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Hospitality COVID-19 Marketing

Hospitality group Matteo Sydney on its plans to personalise its way through the pandemic

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By Shawn Lim, Reporter, Asia Pacific

October 20, 2020 | 4 min read

With the hospitality industry facing an existential threat, Matteo Sydney tells The Drum how it got around venue restrictions and successfully pivoted to takeaway deliveries with reservation platform SevenRooms.

Hospitality has also been one of the industries hardest hit by the pandemic. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recently revealed that 54% of hospitality staff lost work in the first few months of the pandemic, while the food and accommodation sector experienced a 39% decline from April to June.

Social distancing and capacity restrictions have impacted the total number of guests that Australia-based hospitality group Matteo Sydney can hold in the venue at any one time. This led to a drop in revenue, but the group pivoted to focus on takeaway options to not only make up for this lost revenue, but provide a service that worked in an evolving climate.

Matteo curated a menu specific for takeaway and ‘At Home’ boxes, which included wine and ready to drink cocktails, so its customers could enjoy the Matteo experience in their own home.

In addition, Matteo Sydney also worked with restaurant reservation plaform SevenRooms to build relationships with its guests, to gain a deeper understanding of their new needs and wants. By collecting and leveraging guest data throughout the customer journey, Matteo Sydney has been able to personalise experiences.

“Using this data, we’re able to easily identify regular and local customers for special offers or promotions, as well as being able to seamlessly communicate with these same guests about our updated health and safety policies,” says Eddie Levy, the director at Matteo Sydney.

“The platform has helped us tailor our customer journey and user experience so that it is really clear what is expected of our guests when they arrive and the different dining options that are available to them. Crucially, by streamlining the experience we could minimise the number of phone calls emails we were fielding for reservations, meaning our staff could focus on what’s important: driving the business forward.”

He adds: “Leveraging SevenRooms, we’ve been able to curate more meaningful experiences that ultimately boost loyalty and keep them coming back. Every customer and every interaction matters, and SevenRooms is helping us make the most of each and every one.”

Levy says the pandemic has taught Matteo Sydney the importance of evolving. While service, ambience and cuisine will always be an important part of the brand’s experience, the way the group delivers will evolve behind the scenes.

Levy explains a guest dining in a Matteo venue could expect to be seated at their preferred table, presented with dining options in line with their dietary restrictions, and even given a complimentary cocktail on special occasions.

“Profiling our customers to such a granular level allows us to quickly understand what they love and don’t love, and by keeping our communication with them targeted and relevant, they’re receiving a tailored experience that we know they will love and enjoy,” he says.

“We can quickly adapt so that we’re doing and saying the right things at all times, irrespective of the situation. While this degree of personalisation will help us stay ahead of the game, so too is our renewed focus on the health and safety of our guests and staff.”

He continues: “To make guests feel safe returning to our venue, new health and safety procedures – including enhanced sanitation practices, online reservations, QR codes for virtual menus, and more – promote a coronvirus-safe environment. Our ability to provide this level of tailored, safe service is through data. Utilising the insights it provides will be a key focus as we endeavour to provide the personal services that turn one-time patrons into regular guests.”

Hospitality COVID-19 Marketing

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