From Concept to Success: The Strategy Behind Our Hospitality Innovation - Hans Meyer, Zoku
Feb 26, 2025
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Discover the secrets behind successful hospitality innovation with insights from Hans Meyer, co-founder of Zoku. Learn how essential research and guest feedback can transform experiences. Explore innovative strategies inspired by other industries, and see the importance of adaptability and prototyping. Embrace a growth mindset for continuous learning and innovation, and find out how sharing insights can elevate your team. This discussion is packed with actionable tips for anyone in the hospitality sector!
Curiosity and a commitment to high standards are essential for hospitality entrepreneurs to understand and meet guest needs effectively.
Implementing iterative development methods from tech can enhance hospitality innovation by allowing brands to prototype and test offerings with real feedback.
Deep dives
The Importance of Curiosity and High Standards
Being an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry demands a strong sense of curiosity and an unwavering commitment to high standards. Engaging in extensive conversations and testing ideas is vital for understanding guest needs and frustrations, which can lead to valuable insights for product development. Successful brands place a premium on creating meaningful experiences for guests, rather than simply striving for average review scores. This relentless pursuit of excellence is evident in the high and consistent review ratings achieved by notable brands in the industry.
Innovative Feedback Mechanisms
To enhance guest experiences, asking the right questions during feedback collection is crucial. Rather than focusing solely on satisfaction with specific aspects, it's more effective to inquire about what might have been missing in the overall experience. Open-ended questions can lead to insights that foster loyalty and highlight areas for improvement. Encouraging guests to share both positive and constructive feedback creates a dynamic where businesses can continuously adapt and innovate based on genuine guest needs.
Leaning on Iterative Development and External Insights
Applying principles from other industries, particularly tech, can significantly enhance hospitality brand development processes. By adopting iterative development methods, like building and testing prototypes, hospitality brands can gather essential feedback before finalizing their offerings. Collaborative testing with target audiences, including major companies, allows brands to align closely with market expectations and preferences. Embracing external perspectives from successful business models in different sectors ensures a broader understanding of innovation opportunities.
In this episode, Matthias Huettebraeuker interviews Hans Meyer, the co-founder and managing director of Zoku, about the process he used to bring innovation to hospitality.
This episode is brought to you with support from Sojern, the leading marketing platform built for hotels. With their fully managed email solution, hoteliers can re-engage past guests, drive direct bookings, and keep more revenue in their pocket through Sojern’s transparent pay-for-performance commission model. Learn more at Sojern.com.
If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!