The hospitality sector relies on people more than technology to deliver a positive guest experience and set the standards of service. With almost 10 percent of the world’s total gross domestic product (GDP) and employing over 255 million people, it is no surprise that the travel and tourism industry is one of the most important sectors to drive employment. Some countries depend largely on tourism and hospitality as the catalyst for their economic growth and development. And, the most important factor for the success of this industry is effective communication – both internally and externally. So, here are 5 tips to improve your interactions with your guests and boost revenue:
1. Listen to your customer
Listening to your customer is not just about acknowledging their complaints, picking up the phone or catering to their demands at your front desk. Effective communication in the hotel industry starts with active listening. This means you not only have to listen to your customers but also try to connect with them. Listening involves paying close attention to their needs and understanding how you can do your best to deliver a personalized experience. The best hoteliers are the ones who listen. Listening to your customers helps you gain relevant feedback which can double as revenue-generating insights.
2. Identify your customers’ ‘voice’
In order to deliver exceptional services, you need to identify what travellers are looking for. Once you have spent some time listening to your guests’ needs, you will notice that they have a ‘voice’. This voice is a reflection of their expectations and emotions. Identifying this voice is directly related to hotel success. Making your guests feel heard and communicating in the same voice will help you build a relationship. Unlike other business owners, hoteliers have the chance to capture insightful feedback during face-to-face interactions with their guests. While this is a great opportunity, make sure you provide your guests with options to submit feedback anonymously.
3. Focus on the guest experience
For a hotelier, there is no greater asset than a satisfied guest. A recent study by PWC showed that 86% of guests were willing to pay up to 18% extra for a better customer experience. Hoteliers should use this knowledge to deliver personalized experiences throughout the customer journey. In today’s digital world, reviews travel at the speed of light and even one positive review can draw 100 more guests. Once you have built a network of satisfied guests, you can encourage them to share their experiences and promote referral programmes. For revisiting clients, you can plan a loyalty programme with exclusive promo codes and discounts to keep them coming back.
4. Show that you care
Sending out a welcome message before your guests arrive is a great way to set their expectations of your hotel. If they are a first-time visitor, you can also inform them about tourist attractions and experiences in the area. This will help you get started on a positive note and build rapport. Assisting your guests with the local taxi service or making arrangements to check in earlier than usual (for e.g. in case their flight arrives early in the morning) will make them feel at home even before they have checked-in. You can create offers out of these and improve your revenue with a robust property management system. Hotelogix PMS is an easy to use platform that allows you to make note of your guest preferences like room view, cuisine, etc and manage internal operations with the travel desk like guest pick-up from a single dashboard.
5. Invest in a Hotel Revenue Management System
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning(ML), contactless solutions, facial recognition, etc are now being employed in the hospitality industry to engage with guests. This new technology and innovations can be used as tools to enhance customer service. As the hospitality industry is still under transformation, hoteliers need to set the vision for the future and look beyond the contemporary. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that hoteliers should keep up with the latest tech trend as it helps increase returns, grow revenue per available room (RevPAR), reduce operational expenses, and produce higher occupancy percentages.
If you are wondering how you could make technology work for your business? You don’t have to spend money investing in different tools or learn complicated software. Hotelogix brings a full-suite of hospitality products including a Property Management System, a Web Booking Engine, and a Remote Hotel Management app. Moreover, Hotelogix has been recognized for its reliable support and was recently awarded the best property management software.
Improvements are not just limited to guest-facing technology. Post COVID-19, hoteliers have realized the need to create a touchless learning experience for the hospitality staff too. Hotelogix has the answer to this problem too – Automated Coaching Engine (ACE).
ACE, like the name suggests, is an interactive automated platform that provides hands-on-training and certification for the staff. With exclusive features and a gamified approach, Hotelogix PMS trains your staff and improves their productivity thereby ensuring a positive customer experience.
Conclusion:
An effective communication system is essential for the smooth function of any organization. Effective communication not only helps to relay information for smooth operations but also builds a culture. In a hotel, where a number of inter-dependent operations take place at once, having a proper internal communication strategy is of utmost importance. The role of communication can be best realized in delivering effortless customer service. With the growth in technology, hoteliers can be expected to contribute to effective communication and guest experience.
