Hyatt Launches Twitter-Powered Concierge

Hyatt Hotels this week launched a 24-hour concierge service powered by Twitter, making it the first major hotel company to tap into the social networking juggernaut for guest service purposes.

Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian announced on Monday the debut of HyattConcierge on Twitter as a part of a guest-blogging series he is doing this month with USA Today. The new service will allow Hyatt service professionals to respond immediately to guest questions before, during and after their stays as well as respond to requests for such services as spa appointment and dinner reservation booking, according to Hoplamazian.

"Many major brands—including some hotel companies—are already experimenting in this emerging social media space," Hoplamazian said in his blog post, "but HyattConcierge is not a promotional one-way stream of communication. It is a service designed to enhance our ability to deliver Hyatt's very own authentic hospitality around the world."

The service is running as of this afternoon with 702 followers and already is responding to questions about the Grand Hyatt Kauai's resort fee, recommending a pizza place and airport transfer information.

Twitter, the micro-blogging network tool that launched in 2006 and rapidly has grown to millions of users, is gaining acceptance as an important business tool, according to a survey of 213 business users released today by social media research firm MarketingProfs. About two-thirds of respondents said Twitter was somewhat or extremely important to company marketing operations.