New Hospitality Consumer Behaviors in 2024 – How to Get Ahead of Your Competitors
We look at all the new hospitality consumer behaviors in 2024 that we expect to take place.
This will give you a better idea of how to get ahead of your competitors in what is likely to be a challenging year.
When it comes to managing a business and trying to keep it ahead of the competition, there’s often so much on your plate that it can be overwhelming for startups.
It’s easy to get confused about which aspect to focus on first, especially when you know that every mistake is costly and could set your business back.
Just because h0spitality management is overwhelming doesn’t mean that it has to be a stressful process of trial and error.
Instead, it’s all about ensuring that you take the necessary steps forward as soon as you can, something that can be accomplished with a bit of competitor and marketing analysis.
For example, most businesses know that search engine optimization or SEO is one of the most effective ways to push for marketing success.
That said, there are many nuances to effective marketing that it’s only a piece of the puzzle. Perhaps the most crucial thing to get right would be the idea of hospitality and convenience.
On that note, here are some of the new hospitality consumer behaviors in 2024 and how you can effectively take advantage of specific trends to get the job done.
New hospitality consumer behaviors in 2024 – how to get ahead of your competitors:
1. An accessible website is an effective website
2. A strong digital marketing front with accessible video content
3. Hospitality through an active social media presence
4. A push toward a healthy online reputation with the mobile industry
5. A significant advantage over one’s peers through contactless payment
1. An accessible website is an effective website
One of the easiest ways to take advantage of trends in hospitality is to focus on improving your primary website.
For example, there are people out there with medical issues making it more challenging to surf and make the most out of the average business website.
As a company owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that they have everything they need.
The first step would be to give online users what they want as soon as they enter the website.
For example, if your business involves selling specific products, ensure that there is a message on the front page about your company and its purpose (without being too overwhelming).
Most online users aren’t too keen on spending more than fifteen seconds trying to figure a website out, which means the best thing to do is to give them an easy route to the checkout page.
As far as accessibility goes, offer options to change the color scheme of your website, including day and night versions to help those with vision problems, as well as the option to increase font size.
It’s a surprisingly easy way to get the attention of the online masses without spending too much time or money.
2. A strong digital marketing front with accessible video content
A hospitable business offers a satisfying experience to the target demographic, both online and offline.
For the former, video content is one of the best marketing tools a business owner can use to get their audience’s attention.
However, not everyone knows how to make video content more accessible through captions and audio description services.
Audio description is to help those with vision problems follow the company’s content.
While digital marketing already has enough tools to help people from all walks of life follow, the addition of audio descriptions and captions is a step further in the right direction.
3. Hospitality through an active social media presence
Another trend for hospitality is the willingness of businesses to interact with online users through social media platforms.
It isn’t necessarily about developing a personal relationship with the demographic — instead, it’s a willingness to make changes based on their feedback.
After all, getting too personal isn’t a good idea, as it increases the risk of altercations with your audience.
Consumer-friendly behavior is all about listening to what they have to say and letting them know that they help.
For example, when it comes to negative feedback, a company can turn things around by replying to it with a willingness to connect with the user and rebuild their trust.
It’s the kind of attitude that pays off in spades, as even if the online user no longer replies, those that see the interaction will likely appreciate the company’s attempt at bridging the gap.
4. A push toward a healthy online reputation with the mobile industry
It comes as no surprise to say that the mobile industry is one of the most vital aspects of any business management plan and online reputation.
Even a brick-and-mortar business that depends on their target demographic stepping in the establishment still depends on the mobile industry to catch their attention.
While it’s great to focus on those using computer browsers, keep in mind that most people prefer their smartphone for just about anything.
When it comes to online shopping, research, or anything else, the smartphone is one of the most convenient devices to use.
For new businesses, it’s best to focus on the mobile industry as a number one priority.
At the very least, keep the mobile versions of websites and applications equal to or better than web browser versions.
It’s a step toward accessibility and one of the most crucial hospitality consumer behavior trends of 2024 and onwards.
5. A significant advantage over one’s peers through contactless payment
With present circumstances giving people reason to worry about physical transactions, it’s no wonder why contactless payment has become one of the most popular hospitality consumer trends.
For any business with cash transactions, it’s always a good idea to have contactless payment as part of the process.
Even supermarkets have contactless payment through various apps and e-wallets, ensuring that there’s always a way for people to make payments without relying on a physical wallet.
It’s not enough to have an SEO marketing strategy to ensure that people are encouraged to make a purchase. Having suitable payment options will determine whether you can convert a curious online user into a paying customer.
Fortunately, businesses have plenty of digital tools to choose from, ensuring that they have a means of contactless payment that their target demographic is happy with.
It has gotten to the point where even local convenience stores use contactless payment to help encourage potential customers to give their products a try.
It’s undoubtedly one of the better ways to make things more accessible and convenient to the masses.
Summing up
For the most part, hospitality consumer behaviors in 2024 are vital because they can lead to success no matter how inexperienced you might be as a business owner. Moreover, it’s an evergreen trend that will continue to flourish, which means you can future-proof your business.
