CRM in Hospitality Industry

Taj Group of Hotels

UM17319-Anand Gautam
UM17323-Ankur Kaushik
UM17350-Pratyasha Barpanda
UM17352-Priyanka Sahoo
UM17342-Neha Show
 Contents

 Introduction
 Why CRM in hotel industry?
 Customer centricity – Understanding customers
 Customer Centricity – Customer Design Experience
 Customer Centricity – Operational Integration
 Customer Centricity – Customer Loyalty Programs
 Customer Centric Innovations at Taj
 Technology Aspects of Taj
 Usage of customer data
 Internal CRM for employees
 Introduction
The Indian Hotels Company (IHC) is the parent company of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces -
headquartered at Express Towers, Nariman Point in Mumbai. It was founded by Jamshetji N. Tata on
December 16, 1903. The Taj hotels are categorized as luxury, leisure and business hotels. The Taj
Luxury Hotels offer a wide range of luxurious suites with modern fitness centers, rejuvenating spas,
and well-equipped banquet and meeting facilities. As of 2018, the company operates a total of 100
hotels and hotel-resorts, with 84 across India and 16 in other countries, including Bhutan, Malaysia,
Maldives, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, UAE, UK, USA and Zambia.

Why CRM in hotel industry?

Despite the fact that CRM brings lasting benefits to organizations, as a whole, some of them gain
profits from implementing it more than others. CRM will be ideally suited to the hotel industry,
especially when implementing it successfully and effectively, taking into account that hotels receive
a lot of data about customers. Hotel industry, like any business sector has to be highly competitive to
be able to do well in the business environment, therefore, it is of vital importance for it to encourage
behavioural patterns of continuous re-purchase and to retain customers last longer. Thus, it is
evident that such ambitious aims can only be achieved through implementing CRM, which will result
in establishing fruitful relationship between organizations and their customers.
 Customer centricity – Understanding customers
Taj is a well-known brand name and offers impeccable services and quality products to attract
its customer base. All its rooms are spacious and richly decorated to provide elegant and soothing
ambience. Rooms are air-conditioned and have facilities like television, fridge, wardrobe, laundry
options, telephone and attached bathroom with hot and cold water. Other important amenities
include travel desk, swimming pool, speciality restaurants, spa, salon, golf course in some hotels,
free Wi-Fi, fitness centre, child care options, all-day dining facility and conference hall equipped with
latest facilities.

Its resorts and hotels are located in cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Agra,
Hyderabad, New Delhi, Srinagar, Udaipur and Surat with its headquarters base at Mumbai.

Taj Hotels has spread its international presence in the overseas market to include hotels in places
like Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Malaysia, Maldives, United States, United Kingdom, Zambia, UAE, South Africa
and Nepal. In the year 2006, Taj Hotels launched a new offering titled Taj Safaris at Mahua Kothi in
Bandhavgarh.

Customer Centricity – Customer Design Experience

Taj goes beyond the expected to create bespoke experiences crafted especially for you. One
remarkable moment follows another to create lifelong memories. Be pampered with unforgettable
luxury.

 SIGNATURE TURNDOWN

Mark the transition from day to night with a signature service that touches all your senses –
memorable treats such as a pillow menu, a choice of calming candles or a pampering hot chocolate
to remind you of how special you are.

 BUTLER SERVICES

The ultimate in personal service, our butler service was born out of our desire to fulfil all your needs,
with no request too small or unattainable at any time of the day. Taj butlers to deliver every desire
with discreet efficiency and polished grace.

 CONCIERGE SERVICES

At your service, our warm and welcoming concierge are knowledgeable hosts, taking care of each
guest personally. They can arrange dinners, spa treatments, tickets and tours. Absolutely anything,
from a shopping excursion to a relaxing bath at the end of the day, can be tailor-made to create a
unique, individual experience.
 Customer Centricity – Operational Integration
STATIONS OF EXPERIENCE:-

 Pre-Arrival: Reservations; Airport pick-up

 Arrival: Welcome at the lobby; Royal Welcome for Groups; ATG( Aarti, Tiki and Garlanding);
Welcome Drinks upon arrival
 Check-in: Escorting ; Welcome Letter; Room Orientation
 Experience during stay: Heritage walk; Special Occasion Celebration; City tour by vintage
car; Cultural music and dance; Unique dinner experience; Grand Wedding; Other Facilities
 Check Out: Feedback Form at time of Turn Down Souvenir

Customer Centricity – Customer Loyalty Programs

 Taj Inner Circle
 Taj Epicure Plan
 Benefits That Customers Enjoy As A Silver & Gold Member – Customers will be greeted with
flowers & fruits in their room – Check-in & departure formalities will be easier, faster &
flexible – Receive special discount on rooms at Taj leisure hotels – Avail of double occupancy
at no extra cost – Entitled to a priority wait-list
 Points Redemption
 Taj Club 21

Customer Centric Innovations at Taj

Taj has been one of the most reputed brands of all time. They have always tried their best to
provide their customers with the best experiences as possible. Right from Pre-Arrival,
Arrival, Check-Ins, Experience during stay and check out. Some of the unique customer
centric experiences at Taj are as follows.

