Today’s guests expect a memory every time they eat out. To succeed, your hotel must provide every visitor with a personalised experience that keeps them coming back.
The world’s best hotels are learning to adopt new technology that enables them to obtain actionable insights about their guests and business. While technology can’t replace a manager or recepcionist with years of experience and relationships with guests, it can help your team improve the quality of the guest experience, especially when it comes to personalisation and familiarity.
Why is the guest experience so important?
- Increased Competition: The hospitality industry is highly competitive, and a hotel that offers an exceptional experience can differentiate itself from its competitors and attract more guests.
- Customer Expectations: Customers today have higher expectations of hotels, and they expect an experience that is personalized, convenient, and memorable.
- Technology Advancements: Technology advancements have enabled hotels to provide more personalized experiences and create a seamless booking, check-in and check-out process.
- Reputation Management: A positive customer experience can greatly impact a hotel’s reputation and lead to increased word-of-mouth referrals and positive online reviews.
- Repeat Business: Offering a top-notch experience increases the likelihood of guests returning to the hotel and becoming loyal customers.
Improving hotel experience on a daily basis can be achieved through several tactics, including:
- Personalized service: Train staff to recognize guests’ names, preferences, and special requests, and make an effort to accommodate them.
- Convenient amenities: Offer guests the latest technology, comfortable furnishings, and essential amenities such as fast Wi-Fi, convenient charging stations, and premium bedding.
- Excellent food and beverage: Offer guests a variety of dining options, including room service, on-site restaurants, and local recommendations, with a focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients.
- Thoughtful touches: Provide guests with unexpected treats such as complimentary snacks, drinks, or toiletries.
- Focus on cleanliness: Maintain high standards of cleanliness in all areas of the hotel, including guest rooms, public spaces, and restrooms.
- Prompt and efficient service: Ensure that staff respond quickly and effectively to guests’ requests and needs.
- Continuous improvement: Regularly solicit guest feedback, track key performance indicators, and implement changes to continually improve the guest experience.
Summary
The very core of hospitality is a great guest experience. It should be central to your hotel operations because getting it right means that guests will talk positively about your hotel in online reviews, and even return to your hotel as loyal customers.