And keep guests as loyal customers forever.
Customer support, customer experience, and guest engagement are all terms used in the hotel industry to describe the customer experience. The reality is that there are many considerations that can make or break a customer’s experience and their long-term relationship with you.
Focus on Branding
When does the guest’s experience start? The guest experience does not start when they step through your front doors.
It starts when they first hear about your resort or brand.
It all begins with brand recognition and, more importantly, their experience with that brand. It continues throughout their entire customer journey, from booking their room to checking in and out, and even after they’ve checked out and are thinking about returning.
As first impressions matter, you need to keep all possible guest touch points polished, stunning, and on brand. The most common places where guests find you are your website, emails, social media, advertisements, booking sites, and guest reviews.
These are amazing opportunities for you to set the stage for their upcoming visit with you.
Give Out Information
The very first image visitors can see when they visit your social media or website is your resort’s cover photo or featured image. Make sure that you emphasize your resort’s unique selling point!
It’s always an unbeatable idea to have information & reviews available on social media, booking platforms, and your website.
Information about the rooms, amenities, dining options, recreation ideas, local sites, and packages are the most requested of many guests before booking. These help your guest plan their trip and having them readily available gives them a seamless experience from your brand on the spot without any additional engagement from you.
Reviews give your brand social proof that make you more trustworthy. According to surveys, 96% of guests consider reviews an important part when researching hotels.
Even better, encouraging past visitors to share their own content from their stay with their family and friends is a perfect way to advertise your resort or hotel. More than 40% of hotels use user-generated content (UGC) on their social media pages, but only 20% use it on their websites; there are so many more possibilities and ways for you to use UGC in your marketing efforts.
Amp Up Your Engagement
Engage your target audience through personalized and enticing emails. These could have a range of content from newsletters, promotional offers, to generating desire to travel.
If there is a pressing issue or query, it can be frustrating waiting days for an answer. Make yourself available to prospective customers at all times in order to convert them into actual visitors.
When a customer asks a question in this day and age, they expect an immediate response.
Online messaging has altered the environment of the hospitality industry by supplying prospective customers with real-time responses to their questions.
This doesn’t stop with email and messaging apps. Guests feel special when you respond quickly to comments on social media, as well.
Ensure Seamless Booking
Booking with you should be an easy, seamless, and frictionless experience.
Make sure that the call to action of booking such as “Check Availability” or “Book Now” links are always present in your website. The idea is the guest shouldn’t have to look for it and could book with you with absolutely no problem.
You can even take this a step further and allow guests to use social media to book. It could be through Facebook Messaging or Twitter DMs but having the option to book whenever and wherever it’s convenient to your guest gives them a terrific experience.
Be straightforward about the advantages, using phrases like “best rate guaranteed” or “unlimited cocktails.” Finally, use enticements such as loyalty points, space upgrades, and free food.
Brilliant Pre-Arrival Extras
Now you’ve got their booking, it’s time to turn up the experience.
Please include a personal and welcoming message to thank the guest for booking your hotel. You can include connections to any value-added facilities, enhancements or agreements during your stay.
Remember to be brief. Too many details that bombard your guest at once could potentially turn them off.
Make sure visitors are also directed to social media outlets, allowing them to contact their questions or requests at all times. Efficient correspondence with your guests before arriving will dramatically increase their stay quality and eventually turn them into loyal customers and brand ambassadors.
If you’d like to drive upsells and give more offers, sending an email 3-5 days before their arrival has been shown to be the best timing for your guests.