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Hilton’s Guy Epsom says it is vital for the region’s hotel companies to make the most of growing consumer confidence in the internet.

Hilton Hotels regional director of sales and marketing, Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean Guy Epsom explains why the internet is becoming an increasingly important tool in attracting customers — and why, as a result, it is essential for hotel websites to make a good first impression.

There is no doubt that we are living in an internet age. Things which seemed impossible just a few years ago are now standard practice: companies, even the smallest independent ones, have the power to reach a worldwide audience; consumers are increasingly exercising their ability to buy online; and IT departments are under constant pressure to find new online elements that will give them a competitive edge.

Hotel companies are no different, and with the trend for booking online slowly gaining momentum in the Middle East — a region in which people have been notoriously cautious about online purchasing — the need to invest in their internet presence has never been so urgent.

Hilton is just one of the companies capitalising on new online opportunities. Indeed, as regional director of sales and marketing, Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean Guy Epsom explains, in today’s world the internet has become an “essential platform for driving brand presence and enhancing service”.

A new generation of internet converts in the Middle East have driven significant changes in Hilton’s booking methods, says Epsom.

At the moment 20% of Hilton’s regional bookings are made online and this figure is rising steadily — a strong indicator, he says, of customers becoming increasing comfortable with conducting business online.

“If consumers are exposed to safe and positive online transactions, the use of this medium will surely dominate due to its sheer convenience and real time efficiency,” says Epsom. “Studies indicate that a 10 % increase in electronic payments in a country can generate a 0.5 % increase in overall consumer spending. We feel that in this region, once customers have become familiar with e-payments, they are sure to become converts.”

Of course the key factor to remember when designing a company’s website — the “one omnipresent brand ambassador and key customer touch point” — is that its appearance is critical to its success.

So a site that involves such diverse features as online-booking, special offers and information on activities available for visitors in the surrounding area must present this mountain of information in an attractive, easy-to-digest manner.

”Customer expectations from a website are no different from basics principles of customer service,” Epsom explains.

“Product introduction, information and bookings are the three main activities conducted on line. An attractive, easy-to-navigate design, optimised search engine, and concise, regularly-updated information in the relevant language are the basics for any good website.

“We are now seeing a shift towards a more experiential and social internet,” he adds. “As a result hotel websites are incorporating new elements such as 3D online tours, blogging and chat to enhance their online customer service.”

And these are not the only new developments. “The internet has revolutionised the way the industry looks at marketing and sales,” explains Epsom. “We can now deploy direct marketing opportunities that in the past were inconceivable. As a result brands can provide their customers with not only value in terms of pricing but also great loyalty benefits and direct relationship management.

“Recent online developments have seen the introduction of some remarkable online booking tools,” he continues. “These include tools such as POG’s (Personalised Online Groups), Desktop Widgets for corporate bookings and Guest List Managers.”

And with consumer confidence growing, this streak of innovative additions to hotel websites is undoubtedly set to continue.

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