Recognising this, Mavo will establish its position in the market by ensuring that the needs of those we are targeting will be clarified precisely - but whilst listening to what the customer wants.
Tybout and Sternthal
With regards to the checklist originally accumulated by Tybout and Sternthal (2005) below is an explanation of what Mavo hotels will do in order to position itself accordingly to how it wants to be perceived by its target consumer:
Which market or markets do we want to target?
The only market that we are going to target are those professionals who work within the fashion industry as a way to tailor our services to their needs.According to Mintel: hotels UK report (2012), business travel sales have fallen 4.7% year-on-year since 2007 - following through to 2012. Although the amount of business travel has been reportedly decreasing, it is undeniable that those professionals who work within the fashion industry have to travel as a means of keeping the fashion cycle constant.
An other Mintel report; "Business Travel Worldwide - International" (2012) establishes a distinct divide between different age groups of business travellers - which highlights opposing opinions with regards to business accommodation.
The report found:
18-29
45.6% of respondents within this age bracket said that they were more brand loyal, even if the hotel was not conveniently situated to the location(s) they needed to be in to work whilst the minority (39.5%) agreed that hotel brands are not consistent.
30+
36.6% of respondents within this bracket said that they would stay loyal to a hotel brand - even if it meant a more longer and arduous travel however, 49.3% of respondents in this age bracket said that hotel brands are not consistent.
As a slightly outdated figure, Wickers (1994) - as cited in "Stakeholders in a Hybrid Market: The Example of Air Business Passenger Travel" (K.J Mason, R. Gray, 1999) - reports that, in the U.S, about half of all domestic travel was, at the time, business related. It can only be expected that, in the past 20 years or less, business travel within the U.S makes up for much more of all domestic travel.
What is the customer profile and behaviour of the target market?
Again, according to the 2012 Mintel report (business travel worldwide - international), the habits of younger business travellers differ to that of a more mature customer.Check-in preferences
A younger business traveller (18-29) prefers to check-in online (35.8% of respondents) whilst an older, 30+ consumer prefers to check in at a hotel's front-desk, with a minimal 19.4% of these travellers preferring an automated online check-in.
Wi-Fi
In a survey undertaken by hotels.com (2012), they found that the most important element which is considered vital when booking a hotel is the provided access to Wi-Fi.
Furthermore, the way in which business travellers choose to work whilst staying at a hotel also differs. For example, a younger customer believes that the lobby - or any form of social meeting place - is a crucial place to network and meet new people; therefore resulting in the hotel lobby, or social 'hub', becoming the place to sit and do work.
Juxtaposing this idea, with consumers who are 45+, 61% fed-back that they prefer completing work in the privacy of their hotel rooms.
On a whole, 77.3% of hotels.com respondents say that complimentary WiFi is of extreme importance to them when looking for the most suitable hotel, with 88% of respondents to a tripadvisor.com survey also agreeing to the same point.
Lobby Working
Carrying on with the idea of younger markets preferring to stay in a visible area whilst working on business trips, The Holiday Inn have introduced a 'the hub' concept which combines a lobby feel with a business centre environment which also has a café/bar.
The Holiday Inn found that business travellers were not using the business centres that were on offer and instead, the hub/lobby was more popular - so long as they had access to a printer.
Verchele Wiggins notes that guests are social - they want to be around others whilst being productive. He later goes on to say that customers are now forever multi-tasking and therefore need to be in an environment which allows them to do so.
Business Travellers
It has been stated in Lokyer's "Business Guest's Accommodation Selection: The View From Both Sides" (N.D) that, although business guests come fewer in numbers, the intensity of use by the business traveller is higher than that of a leisure one. For this reason, it was, and still is extremely difficult for hotels and motels to identify the specific needs of this type of customer.Because it is difficult for hoteliers to distinguish the different needs, Mavo believe that it would be more worthwhile to create a service specific to just those that feel the need to utilise it.
Below are the habits which are recognised by a customer of luxury travel.
In general, those who look to go on a luxury holiday will look out for good weather, high quality accommodation and fine food. Similarly, those travelling for business also prefer hotels which offer food they like and price-promotion incentives such as 2-4-1 cocktails, wine tasting and other activities which offer the free consumption of food and drink.
This Mintel report also highlights the fact that consumers, in general, often perceive luxury holidays to be for those who are rich - furthermore with luxury holiday makers being between the ages of 45-54.
Contradicting this consumer perception, Mavo Hotels, regardless of the fact that the hotel is tailored to the lifestyle of fashion industry professionals, will offer various affordable membership packages which can be upgraded anytime, which will allow those who have a lower annual salary to benefit from the same services offered to those who can afford the full package. Therefore, this means that Mavo will contribute to changing general perceptions created by consumers, thus making luxury holidays appeal more to a younger market.
