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Facebook changed customer behaviour for the better. People who had replied to both surveys
and had become fans ended up being DG's best customers. Though they spent about the same
amount of money per visit, they increased their store visits per month after becoming Facebook
fans and generated more positive word-of-mouth than nonfans. They went to DG 20 per cent
more often than nonfans and gave the store the highest share of their overall dining-out dollars.
They were the most likely to recommend DG to friends and had the highest average Net
Promoter Score - 75, compared with 53 for Facebook users who were not fans and 66 for
customers not on Facebook. DG fans also reported signifi cantly greater emotional attachment to
DG. Additionally, fans were the most likely to say they chose DG over other establishments
whenever possible.
Finally, another challenge for marketers is measuring the power of online word-of-mouth.
Some organizations though are beginning to use tools that show them the infl uence that online
consumers wield with their words. In fact, a recent survey of US, European and Asian companies
found that 23 per cent used social media analytics tools in order to identify and reward key
infl uencers (Birkner 2011). Palms Hotel and Casino in LasVegas, for example, mines online data
to give amenities and discounts to customers with the best social media footprint. Quasar
Expeditions, a luxury cruise operator, similarly studies its Facebook page to fi nd fans who have
posted the most photos and positive comments, and then offers them discounts on future trips.
The future
While the author does not purport to predict the future as well as Steven Spielberg, some
obvious trends can guide tourism marketers in the evolving digital era. The latest evolution on
the consumer technology front is the widespread use of smartphones, and Google CEO Eric
Schmidt recently said that the future will be 'mobile fi rst'. Mobile devices are used 24/7 by
consumers for many functions in addition to phone calling.
Figure 35.6
shows the most common
mobile phone uses in the US in 2011. While Europeans took the lead with their early and
widespread adoption of text messaging and higher smartphone penetration compared to the US,
the US has now eclipsed Europe in terms of penetration of mobile media, with 47 per cent of
American mobile audiences using connected media in 2010 compared to 34 per cent of
Europeans (comScore 2011). The pervasiveness of mobile technology is creating what MTN, the
South African-based telecommunications and mobile fi nance brand, calls a whole mobile
lifestyle (Roberti 2011). Providing accessibility to banking and credit facilities, travel itineraries,
insurance, utilities services, as well as voice and Internet connectivity, is revolutionizing where,
when and how we communicate personally and with businesses.
Certainly smartphone use is growing amongst travellers; by the middle of 2010, 20 per cent
of US travellers had downloaded one or more travel-related applications to their smartphones
(Reed 2010). Of those that had, 47 per cent used GPS functionality to fi nd their way to a
destination, and 46 per cent searched for fl ight updates. Another 29 per cent compared airfares
or hotel rates and 18 per cent booked air travel or lodging. Another 15 per cent viewed virtual
visitor guides, and a number of guidebook companies including Lonely Planet, Fodor's and
Frommer's have released apps for major destinations. Travellers are increasingly using apps to
create digital itineraries based on their specifi c interests. The SpotWorld app for example
encourages travellers to post itineraries on Facebook with the idea that friends can share the
information and make suggestions on alternative places to visit.
At airports, travellers can download iPhone apps to receive location-specifi c information on
their devices such as where to fi nd the shortest security line, or special deals being offered by
nearby stores. At Copenhagen Airport a new programme tracks travellers' movements based on
