User Research | Goibibo Microstays

Market Research - http://tinyurl.com/msandeepmr

Prototype - https://marvelapp.com/56fejg7/

Context - Microstays

A common feedback from customers has been that if they are staying for a shorter duration, they
shouldn’t have to book the hotel for a full day. Hence, a new category of booking comes up in the
industry, which is Microstays. Microstays, or ‘short stays’, in hotels is defined as dividing the booking
time into time periods.

Goibibo also launched the service, which is currently catering to specific travelers at religious places.
The features of a Microstay still need refinement. It may also be a good option to have this feature
not just at religious places, but near travel junctions, such as railway stations, bus stops etc., or
specific cities that people want to explore.

Method 1 - Survey

Target Audience identification-

a. Statistics Data - statisticstimes.com
b. Filters – Urban internet users, 10% unemployment rate, age.

Target Population Size – 180 Million

Sample Survey Size Calculation –

a. Population = 18,000,000
b. Confidence level = 90
c. Margin of error = 10%

Sample Size = 68
[ Calculator used - Sample Size Calculator ]

Objective - To understand user preferences for extending ‘Microstays feature’ (pay on hourly
basis at hotels) from religious places to other cities and near travel junctions like Railway
stations, Bus stops, etc.

Hypothesis -
1. Small group, solo or business travelers prefer to pay per hour
2. Families, larger groups prefer current booking model
3. Users want to check-in / check-out mostly early in the morning for shorter stays
4. Users want to check-in / check-out mostly late in the evening for shorter stays
5. Users on short trips prefer to use Microstays (paying on hourly basis)
6. Frequent travelers prefer Microstays

Survey Link - Microstays Goibibo Survey

Response data Link - Microstays Goibibo Data Report
Response data Link – Graphics Microstays Goibibo Response (Graphics)
 User Research | Goibibo Microstays
Market Research - http://tinyurl.com/msandeepmr
Prototype - https://marvelapp.com/56fejg7/

User pain points: key data and insights –

1. 40% of survey respondents travel monthly these days and majority of them had to
stay at family’s place due to lack of availability of short stays.
2. 87% of respondents, who happen to be in the age bracket 25-40, wish to have a
shorter stay with stay duration ranging from 2-3 hours to 5-6 hours mostly.
3. Majority of them would need a free-wifi, access to restaurant and laundry to be used
often.
Rest around 20% request for access to meeting rooms, pool & bar too.
4. Tier-I city travellers, who happen to be 80% of the total respondents, prefer railway
train followed by flight and bus.

And hence, the demand for shorter stay, as seen from the survey data is in the order -
nearby transit junctions followed by tourist locations.

Key motivations –
1. 24% respondents require a shorter stay in between their road-trips
2. Another 24% for taking a nap or shower
3. 18% for attending job interviews

Goals –
1. Avail shorter stays for 3-6 hours around transit junctions.
2. Get basic amenities such as wifi, access to restaurant and laundry.

Personality –
1. 43% of respondents are ‘moderate travellers’ (monthly once) followed by
2. ‘hardly travel’ (quarterly once) ones at 34% and then
3. ‘very frequent’ ones at 15%

Demography –
1. Nearly 87% of respondents were students & working professionals aged around
25 - 40.
2. 80% of entire respondents belong to Tier-I city and rest equally in other two.

Key Action areas –

Frequent travellers wishing to have a shorter stay at hotels these days would want to:
a. Avail shorter stays primarily nearby transit junctions and secondarily at places to
roam and explore – in that order.
b. Short stays with duration in demand - as seen from the survey data - were 5-6 hours
and 2-3 hours, needs to be availed too.
c. Avail access to basic amenities such as free internet, restaurant and laundry.
 User Research | Goibibo Microstays
Market Research - http://tinyurl.com/msandeepmr
Prototype - https://marvelapp.com/56fejg7/

Hypothesis Validation-
1. Solo/business travelers or those in smaller groups are more likely to opt for shorter
stays
2. Responses did not validate customer preferences with regard to peak check-in time
3. Frequent travelers or those on short trips prefer shorter stays.

