How Does Best Western Use Social Media?

From what I have seen researching Best Western, they use social media for many things that have the potential to better their company. The problem is that Best Western does not always utilize their social media in the most beneficial manner. Listening is something that the company could utilize more. According to Li and Bernoff (2008) a large amount of money is paid each year to do market research, but you need to see how people react on a normal day-to day basis (80- 81). Best Western has the potential to benefit exponentially if they were to implement effective listening tactics. After examining how Best Western communicates with their customers I have developed some goals and tactics that could increase the effectiveness of their listening.
Tactics:
1. Monitor social media to see how often this is a problem.
2. Consider both the hotel’s and customer’s side of the issue.
3. Attempt to create a policy that in some way can hold a hotel liable for some of the complaints, if the complaint is within reason or if the same hotel has multiple complaints that are similar in manner.
Goal: Develop a clear understanding of what the consumer wants and expects through brand monitoring.
Reason: The reason behind this goal is that sometimes there are mixed signals when communicating with a consumer. Customers sometimes have a difficulty communicating with the industry in a proper manner.
Tactics:
1. Hire an outside company or develop a department to monitor the Best Western brand on all aspects of social media.
2. Have them create a summary and deliver it to the proper officials.
3. After you find common things, group them together and do what you can to actively listen to the consumers.
Goal: Develop a way to make communicating with the customer easier and more