When traveling for business, pleasure, or both, there’s nothing more annoying than having a dirty hotel room, lousy customer service, or nonexistent Wi-Fi.
To make traveling more pleasant, hotels should strive to optimize their services and amenities, as well as make online reservations a breeze.
With hotels anticipating an increase in bookings when the health situation normalizes, they should make it a point to figure out new strategies to provide guests with a memorable and enjoyable stay. Here are some suggestions to keep guests coming back for more:
1. Have a User-Friendly Website
The hotel experience starts with a visit to your website, so ensure its user-friendliness. Display precise and updated information. The majority of your potential guests compare room rates and check a room’s availability before booking a stay. So, make sure they get the right details.
Moreover, optimize the site for mobile use. Over half of travelers use mobile phones in searching for hotels, checking out sites, and booking. Be sure they have an easy time navigating your site. Also, check if all the links are working, and remember to add a “book now” button.
2. Use Automated Tools
Several automated tools contribute to streamlining hotel operations. See if you can avail of the following:
- Central Reservation System (CRS) – This tool manages and centralizes reservations across several hotels and provides information about the guest and the services availed. It also issues a hotel invoice template that’s detailed with the items and services that each client should pay for.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – This identifies and analyzes customer profiles. Traveling information can be used t to create various promotional offers for different client categories.
- Service Optimization (SO) – This platform collecs and analyzes guest reviews about the facilities, amenities, and service to improve customer experience.
3. Provide Personalized Service
Technology allows hotels to gather information about guests, such as their purpose for staying, to personalize their services. They may be observing a milestone or are on a business trip. Consider leaving a bottle of wine for a couple celebrating their wedding anniversary or a small cake for a birthday celebrant. Suggest activities or restaurants for business travelers. Place personalized welcome notes in each room.
These simple acts will make your guests feel more welcome.
4. Practice Proactiveness
CRM software maintains a list of detailed guest profiles to indicate the preferences of returning clients. Take initiative—don’t wait for them to request for extra pillows or a vegan meal.
5. Maximize Technology to Improve Client Experience
Technology has become an essential factor in making guests safe and comfortable. The following tools can help improve the hotel experience:
- Having fast and reliable Wi-Fi is imperative for all hotels these days as 90 percent of guests surveyed in 2019 said access to it is essential.
- Utilizing smart keys lets guests access rooms via electronic cards or their smartphones.
- Integrating cashless payments prevents the handling of bills and coins, ensuring convenience for both guests and hotel staff in dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic.
- Installing chatbots, mobile apps, and SMS messaging allows guests to request service through mobile phones and tablets, which was what 94 percent of business travelers and 80 percent of leisure travelers indicated as their preference.
- Furnishing Smart TVs lets guests binge-watch movies and TV series using their Netflix accounts or access other video streaming and entertainment services.
6. Offer Experiential Travel
With an increasing demand for accommodations, hoteliers can include local tours in their offerings. By partnering with businesses that offer treks to regional attractions, hotels can help guests experience local traditions and culture.
To determine whether this travel setup will work for your customer base and give you substantial returns on your investment, you should figure out the primary objectives of people who pass by your establishment during their travels. Are your clients typically professionals that attend business meetings in your area or do you cater more to tourists? Use this free report to understand user intent and create services that your target audience will enjoy.
7. Empower Your Staff to Give Their Best
Despite the inclination to automate, the human touch is irreplaceable, so the hotel staff still plays a crucial role in improving the hotel guest experience. Start by hiring the right people. Inspire them to be sensitive in identifying the needs of guests and responding positively.
During the pandemic, consider going the extra mile in providing guest services such as doing grocery runs for long-staying guests.
The Bottom Line
Guests are the lifeblood of every hotel, which makes it imperative for each establishment to ensure they’re satisfied and have an excellent hotel experience. This begins before guests can even set foot at a hotel’s entrance by having a user-friendly website. Take advantage of the available technology and maximize the use of automated tools. Moreover, don’t forget to provide personalized service by being proactive and taking initiative to make guests feel special. To level-up their stay, offer local tours and empower your staff so they can provide guests with a five-star service that’s something they can definitely write home about.
