Here is an ad for Starwood’s new “Keyless Room. Is it a Proactive or Reactive strategy?
Hospitality Marketing One
MKT2235: Learning to solve customer problems in Hospitality
Starwood Product Strategy. Proactive or Reactive?
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10 thoughts on “Starwood Product Strategy. Proactive or Reactive?”
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Ian W McVitty
Email: mcvitti@algonquincollege.com
Phone: (613) 727-4723
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Hospitality Marketing One 
With the risk of giving a wrong answer, in my opinion Starwood has used a mixture of both proactive and reactive product strategy. It looks like a reactive strategy because they introduced a new technology, but the marketing ad is an imitation, the same advertising media as another (other) firm(s): “Introducing the new….”, that I have heard many, many times, for all kinds of products, especially for the latest technology.
It is also seems to be a proactive strategy because by definition, proactiv means “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes”. So, they show the fact that they care about guests, their needs, their expectations, and the time has come to implement new technologies in the hospitality industry as well.
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Posted by Clementina Ancu | November 6, 2014, 10:17 pmYour answer is the epitome of a marketing answer…well done. There is never a wrong answer if you can explain it and you have done a great job. If you take a look at the “guest” in the video, they even have identified a specific target; the female business traveller.
I wonder how long the competitive advantage earned by this strategy will be copied by all chains?
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Posted by Ian W. McVitty | November 7, 2014, 12:25 amI think this is a proactive strategy because as mentioned above, “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes” is what proactive means. So to me Starwood is simply assuming that this is something the guests will want in the future. By telling us it’s coming soon they’re impressing us with new ideas! A hotel would think of something like this because they KNOW that one day someone will say “key cards are lame, we should be able to do this with our phone!” and they want to have this idea ready for when everyone starts to think like that. I know I would have never ever thought of how that could actually be done but obviously someone is a genius because its happening… 😀
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Posted by BabeHick (@kristenhowes77) | November 6, 2014, 10:37 pmGreat answer…..!
At a recent stay in Old Montreal, I was given three keys for the hotel; the front door, the back door and the room. Along with the three keys was a large key chain, and a lengthy explanation of how to work each key. (“now this key is tricky…..turn and pull the door at the same time and it will work”)
Would I have been happy with using my phone? Yes 🙂
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Posted by Ian W. McVitty | November 7, 2014, 12:37 amIan, could you explain to me why the young female business traveller is the target ?
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Posted by sutton1010 | November 7, 2014, 3:58 amSutton,
Well is is a target (at least one of their targets) since it is a growing segment. It is an interesting ad.
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Posted by Ian W. McVitty | November 9, 2014, 5:09 pmI believe it’s because she is the focus, but if it was a male would he be the only target as well? It’s unique that they’ve chosen to target females business traveller
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Posted by sutton1010 | November 7, 2014, 4:02 amIf it was a male in the ad, then it is safe to assume that male business travelers are a target……but not the only one. Different media and different channels for different targets.
Next semester, I will show you three hotel companies that target female business travelers 🙂
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Posted by Ian W. McVitty | November 10, 2014, 2:53 pmI believe this to reactive because hotels have noticed how more and more people are dependant on technology. Shown in the commercial that we now use smartphones for not only talking but paying and flying as well. I know that Marriot is one of the hotel chains which will be holding off till all the bugs are worked out and Hilton Worldwide is starting their renovations as of 2015. I believe when all bugs are worked out majority, if not all, chains will be changing to this method.
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Posted by Kimberley McCullough | November 7, 2014, 11:59 amKim,
Certainly it is reactive and responds to a need by the marketplace. It would be great to be able to see into the future, say ten years to see this technology in action.
Interesting comment.
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Posted by Ian W. McVitty | November 9, 2014, 5:14 pm