But if you’re looking to turn an expense into an asset, then providing your customers with a captive Wifi portal is the solution for you. By colletcting email and other data from your users, you can land, expand and grow your business.
What are you waiting for? Your business isn&#8217;t going to grow itself.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Facebook, Data Security, and Hospitality WiFi

A few weeks into 2023 and you might have ditched your new year’s resolutions already. No judgement, we’ve all been there.



However, a new year is always a great opportunity to reshuffle one’s business strategies in order to up the game.



Looking ahead, there are a bunch of exciting growth and marketing trends to watch out for. And yes, technology will of course play a part in those.



We’ve had a look into 5 key hospitality trends that you should integrate into your strategy to get the most out of 2023.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Build A Unified Customer Experience&nbsp;</h2>



An outdated user interface will drive customers away.&nbsp;



So, you need to start judging your digital tools and assets as if they were your shop window or your venue decoration.&nbsp;



Think about your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/avoid-these-3-common-guest-wifi-mistakes">Guest WiFi sign-up</a>, booking platform or order &amp; pay app. Are you happy with them representing your brand?



If not, the first step is to align all your tech tools toward a unified brand experience.&nbsp;



Here’s what to focus on:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Stick to your branding and brand voice across all channels and tools</li>



<li>Make sure the digital customer experience is as smooth as your in-venue one</li>



<li>Focus on easy-to-navigate tools for your customers (and staff)</li>



<li>Don’t neglect your website &#8211; a lot of attention has been paid to social media lately</li>



<li>All-in-one solutions allow for a unified experience as they don’t require integrations</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Opt For Industry-Specific Tools</h2>



Too many cooks spoil the broth. Time to move away from the clunky and disjointed tech stack that you might have gathered over the past years.&nbsp;



Instead, focus on ROI-delivering tech that helps you achieve the results you want when <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-save-money-on-your-digital-tech-tools">revising your tools</a>.



Industry-specific tools are what you’re looking for here, to replace the mainstream big-name ones everyone else is using.



Those specific ones are tailored to your needs, easier to use and are therefore also accessible to smaller operators.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Focus On Hyper-Personalisation</h2>



<a href="https://financesonline.com/hospitality-trends/">Approximately 90%</a> of customers are willing to share behavioural data if it results in a better brand experience.



No question, personalisation will continue to reign.



What changes is that customer insights are no longer coming from separate sources. It’s the clever combination of multiple data sources that takes it to the next level and makes it even more powerful.&nbsp;



This is also referred to as hyper-personalisation and is based on real-time behavioural and transactional data insights and actions.



With this, you want to create a 1:1 customer experience that translates into longtime loyalty.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Go Beyond Customer Loyalty</h2>



Customers trust their peers more than any other source when looking for new venue recommendations.



It’s up to you to identify your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-use-data-to-unveil-your-true-brand-fanatics">super advocates </a>amongst your customers, those that spend more time and money at your venue than the average. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-use-data-to-unveil-your-true-brand-fanatics">Hint</a> &#8211; your data can help you unveil them.



Once you’ve done that you can nurture them with targeted marketing and personalised rewards (i.e. loyalty or referral program) to start building a loyal community.



This community will help you spread the word, boost your reviews and attract many new customers. Loyalty always pays off.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-let-ai-powered-solutions-give-you-a-hand">5. Let AI-Powered Solutions Give You A Hand</h2>



Since the beginning of the new year, our feeds have been flooded with AI talk. There’s a lot going on at the moment, with new tools coming up in a blink of an eye.



Whilst some of it might still be in its early days, we can already see the benefits for businesses. It’s all about efficiency.&nbsp;



AI-powered automations can optimise various parts of your marketing and help you scale up. From content generation to email marketing, social media and operational tasks.



They streamline less-pivotal parts of your business and save you hours a week whilst generating revenue on auto-pilot. What’s not to like about this?&nbsp;



Arguably, there needs to be work done in some areas to make them more industry-specific so that they can be used by everyone without any programming background.



