A fantastic welcome is the first phase of a wonderful guest journey, and the art of welcome is a foundational skill for any guest facing staff members. Unfortunately, being welcoming does not come naturally to everyone. As with any quality of hospitality, some people are born with it, some can be taught, and some just simply don’t have it. welcome : to greet hospitably and with courtesy or cordiality : to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of So what is it that makes people feel welcome? Eye contact: Making eye contact as soon as a person enters your space is an often missed courtesy. For those working the front desk, it is especially important to take a moment to acknowledge people who walk in, even if someone else is already being helped. Say hello: I know it sounds standard, but it is easy for harried workers to skip a greeting and get right to business. Drawn out small talk is not necessary, but a quick hello or how are you will go a long way. Refreshments – Many hotels have bottled water, coffee, or cookies available upon check-in. Food has a way of bonding us to those we …
“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. What happens on Twitter stays on Google forever!” – Jure Klepic Social media has brought a level of communication between brands and consumers that has never been seen before. For hoteliers, this brings with it a lot of work and attention to detail to expand service to the digital space, but the reward potential is high. Here are a few ideas to meet your guests where they are, personalize the journey, and own your digital guest experience. Facebook – Travelers tend to use Facebook during the planning phase of the journey, as well as during the stay. During planning, they want to get a feel for what to expect, so be sure to have plenty of photos and videos of your property and its surroundings. Savvy guests will also be paying attention to comments and your responses, as this can be telling in terms of service levels. Not every property will have time to respond to every comment, but the more you can do in this area, the better. During the stay, Facebook’s check in feature allows guests to show their trip to their friends. You may consider giving special offers to those …
By nature, hotels deal in some of the biggest events in human life. They gracefully handle hundreds of guests traveling for business, leisure, weddings, funerals and more every single day. The most common types of travelers are business and leisure, and managing their differing needs and frustrations is quite an accomplishment. Technology has come a long way in easing the burden on travel companies and balancing the needs of the individual guests. Airlines allow travelers to check in well in advance, choose their seats, and select an option for speedy board, thereby supporting the busy work traveler and allowing him to get as much work done as possible during his journey. Historically, the travel phase of the guest journey is the most frustrating, but this kind of personalization has done much to temper the annoyances. Some travelers now consider the front desk queue to be the most trying stage of their journey. Fortunately, this same type of tech has found its way to hotels. Guests can check in via mobile before they arrive thus reducing the time needed at the desk by up to 80%. Mobile room keys further reduce the pressure on the front desk. A recent Monscierge survey …
Turnover rates, traditionally high in the hospitality industry, have a direct influence on both revenue and loyalty. A loyal staff begets a loyal customer base. Employees who are passionate about what they’re doing will reflect a positive attitude that carries through to the guest experience. It goes without saying that staff retention benefits everyone. While wages are influential, there are many other factors that play a part in fostering employee loyalty. Different personality types have different inner reward centers, but there are a few common themes among them. Employees do best when they know exactly where they stand in the company, including their potential for growth within the organization. A management team that shares intentional goals, on a business and individual level, will encourage staff to meet and exceed them. When that happens, never fail to recognize a job well done. Nobody should need constant coddling, but a genuine appreciation for employees who go beyond the call of duty or help out in a crisis should not go unnoticed. Listen to ideas and concerns your employees have, and empower them to make decisions concerning guest satisfaction. They are a wealth of inside information, and often have an incredible grasp of …
Travelers everywhere are using smartphones to get information about their destination and recommendations for the best possible experience. While some guests are using third party apps for this, some hotels have found that a mobile concierge is the best way to ensure guests have a positive experience throughout their stay. Just as hotels have always provided tried and true recommendations to guests, mobile access to the same hotel-provided knowledge eliminates false information and gives hotels ownership in the entire guest journey. A great experience means a happy guest, and a happy guest will be a returning guest and a champion of the brand. Hotels can provide concierge recommendations through their mobile app, which can be edited and updated as needed by managers or the concierge. Guests can find what they are looking for along with any other relevant information (menus, hours of operation, directions, etc.) at their fingertips. If you would like to incorporate mobile concierge into your digital guest journey, you can try it here for free.