“Athithi Devo Bhava”…“The Guest is
always right”…“Guest is God” are some of the mantras that the hotel industry
stands by and goes that extra mile to ensure that the community follows. It’s a
known fact that the guest is the reason why the whole Hotel Industry is in
business. The guest has the power to take away business from you by spending
elsewhere, so it’s just right that the hotel channelize all their efforts in
ensuring that the guest experience should be one of the biggest investments
that they make.
The different stages where the hotel can
create memorable experiences are:
Pre-booking
Though the guest is physically not at
the hotel at this stage, but great service begins at the website, advertisement,
and social media page, wherever the guest can see or interact with the hotel. The
information available must be up-to-date and accurate.
Post-booking
Once the booking process is complete, follow-up
is essential which can be either through an e-mail or a phone call. At this
stage the guest can be provided with lot of information and one can also obtain
information from the guest to make their stay more comfortable.
Check-in
The best time to hugely influence the
guest decision, that they have made the right choice by staying at your hotel. Having
a room ready for the arriving guest is one of the most important things during
this stage. Getting away from the counter so that the front desk agent is in
close contact with the guest, a sit down check-in counter, welcome letter in
guest room, pleasant staff and courtesy calls once the guest is in their room
all adds to guest experience.
During
the stay
Utilize every opportunity to interact
with the guest. This need not be just limited to the Guest Relations; staff
across departments can also interact with guests for feedback. Addressing a
guest by name and creating a comfortable ambience leads to an overall satisfied
stay. It is also the best time to ask for a review or a check-in update on
social media from a guest. A lot of millennial travelers prefer posting updates
during their stay.
Check-out
Be pro –active, ask guest about their
stay, make certain that the departing guests are happy. This is the best time
to suggest regarding loyalty programs and if they can do an online review. Collect
personal details about the guest like their email id, contact number and social
media handles.
Follow up
A mail thanking the guest once they
have checked-out will definitely help in converting the guest to a loyal
customer. This will help strengthen positive feelings about their stay,
therefore resulting in a better chance of a review or a return visit.
Keep in touch
Keep networking with the guests on a
regular basis through social network and personalized emails. Let them know
about events, packages and discounts prevailing. It would be good idea to wish
them on important occasions.
- Ms. Bindu Menon
Senior Faculty, INLEAD
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