In story based design one starting point, the ground itself, among the other factors is the location. In which area the company is operating? Underlining the locality is an excellent way to differentiate and common to do in today´s business world. Local specialities and originality are always fascinating the clients. Why would we want to experience something exactly the same as travelling in our own home country? No – We want to have something unique and real, something local.
I had a great opportunity to have an inspection to new Scandic Tampere station hotel (opened May 2012), which is located next to Tampere railway station. Hotel is modern and rooms are stylish. Design style is modern Scandinavian – style, which I personally like.
Hotel Scandic Tampere Station is a modern and trendy city hotel in the heart of Tampere, right next to the train station. But why do we have a Paris Metro sign and french text on the wall?
But as a story designer I cannot understand, why locality and character of the hotel are not taken under consideration in planning. In the back wall of the dining hall is a picture from the metro station with a text in language of French. The scene is not from city of Tampere, not even from country of Finland.
Pictures from the history, for example from Tampere´s railway station or from Tampere´s old trolley busses, would have given a lot more personal and homey surrounding for the diners. All the choices related to visualization and designing at the hotel could have been made with a strong story. Especially for international clients this would have brought nice overlook from Tampere´s history. This kind of operation in wider extension would promote also tourism in Finland. Scandic Hotels is a big chain with own regulations, but this cannot be a reason to forget the importance of underlining the locality.
Locality will offer to the client’s a better and deeper service experience and clients satisfaction. And this makes clients to give more positive comments and recommendations from the company. So, for conclusion remembering the locality and using the stories can bring important asset for the operating business.
This Tarinakone StoryDesign article was written by Anne Kalliomäki and translated by Heidi Forss-Anila.