Democratizing the VIP Experience: Making Luxury Accessible
At Plain Sight Strategy Group, we believe that everyone deserves to feel like a VIP. The allure of a personalized, high-end experience—where your preferences are known, your needs anticipated, and your satisfaction guaranteed—shouldn’t be limited to a select few. With the right application of technology, we can democratize the VIP experience, making luxury accessible to a broader audience while maintaining the highest standards of service.
The Traditional VIP Experience
Traditionally, VIP experiences have been the domain of the wealthy. Whether it’s a private host at a luxury resort, a concierge who knows your every preference or exclusive services at high-end establishments, these experiences come with a hefty price tag. The reason? Delivering such personalized service is resource-intensive and costly.
Note: This fundamental is important. The “secret-sauce” here is always the same. The difference is the medium or substrate (meat in the head of a rockstar customer service agent or some really cool tech) used to collect, store and leverage it. Do not get bogged down with any ‘big-brother’ crap here. Let us focus on innovation and providing amazing experience as long as we do so in an environment of explicit and informed consent.
Consider the cruise industry, where some lines cater almost exclusively to high-end clientele. Providing a custom experience for each guest often involves significant investment in human resources, leading to high operational costs that are passed on to the consumer. Las Vegas casinos are well-known for this kind of service as well. To deliver it is truly an art form and one that is rewarded with fantastic loyalty and profits (those things weren’t built on paying out lucky winners, ya know).
Leveraging Technology to Bridge the Gap
This is where technology steps in. By leveraging innovative solutions, we can reduce the costs associated with delivering personalized services while maintaining, or even enhancing, the quality of the experience.
- Data-Driven Personalization: • Collecting and analyzing guest data allows for a deep understanding of individual preferences. This data can be used to tailor experiences without the need for constant human intervention. This is an area where the informed consent I referenced earlier is critical. Guests will exchange some of their data for enhanced experience (Be it literal experience, safety or security). They simply want to be informed and consent to it. • Grotesquely Simple Example: When a guest books a stay, their preferences—such as room temperature, favorite snacks, and preferred activities—are automatically set up based on past stays and personal data.
- Automated Services: • Technology can automate many aspects of the VIP experience, from check-in processes to personalized recommendations. • Grotesquely Simple Example: Upon arrival at a hotel, guests can use a mobile app for a seamless check-in, bypassing the front desk entirely. The app can also suggest nearby restaurants or activities based on the guest’s preferences.
- Enhanced Communication: • Personalized communication channels, such as tailored emails and app notifications, keep guests informed and engaged. • Grotesquely Simple Example: Guests receive personalized itineraries and updates on exclusive offers and events tailored to their interests.
- Efficient Resource Management: • Technology can optimize resource allocation, ensuring that staff are available where and when they are needed most. • Grotesquely Simple Example: Predictive analytics can help anticipate peak times for certain services, allowing for better staff scheduling and resource management.
What About the Humans?
In many of the examples above (you know the grotesquely simple examples), it seems the primary goal is eliminating human touch. That is why I called them grotesquely simple examples.
They are table stakes.
Everyone at this point should be able to get to that very low bar of capability or they are simply not trying. Where many drop the ball is that in the pursuit of efficiency, they eliminate humanity. We see the process and technological advancements that are capable here as humanity enhancers. For brands that truly “get It,” (Example, Virgin Voyages), they know their Crew are their primary differentiator. They are the primary interface between their guest (called “Sailors”) and their product / brand. To that end, they see experience technology as a powerful tool to allow their Crew to be far more human and create more memorable experiences. That is something technology often struggles to do (all credit to robot bartenders out there…you are neat, but you are not the same)
Intelligently designed, architected and implemented transformational experience technology makes the simple, effortless and automatic. It makes the complex, magical. It elevates the incredible teams companies have to heroes as much as it elevates the experiences of the guest to memorable by empowering them with data and actions they have never been able to access before.
Real-World Impact: The Disney Magic Band
A prime example of democratizing the VIP experience is Disney’s Magic Band. Initially rolled out to enhance the guest experience at Disney parks, the Magic Band serves as an all-in-one device for park entry, ride access, food purchases, and even hotel room keys. It personalizes the guest experience while reducing operational costs. The Magic Band’s success lies in its ability to make high-end, personalized service accessible to millions of visitors. By leveraging wearable technology and extensive data analytics, Disney can provide a seamless, tailored experience to each guest without the need for additional human resources.
Another note here, one of the secrets to the magic of the Magic Band is how it can provide location updates. Knowing where people are, how long they ‘linger’ as well as where your team is can really open up a world of creative ways to surprise and delight your guest and help your teams provide memorable experiences, improve service levels and maintain better safety and security. Not long ago, this tech was perceived as too expensive or a fantasy.
It is not.
You just have to know how to pick the right partners and implement it intelligently. I will talk about this in another post, I am sure.
The Benefits of Democratizing Luxury
By making luxury experiences accessible to a broader audience, businesses can enjoy several benefits:
• Increased Customer Loyalty: Guests who receive personalized, high-quality service are more likely to return and recommend the experience to others. • Higher Revenue: Offering tailored experiences can lead to increased spending, as guests are more inclined to engage with personalized offers and recommendations. • Operational Efficiency: Technology reduces the need for extensive human resources, lowering operational costs and improving efficiency.
Conclusion
At Plain Sight Strategy Group, we’re passionate about using technology to transform customer experiences. Democratizing the VIP experience is not just about making luxury accessible; it’s about creating memorable, high-quality experiences for all guests. By leveraging innovative solutions, we can ensure that everyone feels like a VIP. By having vast experience in the real world crafting these experiences and actually delivering them, we know how to get beyond the grotesquely simple examples above and take you to the delightful elegant and arguably magical destination that can be achieved.
Stay tuned for our next post in the Transformational Experience Technology series, where we’ll explore how seamless travel technology can transform the fractional ownership experience and allow companies to show their owners far more profound benefits which can drive their appreciation and retention as well as act as a subtle, but powerful, enticement for potential new owners. Until then, think about how personalized technology can elevate your business and create unforgettable experiences for your guests.