The founder of KONGEEG, Dane Dario Zoric, has been helping the development of international brands, including hotel chains, for more than a decade.
© Yussif Kyazimov
© Kongeeg.com
An avid traveller who has visited 45 countries, Dario knows a lot about hotels and the specifics of the hotel business. In addition, he is a strategic partner for those companies that have decided to adjust their course, attract the right target audience, and also increase their sales and reputation. We are talking with Dario about the history of his company, about the modern challenges and problems that humanity has recently encountered.
Where does your company get such an unusual name from?
- KONGEEG translated from Danish means “King Oak” and the name draws inspiration from the Scandinavian culture and its northern nature, its purity and peacefulness. A calm mind is directly related to how well we function in both personal and professional life, and I wanted to bring this atmosphere to the core of my company.
I am from Denmark, and I believe that everything we do should be done for the benefit of others. Thus, I decided to devote my experience and knowledge to the prosperity of companies and their customers.
The health of a tree depends on how strong its roots are - I have the same attitude towards the companies that can only thrive if their customers value them and are devoted to them and to their service or product.
What is the success of the marketing campaign today?
- Success lies in understanding of the target audience, customers and guests, if we are talking about the tourism industry, for instance. Businesses that think about how much value they can bring to the lives of their customers and how they can show their gratitude and dedication to them will be able to survive in this market.
Marketing in twenty years will
be the same as marketing today -
companies will continue to use the
same strategies to attract customers and this is a vicious circle. The only thing companies can do today is to promote a concept called “Value First.”
Take the hotel business. Hotels are not interested in short-term solutions - they should ideally try to consolidate their reputation for the next 30 years. So, how they care about their guests, will become part of their reputation today and tomorrow. When their regular guests consider that staying at their hotel is an invaluable experience, this is the best sign of success that can last and be passed on from generation to generation.
How is your working process organized with your customers?
- I begin with the notion that I am
building relationships not with
companies, but with people who
drive them. We are talking about
their vision, about what they want
to achieve and in what they want
to surpass their competition, or
about how they want to change
their strategy. Everything is based
on those people who communicate
with guests / clients every day,
those people are at the core of the
business and they are closest to
understanding the behavior of their
customers. Then I start a deep audit
of the entire company from A to Z.
Whether it’s my help with
optimizing their e-commerce,
or a full audit of all the services
provided by the hotel.
With a full audit of the hotel, we
are talking about the experience of
the guests and therefore I need to
go through entire process myself
- from booking (accessibility,
ease of navigation on the website,
physical location) to using all the
services inside the hotel besides
accommodation, that is, food, spa
or a massage center, additional
services, etc.
After booking, I act as a guest and
stay at the hotel for the agreed time
period (most often it is 2-3 days)
and carry out an audit of everything
related to communication with
guests by the staff, use of services,
aesthetic details, availability of
services, response time to requests
and everything that the ordinary
guest goes through. Ideally, none
of the staff other than senior
managers should know about
my presence as a “secret guest”.
Using all services helps to form an
objective assessment.
After that, I prepare a detailed
briefing for the hotel management,
where we talk about all the
identified weak points and discuss
the future plan of action and decisions.
Depending on the wishes of my
clients and identified problem
areas, I either stay at the hotel
and engage in staff recruiting
process, training, as well as the
full adaptation of all internal and
external processes, or I advise
them remotely. I would like to add
that I am helping businesses not
only with e-commerce, technology
and improving the quality of
services, but also when it comes to
hotel interior matters. I am a very
aesthetic person and notice details
that may be trivial, but aesthetics
for me is not a matter of design,
but the emotional experience of
hotel guests. Personalization of
experience for hotel guests is the
most important for me, and I try to
convey it to my clients.
© Hotel International Prague
How do your customers react to a negative rating?
- The worst rating I could ever give is actually the best rating. We identify loopholes that truly are opportunities. I voice this to all my clients at the first meeting, so they are very enthusiastic about the results of my assessment and respond positively. It is important for me to see that my clients sincerely care about their guests.
What challenges do hotels face and how can they overcome them?
- Hotels have lost direct contact
with customers after the
emergence of other booking
platforms. These platforms
monopolized the booking process,
and this was the reason that more
and more hotels were losing the
battle for customers. I really
sympathize with the hotels, as
these platforms have driven them
into a corner where they are
forced to communicate with their
guests through these platforms,
and not directly.
Currently, hotels
pay a commission of at least
10% of each booking for these
platforms, as guests have stopped
visiting official sites. Thanks to
the optimized e-commerce on the
sites of the hotels themselves, I
can help them attract their guests
to book rooms directly, which will
help them to save and spend these
funds on individual communication
with the customers. Hotels should
set themselves up to the fact that
they not only offer warm shelter
and a roof over
heads, but also give an
unforgettable experience and
pamper their guests.
What do you mean by “individual communication"?
- “Individual communication” is a
guest service in accordance with
their desires and preferences.
Some processes must be automated
to save time and without much
intervention for the sake of speed
and accuracy. But in order for
the guest to feel special, human
communication is necessary. Why
not check their social network,
their date of birth and anticipate
how you can make their experience
of staying at your hotel more
enjoyable and valuable already
during the booking process.
It will not take long for the staff, for
example, to send the guest an email
with a guide or itinerary in which
you can indicate all the services of
the hotel. If the guest travels with a
pet, why not send them the location
of the nearest parks for a walk in
advance. If the guest travels on his
/ her birthday, why not invite them
to celebrate this event in the hotel
restaurant.
All this care for guests by the staff
will also inspire the hotel staff,
because they will see what benefits
they bring, delighting guests and
increasing the rating of their hotel.
© Yussif Kyazimov
Any wishes to the hotels?
- Firstly, hotel visitors are not
clients, but guests.
Remember that the most unpleasant
thing you can say to your guest is
“Sorry, we can’t help you.” Learn
to think ahead of time what your
potential guest can appreciate. A
loyal customer will accept many
“punches” before leaving you.
If something is not within your
power, try to find an alternative.
But under no circumstance, leave
your guest without any decision.
You want your guests to feel like
they are leaving their home when
they are checking out. It is also
important to focus attention not
only on visitors, but also on local
residents who can visit the spa or restaurants. Become the preferred
place where everyone wants to
come to spend their free time,
relax, hold a business meeting or
stay for the night.
In a world where everyone knows
the price of everything, you need to
strive to show value to all that you
can offer.
Speaking of the Covid-19 pandemic, do you think the hotel business will recover?
- After the borders are open again,
some guests will be delighted that
they can travel again, and some will
hesitate. Eliminate their worries by
showing them first-class service and
care.
I see in this situation only a chance
for hotels to prove themselves from
a stronger side. I will only be happy
to help these businesses tell their
guests not only how their stay at the
hotel will be safe, but also to stun
them, giving them the best possible
experience.
© Schloss Weikersdorf Baden Austria
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