Guest experience is one of the biggest impact areas for improving the competitiveness and overall performance of a hotel.
In many cases, improvements in these areas will also improve staff satisfaction and efficiency, leading to higher retention, a better work environment and cost savings.
Here are seven key areas to focus on for boosting guest experience:
Personalised Experiences: Guests today crave personalisation in all aspects of their life. They are prepared to spend more with a brand that personalises for them and stay loyal.
Tailored Recommendations: Use guest data to offer personalised recommendations for activities, dining, and amenities.
Personalised Touches: Add personal touches to the stay, such as welcome letters with their name or relevant offers.
Seamless Technology: As with other aspects of life, travellers expect to be able to interact and plan from their mobile devices while on the go, they expect you to meet them there.
Mobile Check-in and Check-out: Allow guests to check in and out using their mobile devices.
Give Options: Allow guests to choose how they interact with the hotel, give them options for the human touch or digital convenience.
Clear Communication:
Communication can make or break a guest's experience before they have set foot in your hotel. Make it easy for guests to communicate in their preferred way.
Proactive Communication: Keep guests informed about their stay, from arrival to departure, through clear and timely communication. This could be through email, SMS or even a WhatsApp service.
Feedback Channels: Make it easy for guests to provide feedback, both positive and negative during and after their stay.
Local Experiences: 'Living like a local' is one of the strongest sentiments among today's travellers who want to experience a destination from an insider's point of view.
Authentic Experiences: Offer opportunities for guests to experience local culture, cuisine, and attractions during their stay.
Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses to provide exclusive discounts or unique experiences that travellers might not have access to otherwise.
Sustainable Practices:
There are many ways to achieve green credentials and promote those to our guests to enhance their experience, such as the 'Green Key' initiative.
Eco-Friendly Initiatives: Implement sustainable practices like reducing waste, conserving energy, and using eco-friendly products.
Educate Guests: Inform guests about the property's sustainability efforts and encourage them to participate.
Employee Training and Engagement:
Strong staff satisfaction will have a massive impact on guest satisfaction. Ensuring that the hotel team are trained and engaged is the first step.
Customer Service Training: Ensure employees are well-trained in customer service and can handle the many situations that could be thrown at them.
Employee Engagement: Create a positive work environment to encourage employee satisfaction and motivation with clear feedback channels.
Flexibility and Adaptability:
Guest's needs change with every stay and possibly even while they are with you. Pay close attention and ensure that the data is not lost after they leave.
Anticipate Needs: Be prepared to adapt to changing guest needs and preferences. Have a way to record these preferences for future stays.
Offer Options: Provide guests with options and choices to customise their stay. The one-size-fits-all approach is no longer acceptable to most travellers.
By focusing on these areas, hotel teams can create memorable and exceptional experiences that foster customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.
Obvlo enables hoteliers to deliver a personalised guest experience through local recommendations. Not only does this give guests a seamless digital experience, but it also takes pressure away from the hotel team.
Over 90% of guests who use Obvlo say that it enhances their stay, book a demo here.