Blogs, posts and tweets

These are a few of my favourite things? Not hardly; I would venture to say I’m the most tech-unsavvy person I know. However, it’s quite a revelation to find how many of you are so active on the net - and I’m not talking about just using websites for bookings.

I find that increasingly, social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter are being utilised to aggressively promote events within hotels.

I am a member of many hotel ‘groups’ who now have their own Facebook page, and charmingly invite me for unlikely dinners in Dubai and Thailand; while I dare not refuse group invites for fear of being thwacked by a friend who often is the general manager of said hotel, I do most reluctantly have to decline, say, a dinner on Yas Island.

Judging by our February '10 cover story, most of you are in agreement that social media is not just about networking, which by itself is fantastic, but also a brilliant, instant marketing tool, and an effective means of communication.

While hotel websites have, over time, become the nucleus of all marketing programmes, blogs are perceived as direct interaction forums between hotelier and customer.

Given the number of online vehicles that are now available, with I daresay, more to follow, it wouldn’t be surprising if the PR manager role is phased out to accommodate a social media manager in its stead, one who tweets and flickR’s in a two-way communication with your customer.

Having said that, the web is a demanding mistress; failure to respond instantly to queries and complaints is virtual hara-kiri.

While Facebook and Twitter are popular regarding connecting people and invaluable marketing, LinkedIn seems to enjoy being a successful business tool in its own right. I like the description that says your profile on LinkedIn is like your business card in the real world.

The recession saw many who were laid off turn to LinkedIn as a last survival resort, and meet with some amount of recruitment possibilities.

Hoteliers today are not ashamed to say they regularly source this platform for learnings as also viewing potential job candidates, while smaller hotels benefit from creating groups of like-minded people.

When the going gets tough, the tough get...networking?