Is guest loyalty the secret to a hotel’s success? It’s all very well making promises to your guests but keeping them is the trick to mastering the perfect guest relationship. We recommend going beyond this and exceeding your guests’ expectations.
Know what your brand stands for
Every hotel will have its own unique values and USP. Does your brand promise a unique, tailored experience for every guest? You guests will be expecting you to deliver on this promise.
Showcase guest loyalty through reviews
“Customers will value guest ratings over a hotel’s brand 72% of the time.” (Bridges, 2022)
Did you know that emotion is the strongest generator of guest retention? Guests value trust and loyalty. This can take time to build, but consistency of service is the key to success. A guest might stay in your hotel three times before leaving a review. If their experience exceeds expectations every time, they might leave a review about how your hotel is now their favourite destination that consistently impresses! It’s a two-way process.
Top tip: Bear in mind, individuals are more driven to post extreme praise or discontented ratings. Using a customer satisfaction analysis tool, such as Resolut!on, will allow you to manage guest reviews and avoid a host of overriding negative reviews that might deter future guests.
Manage guest expectations
Setting realistic standards will avoid disappointing guests. There is nothing worse than overpromising and underdelivering. Focusing on constantly going above and beyond expectations can often mean meeting basic guests’ needs is neglected. If your guests expect a clean, tidy environment but your cleaning procedure delayed you welcoming your new guests upon arrival, those guests won’t be impressed.
Managing and prioritising your promises will be key here. This brings us to the importance of teamwork! Ensure your hotel is well equipped to meet all guest requirements.
Keep to your promises and your guests will follow suit!
No doubt, you will have made many promises to your guests. We recommend making a list of these in order of importance. The top promises establish the baseline. These are the promises you must keep. The next step is going above and beyond.
What are you waiting for? Stick to your word and your loyal guests will repay you with glowing feedback!
Bibliography
Bridges, J. (2022, Feb 24). 20 stats about online reviews that hoteliers need to know. Retrieved from Reputation Defender: https://www.reputationdefender.com/blog/online-reviews/20-stats-about-online-reviews-that-hoteliers-need-to-know
