The travel industry is dominated by customer service, and hotel businesses live and die by the satisfaction of their guests. As customer demands grow, so does the complexity of delivering an experience they’ll be happy with.
Much is discussed in regards to guest experience in today’s travel world, but often the guest experience and hotelier experience are inextricably linked. Both inspire and feed each other through demand, expectation, and satisfaction. In contemporary society, hotels are facing complex distribution, pricing, and guest contentment challenges – and that’s before COVID-19 hit!
It sees them fighting to balance their own business needs with the increasing and dynamic nature of travel technology, and the savvy, resourceful attitudes of travellers. As a result, hotels need to be led by traveller behaviour. The majority rules. Early adopters are typically well-educated, have high incomes, and are willing to take risks. Hotels are realising they need to be in many places at once, with constant visibility being a cornerstone of booking success.
When it comes to pleasing guests, ‘personalisation’ is as buzzed as a word can get, but for good reason; there’s no excuse not to be taking a more focused approach to customer interaction. However, optimising the guest experience and ensuring guest expectations are met is a constantly evolving challenge for hoteliers. With a veritable banquet of options at their fingertips, travellers are demanding more than ever before. It makes life harder for hotels, but also gives them a greater opportunity to deliver an experience guests will never forget. The collection and use of customer data will allow a hotel to effectively personalise their service for guests.
This blog will continue to delve into how you can perfect the guest experience at your property, including during the COVID-19 era.