Have you ever heard: Once you get a bad recognition, it is very difficult to regain the good position?
Gone are the days when customers were happy just by receiving “please” and “thank you”. Even though part of a proper etiquette, they are not sufficient. Excellent customer service is one of the keys to success in any business but is exceptionally important in the hospitality industry. The guests are hoping that the help from staff members will make their stay as peaceful and comfortable as possible.
Hoteliers must be constantly learning how to innovate and meet the high expectations of their guests. So, here are 5 pieces of advice on how you can improve your customer’s satisfaction:
Give more, get more
You only have one chance to make a positive impression, so get it right! If you make a terrific first impression, they will surely come back. Therefore, present more than what they are expecting, for instance, deliver extra toiletries, clean the rooms daily, give extra pillows and blankets and provide a good Wi-Fi service.
Moreover, you need to make sure to have quality foods, such as good coffee and tea — they are a plus on your guest’s satisfaction! The main point is to anticipate their needs and wishes. Obviously, you cannot please everyone, so the priority should be knowing your ideal customers and aim to attract them.
Customer loyalty is priceless
As said by Jeffrey Gitomer, customer satisfaction is worthless, customer loyalty is priceless. Your main goal and focus should be on creating loyal customers who are not easily influenced by your competitors. Simple things can be done to build customer loyalty and consequently, increasing customer satisfaction. For instance, remembering special occasions such as birthdays or giving personalized promotions and discounts. Personalised treatment is the best way to build-up your customer’s loyalty.
Use negative reviews to your advantage
The hospitality industry can be a tough one regarding requests and complaints from guests because they come from the most various places: email, phone, in person. It is often difficult to manage all of them, let alone address them quickly. But, most times, providing a fast response makes the difference between gaining or losing a potential customer.
Furthermore, rather than trying to find a way to delete your bad review, you should use it for your own benefit. Be sure to answer the negative feedback in a well-timed manner and try to offer a solution to fix the client’s problem. Also, guarantee you apologize to the guest and, whenever they are not happy with your response, suggest taking the conversation in a more private place.
Messaging apps are an excellent channel to provide a good customer support
The hotel industry can especially benefit from using messaging apps to improve their customer service and support. From booking reminders to promoting events to replying to guest queries, artificial intelligence is no longer a technology related to the future and the hospitality industry can and ought to take advantage of it.
With HiJiffy, the guest only needs to find the hotel’s Facebook Page, click the message button and start the conversation with the chatbot. With this solution, guests don’t need to install a new app and get to, instead use one they are already familiar with. The chatbot allows guests to have a 24/7 communication channel with the hotel. Also, this conversational bot feature can be done on various different messaging apps.
Ask for and track guest’s feedback
Being proactive is a must! Most of the times, customer satisfaction is linked to the level of customer communication. Hoteliers, by creating a dialogue with guests, can see their weak and strong points regarding customer service. Feedback can be gathered in several ways and, when used correctly, these tools can be a huge advantage in gaining new costumers and keeping old ones.
However, collecting surveys is not enough if you do not listen to your guests. You should read their opinions and measure whether they are actionable or not. The feedback can be applied to decision-making in all departments. Besides, you cannot forget to reply to your guest, it is fundamental to show that you listen to their thoughts and ideas. Always express appreciation for their review and apologize for any mistakes or misconduct made by your hotel.
