When you work in the hospitality industry, ensuring a positive and memorable guest experience is essential. This refers to the overall impression your hotel or resort makes on each visitor who walks through your doors. From the booking process to communications with staff, every interaction has the potential to sway the guest experience positively or negatively.
To build a following of loyal customers who choose your establishment over others, you need to make each guest’s stay unforgettable. Doing so will lead to positive reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. It will also increase repeat bookings and make it easier to keep rooms full and profits soaring. Here are three ways you can improve your hotel visitors’ experience and ensure that they have a (positively) memorable experience.
1. Provide Entertainment Options for the Whole Family
Traveling with children can be fun, but it’s also stressful. Kids often demand to be entertained around the clock. But it can be hard for parents to figure out how to keep them occupied while staying in a hotel. If your establishment goes above and beyond to provide entertainment options for the whole family, the parents will take note. They’ll appreciate the gesture and will likely return to your establishment if their future travels take them to the same area.
To help kids get rid of excess energy after a long flight or drive, offer opportunities for physical exertion. A swimming pool is one of the first commodities parents look for when booking a family hotel. Make sure yours is consistently kept clean and in good working order. You may also wish to consider installing outdoor playground equipment for kids who may not like or know how to swim. Make sure it’s equipped with safe, modern equipment that appeals to children of various ages.
Don’t forget to provide entertainment options for older kids and adults as well as little ones. Many hotels now have game rooms that include a variety of arcade games as well as more traditional board and card games. Hotel guests often love to visit these rooms to add variety to their stay and engage in social interaction. Consider also offering check-out options for those who prefer to play games in the privacy of their hotel rooms.
2. Emphasize Good Communication
Good communication is the hallmark of any quality relationship. It also has a huge impact on each visitor’s experience. From the moment your guests make a reservation, you should open a dialogue with them that continues throughout their stay. You don’t want to be annoying or spam them with unwanted emails or texts. But you do want to proactively send them any information they might want or need about their upcoming stay.
Most communications, such as hotel reservation confirmations and reminders can be completely automated. You can also set up automatic emails that include activity and event recommendations families can consider during their stay. But you should always have a real person respond to inquiries and complaints promptly and professionally.
Train your staff to reply to inquiries immediately and with a positive attitude. The same type of response should be given to anyone who has a complaint. Even so-called “problem customers” who have a lot to complain about should be treated with dignity and kindness. The way you handle such complaints could mean the difference between that guest leaving with a smile or posting horrible reviews all over the internet.
3. Create a Positive Ambience
Have you ever walked into someone’s home and immediately felt welcome and safe? Creating an inviting atmosphere is one of the most important things you can do in the hospitality industry. Start by making sure the lobby area is well-lit and features beautiful décor. It’s also important to make sure guests are greeted by a pleasant scent when they enter, so be sure to invest in air fresheners. But the most important thing you can do to create a positive ambiance is to treat guests like royalty.
Your staff members play an important role in your establishment’s ambiance, so be selective when hiring. Look for job applicants who are naturally friendly and good at amiably solving problems. Staff members should also be willing to go the extra mile to make guests feel delighted and welcome.
Finally, you can create a positive, memorable ambiance by offering a customized guest experience. Invite front desk staff to engage visitors in conversation and get to know the primary purpose of their travels. Once they divulge the nature of their visit, look for ways to improve their experience. For example, if a family is planning to visit a nearby amusement park during their stay, consider offering discounted ticket vouchers. If they’re in town for a funeral, you might provide recommendations for nearby floral shops where they can buy sympathy flowers.
There’s a lot of competition in the hospitality industry, which means you need to make sure your accommodations stand out. Use these tips to create an unforgettable experience for every family and individual who stays with you. If you successfully provide a positive, memorable guest experience, your efforts will pay off in a big way. You’ll be more likely to earn repeat bookings and consistently positive reviews while boosting your reputation and profits.
