The basis of all hospitality, wherever it is practised, is to take responsibility for the business you represent. This requires confidence, responsibility, courage and a good knowledge of the company you represent. The Corona pandemic has meant that much of the contact with customers has moved to our digital channels and the importance of hosting has increased, not least digital hosting.
When it comes to digital hosting, there are various factors that become particularly important to pay attention to. Digital and social media are creating new conditions that have implications for, for example, customers' expectations of presence, interaction, personalisation, transparency, continuity and speed. This is important to reflect on, as is the question of how you organise and resource yourself to maintain your digital hospitality.
Attendance
In terms of social media presence, this can range from making ongoing topical posts and responding to comments, to responding to positive and negative criticism. Presence is also about keeping websites up to date and in sync with other digital presences such as LinkedIn, ensuring that links to websites and email addresses are up to date and working, as well as ensuring that opening hours and email addresses are correct.
Interaction
In digital hosting, it becomes important to consider how you personalise the interaction. For example, should replies to comments, regardless of the size of the company, be signed with the employee's name to avoid anonymity or do you see more benefits from anonymity? In turn, what do you and your company need to ensure that employees can interact in a confident and competent manner? These are some important questions to consider when it comes to personal interaction.
Availability
Digital interaction is also characterised by aspects such as time, pace and accessibility. It is now possible to interact 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and to provide quick responses. How does your company relate to this and what expectations do you want to create in your customers? A company that is in the habit of interacting both quickly and personally has created such an expectation and should therefore maintain it. This expectation in turn contributes to the perception of the company brand.
Reflection questions: digital hosting
It helps to strengthen your brand, increase your profitability and create job satisfaction. Today, hosting is as important in our digital channels as it is in the physical meeting.
- Do you have a common understanding of what your digital hosting means? If not, how can you increase it?
- Do you know where the conversation about your business is happening online?
- Are you part of the conversation?
- Is it clearly stated in your business who is responsible for digital hosting?
- What are your customers' expectations of you and your business? Can you meet them? If not, should your expectations be adjusted or your work restructured?
