[Interview Article Published] Tokyu Harvest Club Introduces "VOD Information System / Viewing Log Analysis Function" ~Information Creating New Stay Experiences~

Mr. Shigeiku Kusu (left) and Mr. Hayato Honda (right) of the Harvest Business Division, Business Planning Group, Wellness Business Unit, Hotel & Resort Business Headquarters, Tokyu Land Corporation (at the time of the interview).

NetSys Japan Co., Ltd., as a company that develops and operates systems supporting hotel management, widely disseminates advanced initiatives in the accommodation industry.

This time, our company has published an interview article with representatives of Tokyu Land Corporation regarding initiatives to improve the value of the stay experience at "Tokyu Harvest Club," a membership-based resort hotel developed, sold, and operated by the Tokyu Land Holdings Group.

In recent years, the accommodation industry has been required to achieve both improved service quality and operational efficiency, as well as a comfortable working environment for staff, in response to the diversification of travel styles and customer needs.

Amidst this, "Tokyu Harvest Club" is advancing new initiatives through "information dissemination and analysis using in-room TVs."

Operating 29 facilities nationwide as a membership-based resort hotel

"Tokyu Harvest Club" is a membership-based resort hotel that began in Tateshina, Nagano in 1988 as part of Tokyu Land Corporation's resort business. Currently, it operates 29 facilities nationwide across three series: "Harvest," "VIALA," and "RESERVE."

Exterior of "Tokyu Harvest Club VIALA Kinugawa Keisui"

Lobby of "Tokyu Harvest Club VIALA Hakone Koyu"

It operates on a system where users purchase resort memberships, primarily used by people in their late 60s, as well as their families and friends in various situations, and is also utilized as a corporate welfare benefit. Many users treat it like a second home, traveling from urban areas to resort destinations.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2023, "Tokyu Harvest Club" adopted the tagline "Here, layering time."

This embodies the sentiment that "time spent alone, with anyone, or sometimes with facility staff, becomes valuable."

As a membership-based resort hotel, memories and relationships accumulate with each visit. Through time spent at the facilities, connections between people and unique local experiences are cultivated. This emphasis on the value of such time is a key characteristic of "Tokyu Harvest Club."

Relationships fostered by a membership-based resort hotel centered on repeat guests

Many members stay at the same facility repeatedly, using it almost like a second home. The hot springs at each facility are particularly highly rated, and many members visit specifically for them.

"Tokyu Harvest Club Arima Rokusai & VIALA" Hot Spring Large Bath

Because many members visit the same facility repeatedly, natural communication with staff is more likely to occur. A key feature is the emphasis on personalized service where staff remember members' faces and names, going beyond simple accommodation.

Due to its membership nature, building relationships centered on the owners is also emphasized. Upon a member's first stay, the general manager greets them, and a system is in place to accumulate information about members' preferences and stay styles, sharing it across facilities.

For example, detailed information such as "a person who frequently uses chopsticks" or "a person who starts with beer and then enjoys wine" is shared, ensuring that even if a staff member is transferred to another facility, they can provide the same level of service as much as possible.

This accumulation of efforts leads to a sense of security for members, who are welcomed with "Welcome back" rather than "Nice to meet you."

When new staff join, members sometimes initiate conversations with them. This naturally occurring closeness is a unique charm of "Tokyu Harvest Club."

Challenges identified in rethinking the use of in-room TVs

Previously, "Tokyu Harvest Club" used vacant channels on in-room TVs to play promotional videos for their own facilities. However, as the number of facilities and promotional videos increased, simply looping the same videos repeatedly limited the scope of utilization, leading them to consider more effective ways to use the TVs.

Previously, a system allowing information retrieval by holding a smartphone over it was installed in rooms, but considering the age group of users, it wasn't necessarily intuitive for everyone to use.

On the other hand, many members relax while watching TV in their rooms, and the company saw potential in in-room TVs as an information touchpoint that members could naturally encounter as an extension of their daily lives.

It was in this context that NetSys Japan's VOD Information System and viewing log analysis function were introduced.

Details here

Hotel information screen / Facility map screen

Mr. Honda stated, "Because NetSys Japan develops its systems in-house, the ability to continue operations while listening to feedback from members and the field and updating the system matched our way of thinking."

Currently, the in-room TVs provide the following information: facility information, weather information, stay surveys, breakfast venue waitlists, information on new facilities, and congestion status of large public baths (at some facilities).

Previously, information regarding membership sales was also provided using multiple paper materials placed on the desk in the room. However, paper guides tended to feel overly promotional and affected the room's atmosphere. Paper materials also posed management burdens such as dirt and creases. Digitization has helped keep rooms simpler in design and has been effective in terms of spatial presentation.

However, not everything has been replaced with digital. They value using the right approach depending on the situation, allowing those comfortable with digital to use it conveniently while retaining offline guides for elderly members or those less familiar with digital technology.

Member needs revealed through viewing log analysis

"Tokyu Harvest Club" is also currently working on analyzing viewing log data to check the viewing status of the TV information system. Mr. Honda said, "We didn't want to just introduce the system and be done with it; we wanted to quantitatively measure which information is actually being viewed."

Looking at the actual data, they found that the number of views for facility information was particularly high. They analyze that while information is also provided verbally at check-in, the amount of information conveyed at once is large, so many members likely recheck it in their rooms. In actual operations, comparing before and after the introduction, direct inquiries to staff have decreased.

Furthermore, new insights emerged from the data. "What surprised us most was the difference in view counts between facilities. Investigating the cause, we found that the communication environment at each facility was a factor. Being able to grasp this situation from the head office is a significant advantage." What previously had to be checked individually at each facility can now be visualized at the head office through data.