In a world of abundant information technology can help to keep things simple, but the guest should always come first

For people already overloaded with information and choices, the ability to make the right decisions and to make them easily is crucial.

“We are all universally bound by time: it’s a limited resource that everyone shares, regardless of the industry,” says Julie Hoffmann Executive Director Digital/Consumer Experience, MGM Resorts International.

For this reason, simplicity has been at the centre of MGM Resorts' digital transformation, a process that began back in 2011 when the firm embarked on a journey to take the customer experience to a new level. The idea was a simple one: to identify the needs of guests along their journey and determine the best way to support them both today and in the future.

Simple as that sounds, for any company of this size there were always going to be challenges and with multiple systems in use across the organisation, the biggest one was technology integration.

To address this, MGM Resorts brought together thought leaders from across the organisation to share ideas. Through careful planning and research, the group has been able to define new capabilities, reduce the number of solutions and streamline business processes - all in the name of delivering a better customer experience.

Simplifying the decision-making process for MGM Resorts’ customers is a goal that is measured through a variety of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rate, time on website and other proprietary metrics. By deploying two analytic products that help to test and identify what resonates with guests, the group has seen meaningful percentage shifts across KPI’s in several segments. This was achieved by reducing complexity in communication through targeted information and has equated to multi-million dollar revenue increases in web channels.

Leading first with technology was not the right answer for us. The technology is the tool that facilitates those needs

Julie HoffmannExecutive Director Digital/Consumer Experience, MGM Resorts International

Along the way MGM Resorts has learned the following lessons:

• The customer journey is not linear; it’s an iterative process

In fact, the experience starts long before guests arrive and lasts long after they return home. “Discovering, planning, booking and sharing are not limited to pre and post phases, rather, these activities happen throughout the entire experience with us,” says Hoffmann.

Armed with this knowledge, MGM Resorts was able to reimagine the possibilities, determine how to best support customers and bring digital services to a whole new level. “Our design system is being developed to reduce friction and provide contextual relevance along the way. Throughout the journey customers can filter, find, and act without having to disengage from their exploration,” says Hoffmann

• The system should always be able to evolve

MGM’s primary goal was to develop a system that would continually grow and support the customer into the future. After rollout across the company, advanced analytics will measure exactly what customers enjoy; and as they interact during their journey, the technology will responsively adapt to changing interests of customers over time.

“The idea is that along the way, the system will become smarter and new capabilities or features will be developed based on an iterative learning cycle of listening to guests,” says Hoffmann. 

Once the foundation is solidified across several touch points, MGM will expand these by modifying features/functions to enhance interactions and retain ongoing relevance.

• Technology is just the tool

Frequently, innovation  fulfills a yet-to-be articulated need.

Often the customer may know their desires, but on other occasions they are oblivious until the solution has been provided to them. This has shown to be the case across all industries. With 40 million worldwide visitors annually travelling to Las Vegas, R&D allows MGM to answer questions seamlessly through both a qualitative and quantitative approach. 

On a final note, Hoffmann has this to say: “Customers tell us the vision of what they would like to experience and we tie this back to the technology. Leading first with technology was not the right answer for us. The technology is the tool that facilitates those needs. The guest comes first. “