Booking Habits
Mintel's 2010 report on luxury holidays states that the booking habits of those who undertake a 'luxury holiday' result in the preference of a 'human touch' booking which is done by a travel agent, instead of using internet websites.
In this 2010 luxury holiday report, Mintel researched the most important elements of a luxury holiday in February 2008 and December 2009 for a UK location. These elements are as follows:
As well as those who are travelling for business, our secondary target market will be those studying for a fashion related degree at universities and colleges who wish to become affiliated with Mavo. This will give students the opportunity to become a student member during their time of study, which will:- Warm weather
- 4/5* hotel
- Fine cuisine
- Travelling in comfort
- Doing something different
- Trying to do something at own pace
- Pure relaxation
- Spectacular views
- Once in a lifetime experiences
- Being pampered
- Privacy and seclusion
- Privately arranged transfers and trips
- Privileged access to attractions and sights
- Fly business or first class
- Long-haul destination
- Give them access to our archive of fashion journals, magazines and books
- Allow them to attend talks from industry professionals
- Offer a discounted price for fashion shows and events which is student friendly
- Offer discounts from Mavo partners
Mavo disclaimer: Mavo will not discriminate those who do not look as if they study a fashion/textile related degree. Below are images that have been taken from Vogue's 'street style' website, and are a mix of photographs of students and those who work in the fashion industry:
Who are and will be our main competitors?
The main competitors for the Mavo Hotel Group can vary depending on location, but the considerations that are as followed are in correspondence to who our main London competitors would be.The main competitors for the Mavo hotel group are decided with consideration to the hotels list on The British Fashion Council's website, which are those that accommodate to fashion industry professionals visiting London for their fashion weeks.
The main London Fashion Week hotel sponsor is The Mayfair, which would therefore be our primary competitor.
The Mayfair:
The Mayfair is a 5* hotel in Mayfair, London. In The Conde Nasté Traveller says that, at The Mayfair, you "rub shoulders with the fashion elite".
The layout of the hotel is chic, classy and a desirable place to be seen in.
The second competitor would be Mariott's London County Hall - again with regards to a London
The Mariott London County Hall:
The London County Hall is a 5* hotel situated on London's Southbank, which is conveniently placed to offer breath-taking views of Big Ben and the River Thames.Melia (Me London)
Me, London, is a 5 star hotel, situated near Covent Garden. They have presented themselves with a similar concept to Mavo, whereby you have a tailored service to suit you. This service is called 'Me + Experience'. However, this service is only available to those who are staying in a suite. The concept of my hotel varies ever so slightly, as the personalised service is for everybody who has membership with Mavo and not just those staying in specific room types.Radisson Blu Edwardian, Mercer St. London
The Radisson Blu is a 4* boutique hotel which has been newly renovated to a high standard, as of 2011.Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury London
Again, this Radisson Blu hotel is a 4* boutique hotel. It offers an 'informal' yet pleasant ambience around the hotel.Sanderson, London
The Sanderson is a luxury 5* hotel based in central London. The hotel's photo-gallery would suggest that this hotel is rather 'quirky'. The overall image of this hotel is more fitting to the desired outcome of Mavo's image.Sloane Square Hotel
Sloane Square is a location in the desirable London postcode of Chelsea and Knightsbridge. The hotel combines modern design with comfort, to help offer an impeccable service for those travelling - or families.St. Martins Lane, London
The St. Martins Lane Hotel, London, is the most sought after hotel location in St. Martins. This hotel boasts the tallest revolving front-door in London, a re-invention of an urban resort and also plays on the use of coloured lights to create a unique atmosphere.
The Stafford London, by Kempinski
The Stafford London is a luxury 5 star hotel situated in South West London. The interior has been specifically combined to create a timeless, elegant and classic ambience in a place which has one of the best hotel services in the world. This hotel has been graced with their head concierge - Frank, who has been awarded "the best concierge in the world".What needs will be served by brand consumption?
As mentioned within "the journal of consumer marketing" (2002) consumers may choose a particular product or brand not only because they provide the functional or performance beneficial aspects which were initially expected, but also because products can be used to express consumers' personality, social status or affiliation. To further on from this point, Bowlby (1979) as cited in "the role of emotional aspects in younger consumer-brand relationships" states that we, as human beings tend to feel more loyal to what we feel connected with, attached to and love.For this reason, Mavo hotels will specifically cater to those professionals working within the fashion industry which will first of all help the service provided to be more fitting to a specific market who, to a certain degree, all crave the same thing; secondly, the services offered within the hotel (such as the fashion library, 'The Hangout', Showroom, pick-it-up shop and iPad access within every room) will help to connect the right people in the right way (affiliation) which is most suited to them, but will furthermore fulfil their needs of wanting access to everything (nowise - Trendwatching) as and when it is requested; thirdly, the overall look and feel of the hotel interiors will be the main element which implies that there is a connection that can potentially be erected between the brand and the consumer, as well as Verma's (2000) belief that 'the attention to physical surroundings are more important to a hotel's business compared to other types of services' (in Exploring hotel renovation in large hotels: a multiple case study, Hassanien).
