On a recent trip to New York City, I got to stay at 1 Hotel Central Park. And I have to say that it’s been a long time since I’ve been so impressed by a brand’s overall customer experience!
I wanted to write about it because it’s a great example of how companies can enhance their customer experience when they consistently align their practices with their values, their objectives and their deeply held motivations.
Here’s what’s behind the vision that shapes the 1 Hotel brand experience:
1 Vision. The future of the world and the future of hospitality are one in the same. 1 Hotels aspires to be a platform to spark conversations, between innovators and guests, that transform the industry and our lives.
The customer experience is, above all, a matter of emotion, attention and intention. Increasingly, it’s also the strategic focus of many companies. Customers need to be drawn in, respected and surprised throughout their experience.
Here are some of the things I learned from my experience at the hotel, divided into four phases: pre-booking, check-in, the stay itself and after check-out.
1. Pre-booking: How do you generate interest?
When researching a place to stay, I was particularly drawn by the hotel’s high-quality photos. The style was a unique combination of modern + industrial and warm + chic, which was totally different from the other hotels I saw.
The hotel’s homepage featured a video showcasing abundant greenery, brightness and comfort. It also highlighted the company’s environmental commitments, which also swayed my choice.
2. Check-in: Pleasant surprises await
Even though I arrived in January, the building’s exterior was covered in greenery. I was truly impressed! The hotel’s LEED certification was proudly displayed in the entrance.
The lobby has a unique and welcoming ambiance, with lots of natural elements including hanging plants.
Just before the elevators, guests can check out an original creation made with recycled materials. I loved it!
A note accompanied this basket of “imperfect” fruit: “Wanna know what’s ugly ? We waste about ½ of our food in the U.S. These may not look perfect but they taste delicious. Try one !”. And I can confirm that the fruit was delicious!
3. The stay itself: Nice touches with an environmentally friendly message
The brand identity trickled down to the messages and small details found throughout the property. Here are some examples:
- A small hourglass in the shower! You can guess why it’s there.
- An ecological message about drinking water.
- A wooden room key—something I’d never seen before. Made from recycled wood, of course!
- One of my favorite details about the hotel room were the recycled closet hangers, which had messages on them like “contains wrapping paper” and “contains love letters”.
- A basket where you can donate used clothes to the less fortunate. This is a nice detail considering the quantity of new clothes that visitors buy in New York City.
- Housekeeper at work: What a fun way to let you know.
4. After check-out
A few days after checking out of the hotel, I received an email asking me to take a survey about my experience. I also received a nice newsletter. In addition, I saw some retargeting ads on Facebook:
How to enhance the brand experience for your customers
Companies across all industries can learn from 1 Hotel Central Park.
Does your company take the time to think about how customers experience your brand. Is each point of contact seen as an opportunity to build on this connection? Many entrepreneurs focus their energy on developing a product and service. But all too often they forget to pay attention to their points of contact with customers. Each point of contact should reflect the company’s vision and values in a unique way, and this requires a time investment.
How can focusing on points of contact help create a strong brand identity and enhance the customer experience?
The key to creating an emotional connection is understanding your brand’s DNA and aligning it with every initiative you take. Here are the five steps for building a strong and consistent brand identity according to Molly St. Louis in an article published on inc.com:
- Conduct a thorough brand audit
- Establish your unique value proposition and messaging statements
- Develop your brand’s creative elements
- Implement strategies to establish the brand identity
- Analyze and refine the brand identity
Performa’s collaborative methodology covers all these elements and more, including frequent KPI tracking and ongoing campaign optimization. Let’s discuss about your project!