Page 46 - NSAA_Fall2015Journal

What about those fancy, and expensive, apps that your Many of them take to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
marketing department created for iOS and Android? They rely to vent about things they don’t like. The amazing thing
on information provided from your website to be displayed about social media is that it allows us to address these prob-
within portions of the app. Snow report info, webcams, guest lems head on and with immediacy if a guest has an issue.
login and profiles from your ticketing platforms—all of this However, if these social posts are happening after the guest
requires data in order to make the app function. Without reli- has left the area, you have no way of rectifying the situation,
able cellular and WiFi coverage, many portions of the apps and you’ve sent them home frustrated.
aren’t usable by your guest. All that in-resort signage telling
them to download the app… better hope they remember to do MODERN INTERNET BACKHAUL
that after they leave, because they’re going to have to download & INFRASTRUCTURE
it someplace else, where their phone works. Guest WiFi and cellular towers can’t operate without a sub-
stantial amount of internet backhaul, usually in the form of
Let’s not forget about social media! Stories about your fiber optic or business class cable internet. Unfortunately,
day on the hill aren’t being told around a fireplace anymore. most of us are located in the woods, far from the technolog-
The conversations have shifted online, and are happening in ical conveniences of major metropolitan areas. We’re stuck
real time. That “sick cliff” that your friend just hit—it’s on
Instagram, and the resort was tagged for all their followers to
see, unless their phone doesn’t work… then you’re relying on
them to post it later when their mobile device has service.

Not seeing social media posts in real time has conse-
quences. You can’t rely on your guests to fill out feedback
forms or approach your front line staff if they have a problem.

44 | NSAA JOURNAL | FALL 2015