 Guest Preference Sheet-At the time of the reservation a preference sheet is sent
across to the guest along with the reservation conformation mail. This is primarily to
capture the various preferences of the customer such as food habits (Diabetic/ Low
fat etc.), special needs etc. It also asks if the customer is coming on a special
occasion or not and arrangements are made accordingly made on the visit
 Handling Complains - This is another important tool in improving the service of the
hotel and to capture guest complaints. If a complaint is registered by a customer it is
updated on the software. Gradually as the time lapses the status displayed turn from
green to yellow and ultimately red. This status can be seen by any of the managers
as the software is connected to the central server. A daily Action Taken Report is
generated.
 Fidelo- Fidelio is the property management system used by Indian Hotels Company
Limited. Although it is used for various functions but it also plays an important role in
the CRM processes of the hotel. It is used for saving the profile, preferences and
 special information (Anniversary, Birthday, allergies s etc.) related to the guest on a
central server. This information is accessible to all the Taj properties.
 Wow Cards- This is a special instrument used by personal butlers for recording guest
preferences & other important information related to the guest. This is a small
booklet which is carried by the staff at all times and whenever they get any
information which can be useful in the future to please the customer, they simple
record it here. This information is further uploaded on the PMS making it accessible
to all.
 GRE Courtesy Call - Once the guest is in the hotel and stayed for some time (a day or
two) a courtesy call is made by the guest relationship executive during the evening
hours. This is just to know about the guest’s experience and how can it be improved
in case there is some difficulty being faced by him/her. In case there is a complaint it
is uploaded on the CRM software and further processes are followed as mentioned.
 Guest Satisfaction Track - Post departure an automated mail from the central server
is sent to the guest requesting to fill up a feedback form. There are various heads
covering the various stations of experiences which are scored on a Likert Scale. This
information is quantified to highlight the areas of concern. This score is also used as
a measure of performance of a hotel unit.
 Technology Aspects of Taj

Taj has a pretty strong inhouse development team. The good thing here is that the
availability of ample number of engineers in every corner. Majority of the development is
done in house. They have social media platforms, new websites, new ways. They use web
services like Amazon Web services and Adobe for content management. The content
available is always fresh. They have a very good relation with their software vendors.
Around 30% of the business comes online and is expected to grow in near future. They
believe Platforms like Airbnb, Oyo, Expedia would be their major competitors.

Taj uses Technology in a smart way. They have access to technology but they don’t want to
overuse it as it removes the personal touch. They provide them with options of online chat
to personal calls. The number of associates and butlers per guestroom is quite high. This is
how they are able to provide personal touch.

In terms of digital experience right from social media, websites and apps virtual tours are
provided and guests are able to see what kind of experience are provided to them. E.g. A
guest landed on Airport is picked up in a vintage car and welcomed through the gates with
drums, horses and carriages. The video was shot and promoted on social media and
website.

Seranata Intraware - Connects all 75 hotel of Taj and have centralized software. The scenario or
the problem. Problems of fragmented distributed information, delicacy and missing of data,
Scalability Issues, incorporating new hotels in the chain involved consuming and time processing
process.Hence Taj Resorts Hotels and Palaces implemented a cloud-based managed services
network to improve WiFi access across three domestic locations from Connect Call Global (CCG). The
technology allows the hotels to improve guest satisfaction and improve network operations at each
property. WiFi ranks as the top-requested hotel amenity among guests, however existing networks
don’t often support the growing number of wireless devices visitors are connecting to the
Internet. Realizing basic Internet service was not adequate to support guests’ increasing high-speed
Internet needs at its luxury Boston-based property, the hotel began evaluating a customized
managed services solution that would support the escalating number of wireless devices guests
were connected to the Web. Besides requiring a scalable solution that supported remote real-time
visibility into user WiFi connections and performance, the hotel also wanted a cost-efficient option
comprised of reliable software and hardware components.

Taj selected CCG’s Unicom Service Gateway, a cloud-based policy management and captive portal
solution, along with Motorola’s WLAN access network and new fiber distribution network. CCG’s
Unicom Service Gateway interfaces with the hotels Property Management System (PMS), providing
hotel executives with real-time network statistics and reporting. CCG remotely manages and
maintains the network for hotel executives freeing them up to focus efforts on the guest.
 Usage of customer data
Taj Hotels capture a range of customer data from different sources like its multilingual website,
mobile based app. Two unique way of collecting information and building effecting consumer
engagements was through the TAJ live- their mobile based app and also through the cloud sales
automation- this has enabled the company to keep more information on the customer and has given
it and can thus give personalised services to the customer. The oracle system helps the company to
keep a 360 degree view of the customer.

The company also has a active social media presence where it responds to queries within 15 minutes
so as to manage the millennial population in a more effective way.

Apart from collecting data from these online sources, the company also collects various
pdemographic details like the customer’s geography, birthday, income, occupation etc. this details
helps them in customer segmentation which can be used to effectively target customers for different
classes of their hotel chain.

It also collects Behavorial and needs data like what is the frequency of hotel visits, type of offers
availed etc. these data help it to upsell and cross sell its offerings to customers.

Based on the patterns of use the company can extend offers on vacation days, special days like
anniversary to customers.

Internal CRM for employees

The Taj hotels actually employs people from the rural side of india, they seldom employ people from
the urban cities. This is because they believe that the cultural values, ethics and commitment
towards their duties are more evident in these people.

The company has an interesting employee engagement platforms:

STARS- Special Thanks and Recognition system

Employees accumulate points throughout the year in three domains: compliments from guests,
compliments from colleagues, and their own suggestions. They have a system in which not onl the
manager’s feedback and suggestions are included, but it also includes feedbacks and suggestions
from peers.

And at the end of each day the STARS committee reviews all suggestions and nominations. Thus
through this Taj has enabled itself to build a culture where employees reflect the “guest first”
attitude in their behaviours.

It also has ESTS- Employee Satisfaction Tracking System

Under this system it conducts surveys to collect response from the employees and strives to achieve
100% satisfaction. It also tries to address employee’s concerns and provides a forum for employees
to voice their suggestions and also compliment their peers.