Make sure you stay busy all year round with the&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--P70VbCxT_AnnS8JwuzgRrHnMbNXfBlgQ_e9X3bmhij7P8-rUVLSBDUzhZwHRS_Yse9ab7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stampede Customer Experience Platform</a>&nbsp;that drives 5x more repeat customers.&nbsp;<a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--P70VbCxT_AnnS8JwuzgRrHnMbNXfBlgQ_e9X3bmhij7P8-rUVLSBDUzhZwHRS_Yse9ab7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reach out</a>&nbsp;to find out more.

5 Key Hospitality Growth Trends You Shouldn’t Miss This Year

Marketing Your Restaurant Online – A Brief Guide to Getting Bums on Seats

The real countdown is about to begin – Welcome to the Stampede Advent Calendar

Delivery and takeaway sales have seen another strong start in 2022. Recent figures by <a href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2022/02/23/pub-delivery-and-takeaway-sales-reach-five-times-pre-pandemic-levels-in-january-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CGA &amp; Slerp Hospitality At Home Tracker</a> show a sales increase of 422% compared to January 2019. Time to ramp up your e-commerce meal kit page and promotions for maximum revenue.







In <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-get-it-right-meal-kit-online-sales-success-by-hawskmoor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">part one</a> of this series, we analysed the Hawksmoor At Home e-commerce website and promotions. This part will give you some further guidance on how you can deploy a similar strategy to your meal kit e-commerce sales to get them flying out the door.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-page-layout">Page Layout</h4>



Most website builders have a selection of&nbsp;built-in e-commerce templates and building blocks&nbsp;to choose from. To save time, use those and customise or adjust them to your branding rather than building a page entirely from scratch.



We’d recommend going minimalistic and choosing a simple grid layout made of image and text blocks. This provides customers with a straightforward overview of your different meal-kit options.



Have a look around <a href="https://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/best-for/restaurant-diy-kits_9779" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">others restaurants’ meal kit pages</a> and get some more inspiration from the gallery below.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.30.10.png"><img decoding="async" data-id="21278" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/544/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMi8wMy9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjItMDMtMDItYXQtMTIuMzAuMTAtMTAyNHg1NDQucG5n" alt="" class="wp-image-21278"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.41.15.png"><img decoding="async" data-id="21280" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/441/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMi8wMy9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjItMDMtMDItYXQtMTIuNDEuMTUtMTAyNHg0NDEucG5n" alt="" class="wp-image-21280"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.43.22-1.png"><img decoding="async" data-id="21279" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/831/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMi8wMy9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjItMDMtMDItYXQtMTIuNDMuMjItMS0xMDI0eDgzMS5wbmc=" alt="" class="wp-image-21279"/></a></figure>
</figure>



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Page Design</h4>



Keep the overall page design&nbsp;easy to navigate&nbsp;and use your existing brand assets to make it recognisable.



The overall focus on the page should be on the pictures of your meal kits, as they will capture your customers&#8217; attention and give them an idea of what to expect.



You can, for example, use one image showing the finished meal together with some close-ups of individual components and ingredients. Chances are that you have some high-quality shots for your social media posts already that can be re-used. This visual consistency between channels will help improve campaign effectiveness.



Always keep in mind that most of your customers will browse on their phones, so make sure your page displays well on both desktop and mobile.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Written Page Content</h4>



Again, keep the text minimal and provide a&nbsp;clear and concise description&nbsp;of your meal kits. You can use a bulleted list for this part, which makes it easier to grasp all important information at one glance.&nbsp;Strong call-to-actions&nbsp;will help you drive in more orders &#8211; “Get cooking”, “Order now”, “Create your [company] at home experience”.



Once you’ve got the key information across, you can use storytelling to give your content a personal touch. Showcase your local suppliers and their ingredients with links to their websites. And don’t forget to include customer testimonials.



A short FAQ section can give customers answers to common questions around last order date, storage, etc. You can also include more detailed step-by-step instructions here. This will help you to highlight how easy it is for customers to replicate your restaurant experience at home. 



To make your page even more engaging think about incorporating a short video on how to prepare the meal featuring your chef in action.



