In the wake of the pandemic, everything has changed, and seismic shifts have happened in the hospitality industry. Guests now expect hotels to go the extra mile, providing stays that offer a great, convenient experience and make them feel unique and 'seen.'
To this end, thinking of ways that can save your guests time and uplevel their overall experience is vital to keep up with the competition. If you're struggling for inspiration, we can help! Use the guide below to start making the changes that could make 2023 your most successful year yet.
Start Using a Guest Communication App
Guests don't want to spend time hanging on the phone or waiting at the front desk if they have an inquiry, want to make a room service request, or make a reservation at your onsite restaurant. So why not impress your guests and get things running more smoothly by using a guest communication app for hospitality? These intuitive, feature-rich platforms create a direct line of communication between your hotel staff and your guests and a central communication hub, so no message will fall through the cracks.
Communication apps offer lots of self-service features, too, to further save your guests (and staff members) time and add to the convenience of their stay. These features can be used to, for example, request a later check-out time, request extra towels in the room, or make a reservation at your restaurant.
Bring Online Check-Ins on Board
The perfect time-saving partner for a guest communication app is an online check-in system! There are few things that annoy guests more than arriving at your hotel after an arduous journey only to find that they have to wait at the front desk to check in - a process which, when completed manually, can take around ten minutes per guest.
Online check-ins mean that your guests can skip the front desk entirely, as it turns their smartphones into their room keys, so they can head straight to their rooms on arrival with no need to wait in line. Guests love this - and it offers even more benefits to those vulnerable visitors who may still be keen to self-isolate as much as possible. And as an added bonus, online check-ins mean that neither your guests nor your front desk staff need to spend time dealing with misplaced physical keys!
Make Sure Staff Are Fully Trained
Team members who aren't properly trained can directly result in keeping your guests waiting and undermine their overall experience with your hotel. For example, a member of staff at the front desk who isn't totally confident with the checking-in process is likely to take much longer to complete this task than an employee who knows the ropes - this is frustrating for guests and can cause an unnecessary queue - not a great first impression for those visitors arriving for the first time.
Fortunately, this is something that can be easily remedied. Start the onboarding process as soon as possible for new hires - even before their first day on the job. Send individuals all the important details they need, including plenty of information about your venue and processes, so they'll already have an idea of how things work when they arrive on their first official day. You could also suggest that your new recruits come in for a couple of mornings or afternoons before they start simply to shadow other staff members and observe systems.
You may want to consider bringing on board formal, third-party training to get new recruits fully up to speed on the digital systems you deploy and sessions on optimizing communication, for example.
Switch to Interactive TVs
Boost the convenience factor for your guests by introducing in-room interactive TVs to give your guests the information they need about your hotel, the facilities, amenities, and even nearby attractions or experiences.
As well as being slicker than having this information left in paper form throughout the room, this is a great way to better showcase the services your venue offers and even to highlight any upgrades or discounts available.
Ensure They Have Access to Great Remote Working Facilities
With the rise of the digital working nomad, who is able to work from anywhere in the world, there's now a significant demand for hotels to provide facilities specifically geared towards these types of travelers. Save these guests time and hassle by ensuring that the wifi connection on offer is free, high-speed, reliable, and secure, and consider promoting easier, more pleasant working in how your design and layout each room.
Make your guests' life even easier by providing a range of communal working spaces and meeting rooms onsite, fully equipped with the things that they may need, from a range of high-quality stationery to printers and scanners.
Easily Optimize Your Guest Experience
To impress your guests, save them time, and ensure their stay with you runs as smoothly as possible, consider incorporating one or more of the above tips to really make a difference. All of the ideas listed above are likely to improve your rebooking rates, build your brand, and boost your revenue!