The Research

Overall Goal

We first set out to explore the full impact that COVID-19 had on the hotel industry as a whole, then Crescent Hotel and Resorts more specifically. Then, discover areas of support that could help Crescent during this time.

1:1 Interviews with Key Stakeholders:

We conducted interviews with Crescent’s VP of Client Relations, instrumental in gaining and maintaining new clientele, as well as a Baltimore-based General Manager, serving on the front lines of the hotel industry, trying to keep her location afloat.

Key Takeaways

• During the lifespan of the pandemic, it’s crucial for General Managers of  Crescent’s hotels to be up-to-date with new COVID-19 resources and strategies to maximize both safety and profitability during this challenging time.
• To maintain Crescent’s strength as a brand, COVID-19 strategies and resources shared with hotel clientele should be limited to a private access without key competitors being able to view and use to their own benefit.

Traveler Insights:

To gain a deeper perspective of how COVID-19 is influencing consumer perception of hotel stays, we conducted both a one-on-one interview and sought secondary industry research.
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1:1 Interview Insights from a Frequents Business Traveler / Hotel Guest 

• The interviewee’s largest concerns with being comfortable staying at hotels were person-to-person proximity in common areas, frequency of cleaning and sanitation efforts, and enforcement of mask wearing.

‍IDC (International Data Corp) Survey
1,500 US consumers asked how COVID-19 is influencing their travel

• 65% of consumers top fear of resuming travel is contracting the virus
• 1 out of 4 consumers have cancelled a hotel reservation due to the virus
• 65% will only stay at hotels with safety updates on website

Heuristic Evaluation

Then it was assessing the current user interface design of the Crescent Hotels and Resorts’ website, as well as its separate intranet with 3 individual resource pages housing all of the COVID-19 resources for hotel management.

The Problem

How might Crescent Hotel and Resorts provide more efficient and timely COVID-19 resources and support to their front-line General Managers at their various hotel locations, as well as show hotel consumers the strength and proactiveness of their brand?

The Solution

We wanted to create a comprehensive COVID-19 resource hub that maintained vital and timely information, while also having an enjoyable user experience. It would be accessible by login through Crescent’s main website for added convenience, but also to show consumers the measures being taken to maintain safety. The home page of the Crescent site would also be redesigned to highlight the brand’s transparency and solidarity to everyone during this time.

Step 3

Creating a New COVID-19 Resource Login Page

To maintain a level of privacy and keep proprietary COVID-19 strategies secured within the company, a login page was created for the new resource section. Because COVID-19 is a sensitive topic and the industry was hit so hard, imagery and messaging representing support and unity were included to provide an empathetic and transparent experience.