Check out <a href="https://garrettoden.com/analyzed-18-meal-kit-delivery-websites/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this article</a> analysing different meal kit delivery pages and their content for some more tips and tricks. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">E-Commerce Promotion</h4>



Once your page is all set up, it&#8217;s time to promote your meal kit e-commerce page properly. Besides using your social channels and email marketing, you might opt for paid search ads. This will allow you to reach a much wider (national) audience.



Below are some useful resources around setting up converting Google Search Ads and further SEO tips to boost your website content.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Digital Restaurateur &#8211; <a href="https://www.digitalrestaurateur.com/paid-search-for-restaurants" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paid search ads for restaurants</a></li><li>39 celsius &#8211; <a href="https://www.39celsius.com/google-ads-for-restaurants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google ads for restaurants</a></li><li>Search Engine Journal &#8211; <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/restaurant-seo-tips/208644/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Restaurant SEO tips</a></li><li>Lightspeed &#8211; <a href="https://www.lightspeedhq.com/blog/seo-for-restaurants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SEO for restaurants</a></li></ul>



Stampede integrates with a number of e-commerce platforms that allows you to access valuable customers data. <a href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a> with one of our team who are happy to run you through it.

How To Set Up A Successful Meal Kit E-Commerce Page

Getting Started with Guest WiFi in your Venue Today

GDPR, WiFi, Stampede and You

Stampede WiFi and GDPR

Stampede at EIE Scotland

Why Offer WiFi as a Service?

Good Adverts, Bad Adverts

Offer GDPR Compliant WiFi with Stampede

Are you thinking of opening a prohibition styled speakeasy serving custom-crafted cocktails flavoured with the latest Scottish gins? Or are you starting a pop-up cafe specialising in the latest trend? What about bucking all the hype serving up good old fashioned diner grub? No matter what type of food or drink you plan to serve your customers. There’s going to be one thing that your customers demand as soon as they enter your place: <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">WiFi</a>. 



As a matter of fact, a recent survey showed that the most <a href="https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/restaurant-management-statistics">important technology feature for customers is free WiFi</a>. It&#8217;s a vital part of their overall experience and can influence their decision to come back or not. 







In order to give your customers the best guest experience, you need to get everything right. Including your decor, your staff, your food and, yes, your WiFi. With that in mind, here are our top five tips on how to set up WiFi for your restaurant or pub.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-professional-wifi-equipment">Use Professional WiFi Equipment</h4>



You’ve poured your heart and soul into your new business. So are you going to let your customers sign in to the same crappy WiFi router that your internet company gives to pensioners downloading pictures of their grandkids? No. It’s time to put on your big boy pants and pay for a decent router. But buying the best doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean you&#8217;ll need to empty your bank account.



Our top <a href="https://stampede.ai/supported-hardware/">hardware recommendations</a> for seamless integration with Stampede include popular brands like:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>TP-Link</li><li>Ubiquiti UniFi</li><li>Cisco Meraki</li><li>D-Link</li></ul>



The <a href="https://www.netspotapp.com/blog/wifi-security/explaining-wifi-standards.html">standard that WiFi</a> uses for connections is called 802.11, appended with letters to reflect the WiFi generation. For example, when WiFi was first released to the public, way back when in 1999, it was known as 802.a. As of 2022, the most widely used standard is 802.11ax or WiFi 6, coming with an even greater data transfer speed. 



But don’t sit around waiting for the latest standard to come out before you purchase your equipment. Since WiFi devices are backwards compatible, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting outpaced by technology.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-place-go-mesh">Big Place? Go Mesh</h4>



If you&#8217;ve got a large pub or restaurant with lots of hidden nooks and crannies, then you&#8217;re going to want to go with a mesh network. The idea behind mesh networks is to provide all-around coverage for your pub or restaurant. Even better it eliminates any WiFi blind spots. A mesh network typically consists of a number of WiFi separate broadcast units. Usually, between two to four, that seamlessly integrate into one network. 



Hooking up mesh networks isn’t as difficult as it sounds. The router software usually takes care of the integration for you. Even though you may have up to 4 devices bouncing a signal around your business, customers only have to worry about connecting to a signal network. <a href="https://www.techadvisor.com/test-centre/network-wifi/best-mesh-wi-fi-network-systems-3661110/">This article in Tech Advisor </a>is a quick read and gives you a nice overview on some of the best mesh routers out there.



