The document discusses how Expedia is creating a valuable platform experience through real-time reviews (RTRs). RTRs allow travelers to provide feedback during their stay, encouraging hotel partners to respond and improve the experience. Data shows RTRs increase post-stay reviews and hotel review scores. By facilitating these interactions between travelers and partners, Expedia is building a preferred travel platform without owning assets.

1. ©2015 EXPEDIA | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Real Time Hotel Reviews
Scott Horn – Director, Technology
@scottjhorn

3. Source http://mattermark.com/software-startups-eating-the-world-then-and-now/

4. Apple-1 Cassette – Photo credit: Apple-1 Owner’s Club

5. The changing landscape

6. Figures from Sangeet Paul Choudary’s Book
http://platformscalebook.com

7. The age of the Customer
World’s most
popular media
company makes
no content
World’s most
valuable retailer has
no inventory
World’s largest taxi
company owns
no vehicles
World’s biggest
accommodation
provider owns
no real estate
Source: TechCrunch http://tcrn.ch/1MF0pzH | Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

8. 30 billion msgs
per day
and value ecosystems
1.5 millions apps
63 millions iPhone
users in US
65 million
subscribers
60+ million
users
Figures from March 2015. Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

9. The preferred platform
for a great
Travel Experience
Could this be us?

10. Travellers in over
70 countries

11. We believe a great travel platform and
ecosystem delivers value through a
great
Travel Experience

12. So how do we create a great
travel experience?

13. …when we own no
planes, hotels or automobiles…

14. “Platforms allow participants
to co-create and exchange
value with each other”
Sangeet Paul Choudary’s
Platform Scale Book

15. So how do our travellers and
hotel partners interact ?

20. PartnerCentral

22. “provide and open, participative,
plug-and-play infrastructure for
producers and consumers to…
interact with each other”
Sangeet Paul Choudary’s
Platform Scale Book

23. Guest reviews help travellers connect P2P

24. Checkin Checkout
Post Stay ReviewReserve Room
Timeline
?

25. But can we do more for
travellers during their stay

26. …especially if the room is a bit cold

28. How do we help encourage our partners
to connect and delight their guests?

29. Let’s ask about the
experience in real time

32. Checkin
RTR
Checkout
Post Stay ReviewReserve Room
Timeline with RTRs

33. Real Time Review in Expedia
Travellers Respond
to RTR Email
Happy and Sad
Reviews received by
a Hotel Partner
Hotel Partner Responds
Traveller submits
a Post Stay Review
Hooked Book - http://bit.ly/1tPfzed

34. So how is this a valuable interaction ?

35. Hypothesis
Improve the travel
experience at the
start so both the
traveller and
hotel partner have
a more valuable
interaction

36. Making the valuable interaction a habit
THE HOOK MODEL
– Nir Eyal
Email
“How is the room”
Traveller submits
“Room is too cold”
Hotel Partner Responds:
“Moved to a warmer room”
Sharing the experience
Hooked Book - http://bit.ly/1tPfzed
Trigger Action
Variable RewardInvestment

37. Hotel Partner
Hooked Book - http://bit.ly/1tPfzed
Trigger Action
Variable RewardInvestment
RTR Received
Responds to
Sad review
Sad or Happy
Post stay review
Correcting the issue

38. Exactly how valuable is this ?

40. Almost twice as many
customers submit Real Time
Reviews compared to post stay
reviews
Data from April 2015

41. People who submit RTRs will submit
stronger positive and negative post-stay
reviews – this is a stronger signal

42. A sad review on the room
results in a sad review for the
hotel

43. Hotel reviews scores have
improved just by having the
Real Time Review interaction

44. A simple “Thank you” from partners
amounts to an improved post stay review

45. Hotel Partners who respond are
promoted more by their guests
and have their guests return

46. Our original question…
How do we create a great
travel experience?

47. We create valuable interactions on the
Platform
1. Give travellers the ability to have voice
during the stay
2. Encourage hotel partners to respond and
delight their guests

48. What can you take away?

50. Helping producers and consumers connect
in a value added manner is the competitive
advantage of the future.
Scott Horn – Director, Technology
@scottjhorn