Unpacking the myths of Millennial hotel expectations

Articles are posted regularly discussing the changing demands of travelers, as well as the increasingly important Millennial demographic to hospitality. With the Millennials we are seeing a generation that has been connected to technology since birth, and as such their expectations and behaviors are often seen as different from the generations that came before them. But in many ways the topic has become a vast generalization of a demographic while losing sight of the core wants and needs which really aren’t that different from their predecessors.

It’s unfair to say that Millennials are inherently more demanding or less patient than their predecessors; the simple fact of the matter is that this is a generation that has grown up with faster, more responsive technology designed to be service-driven and immediate. The Millennial who wants to see their bill digitally on their tablet or television prior to checking out isn’t an antisocial person who feels they are “too good” to talk to a hotel clerk… rather, they simply want to maximize their day and be quicker about the process. Millennials will absolutely opt into having human interactions and institutions that take a “technology only” approach will do so at their detriment.

I’ve used the example before of the innovation of paying at the gas pump as a way to describe a simple user interaction that was dramatically changed in a positive way. But it’s important to point out that it wasn’t the removal of the human clerk that was pivotal to the change, but rather the simplicity of removing steps in the process that were unnecessary. In the self-service gas pump example, the service –getting the gas into your car, paying for it and being about your way– became much better.

In hotels service is not only king, it’s more important than ever before. Service means anticipating your guest’s needs, providing unexpected benefits, and optimizing the stay in a positive way. But service doesn’t mean automation. A hotel that allows you to pre-check-in, have your room key delivered to your mobile phone, and go directly to your room without speaking to a human being is going about providing better service in the wrong way. Even to the supposedly impatient and demanding business traveler, this type of interaction is a negative one. Staying in a hotel is still an experience, and while the desired experience varies from person to person an overly efficient interaction that comes across as impersonal and sterile isn’t something guests or staff want.

The Millennial audience expects technology and smarter service because they never experienced the additional steps that technology innovation has removed. If a credit card was put on file when a room was reserved, they are frustrated if the card has to be re-entered at check-in. The step is wasteful and duplicated. But to assume that older guests have no issue with redundancy is a mistake; while they might remember the world in a pre-connected, pre-digital state it doesn’t mean they want to go back to it. Millennials perhaps never had the bad historical experience to compare to, and thus the additional steps may feel frustrating and confusing. But regardless of if the person has context for the bad experience or not, it’s still a bad experience.

For hotels, experience is king.

Innovation is always dodgy when it starts from the end solution and works backward. Solving to a destination point is less likely to generate great results than solving to the full user experience. That’s how products like New Coke initially stumbled; the outcome was to update the brand and they worked backward to produce the product. Somewhere along the way the question of how people would react to the reliable flavor of the drink changing was forgotten. Making the decision to cater to a behavior -particularly when the goal is something as dubious as accommodating a perceived impatience of Millennials- is almost certain to go poorly. Looking at the entire arrival process and evaluating areas to improve the interactions and remove redundancies is far more likely to succeed.

Millennials are really not much different from any other guest from any other age group; they have high expectations and desire for strong service. Their backgrounds have informed them as to what this service should look and feel like, and their lack of historical context makes them less patient to live through a painful, outdated process. But if your Millennials are complaining about your service, it’s a safe bet that guests of all age groups are equally annoyed… just perhaps not saying anything about it. Millennials may complain about poor service on social media. Gen Xers and Baby Boomers just won’t come back. Either way, it’s a lost guest and opportunity.