Here&#8217;s a <a href="https://stampede.ai/resources/bar-tonic/">case study we did with Bar Tonic</a>, one of our customers who rely on a good WiFi signal due to their special location.



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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Succeed with Stampede - Bar Tonic" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SVpZWzhhNBY?start=4&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-setup-a-captive-portal">Setup a Captive Portal</h4>



Alright, so you’ve got your network all set up and broadcasting. You’re getting a great signal from every location in your place of business. Even in the most distant bathroom stall. Now all you need to do is write up your network password on all the walls so your customers can connect, right? WRONG. 



You’ve just spent some bucks paying for a professional WiFi network for your business. So why give it away for free? By using a software product like Stampede, you can set up what is known as a <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">Captive Portal</a>, to give your customers access to your shiny new WiFi network.



Here&#8217;s how it works: After a customer connects, they’re prompted to register for your network with their email address or using their social media account. Once they’ve verified their email, they’re logged in. No passwords to remember and no chalkboards on the wall. Just a much smoother customer WiFi experience.



The other cool part about a captive network is that it will <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/get-your-customers-to-login-once-keep-them-always-connected/">automatically re-connect your customer</a> next time they pay you a visit. No more logging in! And the best part &#8211; at least for your business? You now have your customer’s email address that (with their permission, of course) you can use for our next tip &#8211; automated marketing.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-automated-marketing">Use Automated Marketing</h4>



You’re providing free WiFi for your customers and, in return, you’re getting their data. So use it! When you have a customer login to your WiFi with Stampede, in addition to an email address, you can ask for other details on the <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/#portal">Captive Portal login screen</a>. Name, age, gender &#8211; anything you can think of. You can even add custom questions. This is a great place to ask your customer opinions about new menu items or specials you’re thinking about offering. And not to forget about the fact that you can customise the log-in screen to your own branding.



Once registered, you can import your customers&#8217; email into mailing list software like Mailchimp. Use software like Zapier to do thousands of different tasks, like importing emails into a Google Docs spreadsheet. 



Or, you can save time and have all your data conveniently in one place with <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/">Stampede Marketing</a>. Automated text or SMS messages are a great tool for <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-5-step-recipe-that-creates-profitable-personalised-marketing-part-1/">personalised marketing campaigns</a> to bring customers back. Want to reward <a href="https://stampede.ai/resources/8-tactics-to-increase-customer-spend/">loyal customers</a>? Send them a message with a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/new-stampede-marketing-feature-unique-voucher-codes/">voucher</a> for a dessert on their third visit. Haven&#8217;t seen a customer in a while and want to get them back? Drop &#8217;em a coupon for a free drink &#8211; who can resist that?



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-get-social">Get Social</h4>



So you’ve got an awesome WiFi network with a Cative Portal set up in your pub or restaurant and your customers are loving it. Now it’s time to spread the word! Put your Instagram, Facebook and TikTok handles EVERYWHERE &#8211; menus, the walls, even on your receipts. Encourage your customers to share their experience and, more importantly, their photos. 



Take it one step further and use automated marketing to gather customer feedback with ease. Reviews help you build trust and attract new customers. With <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/automations/#reviews">Stampede Reviews</a> you can send an automated message after your customers have left the venue and ask them to leave you a review and write about their experience. What&#8217;s even better, you can access all major review platforms (Tripadvisor, Facebook and Google) from one dashboard, allowing for a much easier reputation management.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-awesome-wifi-in-your-restaurant-or-pub-set-up">Awesome WiFi in Your Restaurant or Pub Set Up</h4>



Now you&#8217;ve got awesome WiFi that your customers love. They&#8217;re spreading the word about you all over social media and you&#8217;re keeping them loyal with automated marketing. That wasn&#8217;t so hard now, was it?



So, if you&#8217;re thinking about taking the plunge and opening up the restaurant or pub of your dreams, and see the importance of offering awesome WiFi. Why not give us a try? <a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo">Get in touch</a> to find out how this could easily be implemented at your venue.

