Consumer Generated Media and Hotel Item/Services Questions

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• Hospitality companies can gain feedback about their operations through blogs, discussion boards, hotel review sites, social networks, etc. These are an example of what type of media? This type of media is called Consumer Generated Media (CGM). Today’s customers are looking online for feedback on hospitality establishments. “Approximately 300 million public comments are made online worldwide every day” (32). Customers read previous guest experiences posted on the web to choose which hospitality establishment to visit. Negative online reviews spread faster than positive ones. Reputation software can monitor the online conversations and minimize the impact and visibility of negative search results. Consumer generated Media is the Word-of-Mouth in the Age of the Web-Fortified Consumer. CGM describes a variety of new sources of online information that are created, initiated, circulated and used by consumers’ intent on educating each other about products, brands, services, personalities and issues. Online word of mouth is nonetheless owned and controlled by consumers, and it often carries far higher credibility and trust than traditional media. CGM is also measurable. Online word of mouth leaves a “digital trail,” allowing its content to be located, categorized, analyzed for basic data and trends, emotion, and experience. CGM provides unclouded, real-life entry into the minds of consumers, more than traditional types of market research. Jump To The Beat – Hotelsbycity.net Back in 2009, when user-generated social media campaigns were first getting popular, HotelsByCity.net launched an online campaign encouraging users to submit photos of themselves jumping on hotel beds was an instant internet hit and even got picked up by mainstream media. The premise was simple – go to a hotel; have someone take your picture as you jump mid-air onto the bed; post it to the website titled BedJump. (http://goo.gl/uINvTM) As the example above demonstrates, the hospitality industry is already using the CGM to market their product and establish an interactive relationship with their customers. The way of advertising and marketing of business and brands has changed significantly. Using CGM as one platform for advertising can proof to be a low cost method of sharing your business. The content though needs to be creative and worthy for customers to recommend and share with their friends. This UK website http://goo.gl/YEHucQ lists the SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS: HALL OF FAME of 2010. • What system, which evaluates one or more biological traits, can be used in conjunction with a time and attendance system to eliminate buddy punching and unauthorized early-in and late-out time punches?

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