Hilton built the @HiltonSuggests concept upon something their team members do every day – providing great service – and applied it to online communications. Prior to social media, the team served only guests inside our resort or hotel locations. With proper tools and training for employee advocates, this message can be conveyed through online channels as well.
Today, the @HiltonSuggests team is made up of 100 employees in 115 markets nationally and internationally. The program is designed to incorporate a variety of "travel types", with contributors ranging from a variety of functions at the local level such as front desk attendants to sales and marketing. Each team member devotes time in their day to searching for those in need of travel advice in their respective cities. Tips and recommendations vary, from where to eat the freshest seafood to where to get the best tattoos in town.
Beyond the valuable tips that travelers appreciate, internally, the @HiltonSuggests team has formed special cross-culture bonds and employee connections. The team has regularly-scheduled global calls and shares a closed Facebook page where they can interact daily, creating an at-work community that reaches far beyond their offices, reminding the team that they are a part of a unique, global company. By having Hilton Suggests, team members are able to connect with other team members around the world and form relationships to further the program.
@HiltonSuggests focuses on building long-term relationships with like-minded travel enthusiasts through providing genuine, local travel tips. While there are many customer service oriented social channels in the industry, @HiltonSuggests is unique focusing on proactive communications, where our team actively offers tailored, customized local recommendations. As there are no sales goals tied to this program, the over-arching message that @HiltonSuggests intends to communicate is:
To date, @HiltonSuggests has resulted in:
Beyond the numbers and external, @HiltonSuggests created an internal, global community of team members who frequently interact via a closed Facebook group as well as on cross-market programs. These team members experience the power of our global brand by connecting and networking with each other.
In addition to listening on Twitter to give out recommendations around the world, Hilton Suggests has also launched a blog so that team members are able to recommend destinations, restaurants, tips, etc. beyond 140 characters.