5 Tips for Setting Up WiFi for Your Restaurant or Pub [Updated for 2022]

Online reviews are increasingly driving customers both towards &#8211; and away from &#8211; service businesses such as coffee shops, bars, and hairstylists.&nbsp;







As humans, we are hard-wired to attach more importance to the experience of others than what a company may try to tell us about themselves. Our natural scepticism makes us believe the apparently independent reviews and all-important “star rating” that we see. Especially, when we search for a company on Google or Google Maps more than the companies’ own words about themselves.&nbsp;



As could only be expected with such a powerful trend in the marketplace, it wasn’t long before some individuals tried to game the system. Who can forget the <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/06/garden-becomes-top-rated-london-restaurant-tripadvisor-site/">man</a> who made his garden shed the top-rated restaurant in London on TripAdvisor, for example?! The ease of setting up new accounts on many review sites might tempt hospitality business owners or employees to try a similar trick. However, there are plenty of ways in which this can backfire spectacularly.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Why it might seem so tempting to leave fake reviews… and why you should resist it</h4>



Your online review rating suffers from another well-known quirk of human psychology; we are more likely to tell others of a negative experience than we are about a positive experience. According to <a href="https://www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/the-hidden-ratio-that-could-make-or-break-your-company.html">Inc Magazine</a>, it takes an average of 40 positive customer experiences to make up for just one negative (1 star) review! In the face of such daunting statistics, it is certainly tempting to “level the playing field” a bit by leaving some positive reviews for yourself.&nbsp;



Apart from all the ethical reasons why you shouldn’t do this, there are some solid common-sense reasons too. Firstly, fake reviews can often be detected. Not just by the review platform, but also by punters looking to make a decision on who to award their business to.&nbsp;



There’s something about a glowing five-star review that is light on substance. But heavy on praise which just seems&#8230; instantly suspicious. The “Amazon effect” spills over into your customers’ consciousness. It is now a well-known fact that Amazon is flooded with fake reviews. Therefore, people have sharpened up their BS filters accordingly!&nbsp;



Secondly, there’s no reason to stress unduly over an individual bad review &#8211; or even a handful of them. Believe it or not, they can actually <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/your-business-needs-negative-reviews/">boost your credibility rating</a>. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">Provided you respond to each</a> in a positive, professional way, apologising to the customer for their poor experience. Also, inviting them to get in touch to discuss it further. When a potential customer sees this, they will instinctively know they are looking at real customer interactions. And not fake ones &#8211; and they will trust you more accordingly.&nbsp;



As a bonus, the presence of a few negative reviews means that punters will also attach a higher level of credibility to the other reviews they see on the business as a result!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Technology to the rescue?</h4>



There is a final and persuasive reason. You should give all the incentive you need not to risk playing with the fire of fake reviews.&nbsp;



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">Technology platforms</a> now exist that allow service businesses like yours to harness the power of online reviews in your favour. In a far more effective (not to mention far more ethically sound!) way than you could ever hope to achieve by posting fake reviews.&nbsp;



For example, our <a href="https://stampede.ai/reviews/?referrer=stampede.ai">own system</a> has two powerful features that allow small to medium business owners to boost their online review ratings. A system to remind customers to leave reviews via SMS text message or email. Thereby overcoming the traditional apathy that those who had a positive experience might otherwise feel. Even further, our system places negative/low (1 to 3 star) ratings into a “holding area” for you to deal with before they get published online!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">A brave new world for traditional service businesses&nbsp;</h4>



Traditional “brick and mortar” type businesses can’t afford to ignore online reviews. Or, for that matter, the importance of offering WiFi to their customers &#8211; any longer. Did you know, for example, that 70% of people prefer bars &amp; pubs that have access to WiFi?&nbsp;



As <a href="https://marketingartfully.com/what-are-important-customer-demographics/">customer demographics</a> change, statistics like these are only likely to ever move in one direction. Towards an increasingly connected, mobile, online world. Along with this, review platforms such as TripAdvisor, Google, and Facebook are adding new security measures and compliance systems to monitor and weed out fake reviews. Having noted the bad publicity that the ability of some organisations to rig the system in their favour have resulted in.&nbsp;



The good news is that accessing smart technology can help even the smallest coffee bar attract and retain loyal customers is easier than at any point before. Not to mention extremely affordable too. Sophisticated online marketing tools that used to be the sole preserve of big chains and nationwide organisations is now within the reach of the most time-pressed service business owner.