Method 2 - User Interviews

Questions asked during the Responses: Responses: Responses: Responses:

interview
USER - 1 USER – 2 USER - 3 USER - 1

Hi, can you give me a little Name: Name: Ankit Name: Sinku Name: Aditi
background about yourself, like Priyanka
Age: 27 Age: 31 Age: 23
name, age, education and city for
Age: 26
the record? Education: B. Education: B. Education: B.
Education: B. Tech. Com. Com.
Tech.
City: Bangalore City: City: Bangalore
City: Bangalore
Bangalore

Okay. So have you grown up here? No. I’m from No. I’m from No. I’m from No. I’m from
Patna Hazaribag Kolkata Raipur

And how long have you been here? Almost 2 A little over 4 2 years About 1.5
years now years years

How often do you travel? Not so much Probably once I travel quite 4-5 times a
really. Maybe a quarter, to-n- often from year
2-3 times a fro. Feb to July
year end. For the
rest, once or
twice.

What do you mostly travel for? Once each I visit my family I travel mostly I visit my family
year, I visit my couple of times for work. My mostly.
family. Rest is a year. Rest is family visit is Sometimes
for short trips for short trips. also covered there’s a trip
mostly with in that. here & there.
friends.
 User Research | Goibibo Microstays
Market Research - http://tinyurl.com/msandeepmr
Prototype - https://marvelapp.com/56fejg7/

Do you mostly travel in group with With friends Short trips are Work travel is We go
friends/family or solo? mostly. Trips almost always solo always. frequently on
to home are with friends. Other times I family trips.
solo. We do bike take trips with
trips. friends.

What do you look for in a hotel To me it’s the On bike trips, For work, My parents
while booking one? facilities like it’s mostly basic OYO take care of
A/C, hot water about basic type rooms bookings
and amenities and work for me. I mostly. We
cleanliness is cheaper stays. rarely stay in generally go
most If there is a except to for
important. I pool available, sleep at night apartment/villa
check-out the it’s great. if needed. type hotels.
reviews.

What is you preferred check-in/ Regular We mostly just I have to take We plan our
check-out time? timings are spend half a pains to find travels
mostly fine by night at a hotel hotels to according to
me, but they on our trips check-in very hotel check-in
should be each day. But early in the time. On the
flexible, with the check-out morning. last day
early check- time is till late Often I check- though, we
ins or late morning. out early to, have to check-
check-out. like by late out early avoid
evening on booking for a
the same day. day more.
But they don’t
take that into
account.

Does it often align with what most Check-outs We rarely use They should They should
hotels offer? are too early I the whole stay. have 5-6 AM allow for late
believe. And They should check-in check-out at
late charges give us some window, I reasonable
are quite high. discount for mostly check- rates.
checking in late out by same
and checking evening, so
out early. they are still
in profit.

Are you aware that some hotels do I didn’t know. No idea, I have never Didn’t know.
allow booking for shorter durations We could use although, that come across
like say for 6 hours? that option would a great anything of
for our last thing for us. that sort.
day mostly.
 User Research | Goibibo Microstays
Market Research - http://tinyurl.com/msandeepmr
Prototype - https://marvelapp.com/56fejg7/

Would you avail such an offer? And Yeah. We Yes. That Off course. I It would make
under what circumstances? mostly travel would help mostly stay sense for us if
at night but save us a lot not more than it’s cheaper
have to check- and we can half-a-day at a than late
out in late take more pit hotel. check-out
morning. stops on our charges.
way.

And what about the tariffs charged It should not I don’t mind To me pricing Should be
for such short stays? be too high. paying a little matters, it lower than late
more, but not should be in check-out
too much wrt. line with the charges.
whole day regular fairs.
bookings. Maybe 5-10 %
higher.

Anything else you’d like to include Check-in/ They should 6 AM to 6 PM I’d like to book
or add if you had to suggest how to check-out allow for 8 stay is last day by
build such an offering? timing should hours of night something I’d hours.
be flexible. stay. love to have.

User Interviews – observations

1. Business travelers or those going for short trips prioritize expenses over facilities
2. Fixed check-in/ check-out time is a pain point across all user segments
3. Families prefer flexible check-out at reasonable rates to highly priced micro-stays
Key insights 4. User won’t mind slightly higher tariffs for short stays
5. Business traveler want option of early check-in and early check-out

1. Solo/business travelers or those in smaller groups are more likely to opt for
Hypothesis shorter stays
Validation 2. Families, larger groups prefer current booking model with flexible check-
in/check-out options at reasonable rates
3. Some users – business travelers – prefer early morning check-in
4. Short trip travelers looking for pit-stops prefer early morning check-out
5. Frequent travelers or those on short trips prefer shorter stays