Hotel Booking Behaviors - Case Study

PROBLEM

For this project I conducted a study of Marriott hotels with a set of mock business goals their organization. In this case, it was understood that they wanted to increase hotel bookings by 10% and and also increase luxury reservations. In addition they wanted to increase loyalty program members by 10,000. There was also a desire to decrease by 20% the number of people starting and then abandoning a reservation but at the same time increase by 5% the number of people choosing a hotel and flight package (vs. just booking their hotel alone).

Goals‍

We set out to understand…

• Points of friction users face when booking a hotel
• The details of the user population who book Marriot hotels
• Methods of booking a hotel are users taking
• The most important information to users

ACTION

I gathered qualitative data to better understand the users of Marriott hotels and how its digital properties are being used. I conducted 5 user interviews to gain insight of users behaviors, feelings, and motivations about key areas identified by the business goals and user experience issues. Below is a synopsis of the interview approach.

• Interviewed five users of hotel chains between the age of 38-69.
• Users participating in the research were interviewed face to face as well as through video conferencing.
• All interviews were recorded with the users providing consent to do so.
• During the interview users were asked a series of of questions ranging from general information to their booking habits as well as their experience with loyalty programs, booking flights in conjunction with hotel reservations.
• I inquired about their priorities when booking a hotel and what sorts of things drove their decisions during the booking including the types of hotels they book, points of friction they have while booking and why they may not complete reservations.
• All interviews were recorded with the users providing consent to do so.
• During the interview users were asked a series of of questions ranging from general information to their booking habits as well as their experience with loyalty programs, booking flights in conjunction with hotel reservations.
• I inquired about their priorities when booking a hotel and what sorts of things drove their decisions during the booking including the types of hotels they book, points of friction they have while booking and why they may not complete reservations.

Data Analysis

We prepared our data analysis by writing out each of the research goals as our main “categories.” We placed these on our war-room wall and, we wrote sticky notes of with quotes and observations from our user interviews sessions and placed them into the appropriate research goal category. Each sticky note contained the initial of the nickname given to each participant so we could keep track of which user the observation was from. From there, we clustered our sticky notes further into what types of insights or themes we see in answering our user research questions.

RESULTS

Understand the most important information to users

• Users expect to search on location, price, dates, room type and amenities
• Loyalty programs are clear. Users are motivated by price regardless if they are booking direct or 3rd party
• Booking flight with a hotel not always a part of the users process

Understand the methods of booking a hotel users are taking

• Users who book direct still compare prices via many open tabs/windows or 3rd party site
• Expectations are similar across mobile and web in terms of finding information‍‍
  

Understand the points of friction users face when booking a hotel

• Requiring too much of user during booking is unsettling
• Abandonment is more common when users are finding a better deal while price shopping
• Information being asked of users currently isn’t uncommon (including families)
• Terminology does not seem to cause issues with users

Understand the population of users who book Marriott hotels

• ‍Users are focused on location and price and less on if it is a luxury hotel type
• Travelers booking for work vs. family - criteria may be different

LESSONS LEARNED

From this project I found that it is possible to balance business goals with user needs. Business must understand users more fully to make the most informed decisions possible so they can determine where to focus their energies next. This understanding takes place by not only by understanding the business goals as a researcher but having an open ear for things outside of business assumptions.

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