Along with this, the power of social media, which is encouraging many individuals to seek out an individual or unique experience that they wouldn’t get elsewhere that they can then share with their friends online. All works in favour of smaller, more bespoke establishments like yours.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Bringing it all together&nbsp;</h4>



In conclusion, fake reviews, whether purchased or placed yourself, are simply not worth the risk. Here’s what you should consider instead to boost your online review ratings:



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Leave a polite response to any negative reviews that you receive online. Apologising sincerely (no matter how unfair the review might seem!) and asking the reviewer to get in touch. That way you can discuss their problem directly with you so you can look into it further</li><li>Encourage more positive reviews to be left by going the extra mile to impress customers with your own unique touch. Asking them to review you. If you want to automate the process of asking for reviews, systems like Stampede can do all the heavy lifting for you. Leaving you to focus on the customer service angle!&nbsp;</li><li>Consider the use of a review management platform. This allows you to place low reviews in a “holding area” before they get published. So you have an opportunity to intervene and make things right</li><li>Ask review platforms to investigate and remove reviews that you have reason to believe are fake</li></ol>



We hope you found this article useful. Watch this space for future posts that can help you take your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/">service business to the next level</a>!&nbsp;Or why not give our reviews feature a try?



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>

Fake Reviews Can Hurt Your Business. How You Can Safely Boost Your Ratings

Happy GDPR Day Everyone!

That&#8217;s right, at 12:00 AM on May 25, 2018 GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) came into effect in the EU. <a href="/blog/offer-gdpr-compliant-wifi-with-blackbx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The main purpose of GDPR</a> is to give EU citizens and residents control over their personal data. Which is pretty cool, if you&#8217;re an end user, but could be a bit of a minefield if you&#8217;re a business owner offering WiFi and worried about how GDPR could effect your company.
Not &#8211; however &#8211; if you&#8217;re using Stampede.
And the best part? You don&#8217;t have to do a thing. That&#8217;s because our cloud based WiFi solution takes care of all your GDPR needs for you. No new equipment to install, no forms to fill out and nothing to download to offer fast, safe, secure and, best of all, <a href="/blog/blackbx-wifi-and-gdpr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GDPR compliant WiFi</a>.
<h2>Stampede and GDPR Compliance</h2>
Here&#8217;s how Stampede is meeting GDPR requirements and how you show your customers data is protected:
End user access
Users will be shown the terms and conditions before they join a WiFi network, if they decline the terms; no personalised information will be collected on them
End user portal
Users will be able to view all the data we store on them. Including:
<ul>
<li>The locations they have visited</li>
<li>The amount of data they have consumed at each of these locations</li>
<li>Each device they have used at these locations</li>
<li>Every marketing campaign they may have participated in</li>
<li>Every Payment they may have made</li>
</ul>
This data can be exported via both PDF and CSV.
So, if you&#8217;re using Stampede WiFi and your customers ask if you&#8217;re in-store connection is GDPR compliant &#8211; you can answer with that magic word: &#8220;yes.&#8221;
<h2>But wait, there&#8217;s more!</h2>
Of course, everyone wants to offer <a href="/blog/offer-gdpr-compliant-wifi-with-blackbx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GDPR compliant WiFi</a>, but that alone isn&#8217;t going to get your business growing. That&#8217;s where the rest of Stampede comes in.
How about sending an automatic SMS or text when your customer hasn&#8217;t visited in a while, tempting them back with a coupon for 10% off? Or how about a personalized text offering your best customer a free drink on their birthday? And that&#8217;s just the beginning &#8211; the sky&#8217;s the limit with the <a href="/blog/learn-how-to-boost-your-business-with-sms-and-email-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">automated marketing</a> features of Stampede. Combine this with powerful features like <a href="/blog/connect-3.1-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WiFi scheduling</a>, location mapping to see where your customers are coming from and much, much more!
<h2>Offer GDPR Compliant WiFi with Stampede</h2>
And if you&#8217;ve been to confused about GDPR laws, but still want to offer WiFi in your business, click on the link below to take Stampede for a free test drive!
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

