The Hilton Sydney is a prime destination for business and leisure travelers from all over the world. The property is situated in the central business district—the heart of the vibrant city of Sydney—located just walking distance to some of the most famous attractions of the city, such as the Sydney Bridge, Darling Harbour, and the Sydney Opera House. Along with the iconic attractions, the Hilton Sydney is surrounded by Sydney’s fine dining options and trendy fashion markets.

To learn more about Hilton Sydney’s operations and guest service philosophy, we interviewed Nick Lambrou, the Reservations Manager, and Volkan Tekkol, the Director of Operations. They highlighted how they value creating meaningful relationships with their guests and providing top-notch customer service. One way they do that is through digital messaging. They expressed how “people in this current day in age are continually on the move and usually have their cell phone with them, communicating at their convenience.” Both Nick and Volkan believe many of their guests often feel more comfortable messaging back and forth, compared to the formal nature of standing in line at the front desk or talking over the phone.

Nick and Volkan dove deeper into how adding digital messaging as an additional touchpoint has “helped staff expand a home atmosphere for the guests at the Hilton Sydney,”—fulfilling Hilton’s brand of a “‘home away from home’ experience in their hotels.” Nick explains how these text conversations can allow friendly banter between their guests and staff, “creating a real sense of friendliness and connection that detracts from the business aspect of staying in the hotel.” Nick and Volkan found that the conversations with guests were more open and they would be more “willing to ask for things via text message than they would vocally or face-to-face.” When guests at the Hilton Sydney stay again in the future, they are “excited to share via text message their new experiences and helpful feedback.

Nick shared a unique example when a guest messaged the staff notifying them that they had not received their dietary requirements while attending a gala dinner. Although there were many hotel staff members in the main grand ballroom, the guest felt more comfortable messaging the staff. After receiving the name and information of their location, the team at Hilton Sydney were able to quickly arrange all the changes and gave the guest the correct meal—facilitated by messaging. Examples like this and many others illustrate how the Hilton Sydney can provide service recovery and remedy situations quickly because of the staff’s ability to receive feedback in real-time. Nick refers to this messaging as a “constant flow of communication,” illuminating the power of real-time messaging.

“[Text Conversations] create a real sense of friendliness and connection..." - Nick Lambrou, Reservations Manager

The Hilton Sydney staff also value communicating efficiently and engaging instantly with guests. Kipsu has allowed for the team to realize the “impact they are having on guests because a conversation is on-going even after the initial request” Nick explains. They have found the fluidity of communication produces a trusting relationship between the staff and guests, rather than being transactional. Nick explains how the instant, or real-time, engagement philosophy of Kipsu has “allowed for staff to actively work on issues as the guest is on the run.”

Nick and Volkan expressed that most text conversations with guests end with a kind, “thank you” from the guest. The staff loves the positivity and encouragement, “creating a harmonious and positive atmosphere for the guests and the hotel.” They also shared how Kipsu has allowed their team to “realize the impact they are having on guests,”—resulting in an overall boost in team morale after implementing Kipsu.

“Kipsu has been mentioned positively numerous times in survey reviews." - Nick Lambrou, Reservations Manager

The Hilton Sydney provides a great atmosphere for their guests to experience all the amenities their hotel offers, as well as explore the city surrounding them. With the addition of Kipsu, their guest experience continues to grow—seeing improvements in guest satisfaction and survey scores. Nick mentioned, “Kipsu has been mentioned positively numerous times in survey reviews”. The Hilton Sydney gets to extend what they do best into the digital messaging realm—providing excellent customer service and memorable experiences for all of their guests. We are excited to have the privilege to partner with the Hilton Sydney and love the enthusiasm and dedication their staff brings to the world of hospitality.

If you're interested in sharing your own story about using Kipsu, send us an email at hello@kipsu.com