Maintaining a sparkling reputation in the hospitality industry is no walk in the park.
In a world where people can learn about a business’s reputation with a quick Google search, you’re only ever one or two poor online reviews away from having your hotel’s name tarnished.
By creating a memorable hotel experience, however, you’ll keep your current customers happy and attract future customers in the process.
1. Invest in a hospitable staff
People are the key to any successful operation, particularly one in the hospitality industry. If you want to keep customers happy, you’ve got to provide exceptional customer service.
This means investing in a hospitable staff. To keep your staff committed to your brand’s vision, passionate about the work, and dedicated to making guests feel welcome, you need to cultivate the right culture.
Not only will this enhance the guest experience from the time of booking to the time of check-out but it will also reduce employee turnover.
2. Improve the booking process
The hotel experience begins long before a guest arrives to check in at your hotel.
Is your online booking process easy to navigate or is it is a hassle for guests to make reservations?
The first step is to streamline the booking process on your own website. Keep language simple, list all benefits and amenities clearly, and make sure the “book now” button is always visible.
Your website isn’t the only place where guests may book reservations at your hotel. Ensure that your information is clear and up to date throughout all online directories and hotel booking sites.
When someone books a reservation at your hotel, make sure they’re not left wondering about the details of their stay. Make sure you send a confirmation email that includes all of the pertinent information about the reservation.
3. Provide an easy check-in process
When you consider that many guests are arriving at your hotel after a long flight or a full day of driving, it’s in your best interest to provide the easiest possible check-in process for them.
To start, provide early check-in opportunities. This will go a long way towards showing guests that you wish to be accommodating and mindful of their schedules.
Also, make sure that someone is always at the front desk, ready to check guests in. Today, you may also consider allowing self-check-ins, whether it’s via a lobby kiosk or via a portal that guests can access from their smartphones.
A recent survey reveals that nearly 90% of guests would prefer to use a mobile app to manage their stay, rather than have to interact with a person.
4. Prioritize cleanliness and maintenance
Hotels often look to make a strong first impression with their luxurious lobby designs. If only the actual rooms received nearly the same attention!
The majority of guest complaints pertain to the cleanliness and maintenance (or lack thereof) of their rooms. While 42% of guests complain about these issues in person, roughly 41% of guests express their complaints through online reviews!
To ensure that a room is in top condition before a guest checks in, create a checklist of items for your hotel staff to confirm. This removes all guesswork as to the expectations for each room.
Also, consider investing in smart maintenance. This will alert you whenever issues with appliances or systems are detected so that you can work to repair or replace them quickly.
Many smart appliances will even send you reminders whenever they are due for maintenance. Ultimately, this will lead to fewer breakdowns on your watch, and as a result, happier guests!
5. Grow your list of amenities
At your hotel, it’s important that you never settle for your current list of amenities. Rather, continuously look for ways to provide greater value to your guests—even if it’s only perceived value.
According to a TripAdvisor survey, 77% of respondents say that amenities are influential during the booking process.
Keep a close eye on the competition. If there’s a different line item that your competitors provide, consider adding it to your current offerings. You may also consider giving guests complimentary gifts or services!
In many cases, guests won’t take advantage of all of the different amenities that are available to them; but the gesture alone indicates that you care about their convenience.
6. Build seamless check-out and follow-up processes
Be sure to emphasize convenience at both ends of the guest experience. Just as you have built a seamless check-in process, make sure the check-out process is equally simple.
Finally, be sure to follow up with your guest, thanking them for choosing your hotel and asking them to provide feedback about their stay. This will often generate more positive reviews for your business!