For decades, hospitality businesses have trusted in the power of human labour to keep their venues running. Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises more efficient operations and better-personalised experiences for their customers.&nbsp;



But while AI has comes with huge benefits &#8211; from automating mundane tasks to better understanding customers’ needs &#8211; it also poses potential drawbacks.&nbsp;



Before you decide whether or not integrating AI into your hospitality operations is right for you, take some time to consider both the pros and cons we lay down in this blog article.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ai-is-used-in-the-hospitality-industry">How AI is used in the hospitality industry</h2>



AI is being used in a variety of ways in the hospitality industry, from chatbots that assist with reservations to orders to automated systems that streamline check-in and check-out processes and marketing and sales automation.



It also comes with the ability to predict customer needs and preferences, which can help with recommendations, personalised service and upsell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-advantages-of-using-ai-in-hospitality">Key advantages of using AI in hospitality</h2>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">1. Increased operational efficiency and productivity</h4>



With AI, businesses are able to streamline their operational and administrative processes and automate tasks. This allows for a significant increase in productivity and better resource management.



Moreover, with less manual handling required, there is a reduced chance of human error. Especially when dealing with customer data or uploading and updating spreadsheets, which can be prone to mistakes.



Marketing teams can massively improve their efforts with AI. For example, use data insights to build defined customer segments. The foundation for email and SMS campaigns that really resonate with customers and drive them back to their venue.&nbsp;



With clever <a href="https://stampede.ai/downloads/hospitality-marketing-automation-playbook">campaign automation</a>, operators can additionally save valuable time and staff can focus on more crucial tasks.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. Reduced costs</h4>



With the rise of AI, there are new opportunities for hospitality businesses to cut costs.



Routine and repetitive tasks can easily be automated, saving on labour costs. Besides, by implementing AI, operators can bypass ongoing staff shortages.



It also allows for more efficient and accurate decision-making backed by real data insights. So without relying on guesswork, operators can ultimately reduce unnecessary costs in the long run.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">3. Improved customer experience</h4>



The key to retaining customers is to ensure that they have a memorable experience when interacting with your brand. This is where the use of AI comes in.&nbsp;



Businesses can create a much more personalised and tailored experience that is based on customers’ preferences and behaviours.



Moreover, AI can help to connect all of a customer&#8217;s interactions with a brand across various digital channels. This contributes towards a more unified and seamless online experience.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">4. Better forecasting</h4>



In today&#8217;s fast-paced environment, having accurate and timely forecasts can mean the difference between success and failure.&nbsp;



AI has the ability to analyse vast amounts of customer data in a second and provide insights into revenue opportunities that may have otherwise been missed.&nbsp;



Perhaps even more importantly, AI can predict market trends, giving businesses an edge in their strategic planning. By leveraging the preciseness of forecasting, businesses can make smarter decisions, allocate resources more effectively, and ultimately, increase their bottom line.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-main-disadvantages-of-using-ai-in-hospitality">Main disadvantages of using AI in hospitality</h2>



Although AI has the potential to take business operations to the next level, it comes with its share of disadvantages that should also be considered.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">&nbsp;1. Impersonal service</h4>



One major issue with AI is the loss of the human touch. Whether it&#8217;s automated customer service systems or self-checkout kiosks, these rather impersonal experiences can negatively affect customer satisfaction.



AI systems can never fully replace human intuition and judgement, which can also lead to errors and inaccuracies in service.&nbsp;



No doubt, the human element is vital to creating a warm and welcoming environment. It&#8217;s through genuine connections with staff that customers feel valued and it&#8217;s those connections that keep them coming back time and time again.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. System failure</h4>



Running a hospitality business is a complex task that requires a lot of moving parts to function well. The success of operations depends heavily on all of the systems working properly.



Unfortunately, when these systems fail, they can cause serious disruption to the entire operation. Rooms may be double-booked, orders may be lost or misplaced and customers may be left waiting for extended periods of time.