However, Yau (1994) as cited, again, in "the journal of consumer marketing" believes that consumers' preferences for certain products change over time as their consumption situations and environments change. As valid as I deem this point to be, it has to be noted that Mavo hotels are there to only respond to the needs of a niche market, making it considerably more feasible to change Mavo's direction with regards to how we let consumers respond, react and consume the brand.
Furthermore, by working towards establishing a high, well-respectable customer-brand relationship, Mavo hotels will firstly help the consumer to create an attachment - but will also allow us to recognise any emerging needs presented to us by our everyday customer.
What is the point of difference to select amongst the alternatives?
The main point of difference which can easily be noted when compared to other hotel alternatives is the ability to select and tailor-make your stay to suite an individual's needs and requirements.What are the reasons to believe the claims?
After close inspection and analysis to both Mavo's competitors and various reports on Luxury and business holidays and trips, the way that Mavo has been positioned is in correspondence to the gathered information. Therefore, Mavo will offer the best possible service which ensures that we will exceed the reputation of other hotels to become an industry leader.How do we ensure that our target audience perceives our brand as the superior alternative?
Mavo realise that being recognised as the superior alternative will be a slow process, however, the brand highly values the younger business traveler - especially at a time when the brand has just become established.In ensuring that Mavo wholeheartedly respond to the ever changing needs of its consumer, products and services would be updated as and when it is necessary. Furthermore, it can be guaranteed that Mavo will become an internationally recognised superior alternative to any hotel which often caters to those within Mavo's target market in following this plan.
Second of all, Mavo hotels will only be advertised in press such as Drapers, Conde Nast Travel and Vogue which is relevant to the fashion industry, eliminating every-day people. Because Mavo will be advertised in a trade relevant environment at all times, it will have the capability to expand and become a superior alternative in a much more speedier process than it would, had it not have been advertised in these following ways.
Can we ensure we have a better position than our competitors?
Mavo hotels can 100% ensure that we have a better positioning than our competitors, as our competitors do not specialise in offering a service immediately targeted towards the busy working lifestyles of professionals within the fashion industry - nor have they fully responded to the ways in which their target markets prefer to complete the cycle of travelling and staying at a hotel.Understandably my primary competitor, The Mayfair, acts as a walking example for providing reputable luxury service- it has to be noted that a 'personal' and tailored experience is not offered by them upon booking a room.
For example, upon room booking or membership registration, the customer is able to inform a Mavo employee of the foods and drinks they like, do not like and have allergies to. This way, when our member books to stay with us - or visits for an afternoon/evening - the drinks and correct groceries will be readily prepared prior to their arrival.
A second example is the itinerary planning service. An already devised itinerary must be sent to the reception desk in order for this service to take place. However, once an itinerary is given, the workers at Mavo will check whether the meeting you were due to attend is still able to take place, your flight is delayed or a location for a photoshoot has changed. This helps to give the customer more time to work on the things most important to their trip, but allows them the freedom to decrease any added or un-necessary stress either by doing more work or relaxing in the spa.
Mavo believe that we have been put at a competitive advantage in comparison to our competitors, as we are just starting out. This allows us to offer services and amenities straight away, which our competitors are only just implementing. Furthermore, Mavo are able to respond quickly to requirements and desires of our target customer because we will be more involved with them which, in turn, makes the brand appear more aware of what is happening.
Lovemarks, Saatchi and Saatchi
Love is in the air
In chapter 6 of Lovemarks (Roberts) it states "if you keep doing what you're doing you just keep getting what you're getting". In other words, if you do not adapt your brand to the constant changes of the customer you will see no improvement in loyalty, profits, sales and any other crucial element which helps your brand develop.
However, a 'Lovemark' brand is not just a brand which one is simply loyal to, it is a brand in which they love. This is done by Mavo following the below strategy and becoming what is below:
- Creating a relationship
- Loved by people
- Personal
- Creates a love story
- Is the touch of sensuality
- Iconic
- Infused
- Story
- Wrapped in mystery
- Spirit
- Passionately creative
- Ideas company
In response, Mavo will constantly strive to implement new services and develop on existing ones to more so reflect upon the evolution of its target customer. In turn, this will help to create a constantly strengthened brand-customer relationship, furthermore creating brand loyalty through being a 'Lovemark' brand.
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