How to improve customer experience in a hotel

The best hotels are those that do everything possible to create amazing guest experiences. Through providing comfort, excellent customer service and luxury amenities, 4-5* hotels will offer everything necessary for a pleasant stay. There are hundreds of hotels in every city, so with many options available, travellers often conduct some research before booking. Reviews are very important in this process; according to SiteMinder, 81% of travellers will read reviews before booking a hotel. Travellers want to learn whether a hotel provides superb customer experience before they part with their money and, whilst you can’t control decisions based on location and price, you can control guest experience. Read this blog post to learn how to improve customer experience in a hotel. 

Create a great first impression

In the hotel industry, first impressions start at the beginning of the customer journey. When a guest books to stay at your hotel, they’ll expect to receive immediate booking confirmation so they can start looking forward to their trip. To go the extra mile, send a personalised welcome message in your pre-arrival information, and include your exact location, access codes and any additional information that you think your guest ought to receive ahead of their stay to provide a seamless arrival process. If you’ve provided your guests with everything they need beforehand, they’ll turn up to your hotel feeling relaxed. 

Provide excellent customer service

Excellent customer service should be constantly given to guests. Offer a 24/7 concierge service, either in-person or virtually, and welcome new guests swiftly, as they’ll be eager to explore their new surroundings straight away. Why not provide a little extra by giving all new guests a brief tour of your hotel amenities, including restaurant and leisure facilities. This helps guests feel comfortable and encourages them to use your facilities during their stay. Anything you do for your guests will be remembered by them when they review your hotel, according to hotel management service Little Hotelier, so provide a hospitable service throughout their stay.  

Use technology to enhance experiences

Technology can be useful at both ends, to enhance guest experience and manage operations effectively. A mobile app for guests might include a virtual key - so you never have to deal with lost keys again - and features for ordering room service or booking spa treatments without visiting your concierge. Guests can also purchase additional housekeeping services. Due to the ease of these services, you’ll boost revenue on extras. Finally, guests can also use a mobile app to report maintenance issues in real-time. Using technology and automated systems enables efficient resolutions, which makes for excellent guest experiences. 

Ask for customer feedback

Most businesses ask for feedback after customers visit their venue. However, customers aren’t incentivised to leave feedback, so they tend not to bother. As 79% of travellers will review between six to twelve reviews before making a purchase decision, a low response rate is frustrating for a hotel business. A solution is gathering customer feedback in real-time; Integrate the dynamic survey powered by YOOLOX into your systems to set up event triggered questions. For instance, ask your guests to rate their check-in experience, spa treatment and cleanliness of their room. Once you’ve collected enough information, you can identify your best services and where there’s room for improvement. The sooner you learn this, the faster you can make changes and consistently receive top reviews.

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