As a result, unsatisfied customers and negative reviews can quickly pile up, causing lasting damage to the business.&nbsp;



To mitigate the risk of system failure, it’s important for hospitality operators to have a plan in place in case their AI tool breaks down. By being proactive and prepared, they can ensure a seamless experience for their customers.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">3. Technological limitations</h4>



The hospitality industry requires technology tools that cater to their particular needs. Customer interactions happen both online and offline. Generic AI tools might not align with their specific requirements and might therefore create more work than taking off the workload if not set up properly.



Even with the right technology tools to hand the various systems used need to interact and talk to each other. Without those <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/5-common-data-integration-flaws-in-hospitality-tech">integrations</a>, the data flow is disconnected and operators are not able to generate a single customer view.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">4. High implementation costs</h4>



The implementation of these tools often comes at a high cost, making them unaffordable for smaller venues. This situation has forced operators to carefully weigh the pros and cons before deciding if it is worth investing in AI tools.&nbsp;



While AI can bring about significant returns, it may not be a worthwhile investment for all businesses. However, as technology continues to advance, we may see a rise in more cost-effective solutions that cater to a range of budgets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summary">Summary</h2>



In conclusion, there are pros and cons of using AI in the hospitality industry that should be taken into account.&nbsp;



Technology can be used to save money, increase efficiency, improve customer experience and enable more precise forecasting. However, many operators are still struggling with the lack of human element when it comes to dealing with customers and their needs.&nbsp;



Furthermore, technological limitations should not be disregarded as they might also cause certain problems when it comes to adapting AI to existing processes.&nbsp;



Finally, before making any investments in AI, operators should evaluate the costs associated with them as this could highly affect their financial situation.&nbsp;



All factors taken into consideration, applying AI technology correctly can prove extremely beneficial for restaurants and the hospitality industry in general.



Make sure to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/ai-in-hospitality-marketing-a-complete-guide">check out our full guide</a> exploring AI for hospitality marketing.

If you’re looking for an easy win when it comes to social media, we’ve got a classic trick to share with you today.



Before we get into it, a little thought experiment: How many of your social media followers do you think are also on your email marketing list? It’s not easy to tell, but how do the numbers compare?



 Getting the two audiences to synchronise is a worthwhile exercise &#8211; more touchpoints = more sales after all &#8211; but it’s not the easiest thing to do.



Turning email subscribers into social media fans is the path of least resistance, but what if your social media following is where the big volume exists? There could be hundreds or thousands of those followers who miss your content thanks to the algorithms. If they get your emails though, they are more likely to interact with your marketing efforts.



 Celebrity chef and restauranteur Tom Kerridge reminded us of a great way to cross-pollinate your social media following and your email marketing list: fear of missing out.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="550" height="1024" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-550x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-19425" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-550x1024.png 550w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-161x300.png 161w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-150x279.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-592x1103.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-32x60.png 32w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-48x90.png 48w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05.png 598w" sizes="(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /></a></figure>



In this post on Instagram, he reminds followers that his e-Newsletter will be sent the following day. He addresses this post to his “Pirates” &#8211; those who are on his mailing list. Some followers who see this will feel a bit left out, but luckily there’s a link in his bio to join his mailing list (and become a Pirate).



 Simple and effective but it harnesses that emotional response at the core of so much social media: fear of missing out.



To do something similar on your own feed:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Identify an exclusive feature of your newsletters that only subscribers can access</li><li>Leverage that exclusive feature in your social media posts, regularly. Give them a taste of what they’re missing out on.</li><li>Make sure it’s easy for people to sign up to your email list</li><li>Post reminders on social media before the regular send date of your newsletters</li></ul>



Posting reminders of newsletters arrival will increase your open rate too &#8211; bonus!



 Some brands will run competitions to drive newsletter sign-ups as Tom has done above, but it’s not imperative if you are offering something valuable in every email.&nbsp;



 A regular routine of newsletter recruitment in your social media can do the same job, more often, without the costs of a giveaway competition.



 For all things email, from website subscription forms to newsletter templates, <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> with one of our team.