The pandemic spelled doom for the American hospitality industry. The fear of the virus and stay-at-home orders led to near-zero occupancy rates for hotels. Thankfully, the industry witnessed a rapid recovery in the new normal and is back with a bang.
According to recent statistics, the US hotel market is estimated to reach 1.3 billion occupied room nights in 2023. That’s higher than 2019’s total and marks a 56.9% improvement over 2020’s total of 831.64 million occupied room nights. The statistics look great, but they also spell stiff competition.
If you are a hotel owner, you must find ways to set your business apart in the hyper-competitive landscape. Guest experience can be a game-changer in this context. With 48% of guests leaving a negative review after a bad experience, it is one thing you cannot overlook.
Fortunately, providing top-notch guest experience is easier than you imagine. Here are a few actionable strategies to gain a competitive advantage in the hospitality space.
Table of Contents
Ace the Pre-Arrival Interactions
A great guest experience begins even before people step in at your premises. Showing your commitment early gives them more reasons to choose your brand over the others in the market. Here are a few ways to ace the pre-arrival interactions with your customers:
- Offer an easy booking process with an intuitive website that shows your premises, location, amenities, and deals. Integrate a booking engine and chatbot to your website to facilitate the entire process.
- Initiate communication before arrival to stay in touch and share updates regarding ongoing deals, packages, and events. Send personalized emails or call them for a strong emotional connection.
- Provide early check-ins to minimize the waiting time in the hotel lobby. Tired guests will be a lot happier if they can settle in immediately after arrival instead of going through cumbersome documentation in the reception area.
Level Up In-Room Amenities
Surveys show that 39% of guests are ready to pay more for personalized experiences and 41% recommend a place to others based on their experience. Undoubtedly, investing in your in-room amenities is a wise move because they go a long way in impressing guests. Think beyond the basics like cleanliness and maintenance, and consider leveling up the amenities for a delightful experience.
Keyless entry to the rooms is a great start. You can configure a voice assistant to enable guests to adjust the in-room features. Upgrading entertainment with a hotel casting solution can get you additional points when it comes to the guest experience. With casting technology, guests can directly view content from their devices (phones, tablets, or laptops) on the room’s television.
Allbridge explains the difference between casting and streaming. Casting is a broader term because it isn’t confined to streaming services. Guests can play all content types, even without downloading it on a device.
Train Your Staff
A recent study suggests that hotel staff service is one of the top guest experience factors. Since your employees are the point of contact for your guests, training them is a wise investment.
Training programs should cover the following aspects:
- Communication skills to facilitate smooth interactions with guests
- Observation ability to enable them to know what people expect
- Appearance and body language to make them presentable
- A service-focused mindset that prioritizes guest comfort and satisfaction
Offer Complimentary Services and Gifts
Acing hotel guest experience is not just about going high-tech with fancy booking websites, keyless room entry, voice assistants, and automated temperature control. It is also about showing that you care for your patrons. The best way to do so is by giving them complimentary services and gifts because nothing makes people happier than freebies.
Complimentary gifts can create emotional triggers, hooking guests for good and converting them into loyal followers. They may even spread the word through personal recommendations and positive reviews. Freebies may entail some investment for your business, but they promise attractive paybacks down the road.
Enhance Post-Departure Experience
Making the guest experience memorable is also about following them up after they check out. Start with a smooth checkout experience to make a great last impression. Remember to seek customer feedback because it proves you care about their opinion. Additionally, these remarks serve valuable insights to improve your services and guest experience.
Surveys show that a 5% increase in client retention can boost profits by 25-95% in all industries, and hotels are no exception. Follow up with guests even after they leave because it gives you better chances of retention. Staying connected keeps you on top of their mind, and they have all the good reasons to return after a great first experience.
Conclusion
Hotels must go the extra mile with guest experience to gain and retain an edge in a competitive market. The great thing is that solving the guest experience puzzle is easier than you imagine. The right mix of service quality, amenities, and technologies can give you a winning advantage.
