Hospitality is a people business – and that’s exactly why we’re all so obsessed with guest experience. But how do you explore what a great guest experience really means? When you dive below the surface, how do you understand all the nuances of what it takes for guests to have a positive experience at your hotel? Here’s all you need to know.
A good guest experience is often linked with great service. Make check-in smooth and easy, serve food efficiently and with a smile, and ensure facilities and amenities are in top working order. While all this is important, a good guest experience goes beyond this.
Guest experience is about every single interaction a guest has with your hotel – in-person, digitally, and even through indirect conversations about the property. It’s the “hello” they get when passing housekeeping colleagues in the corridor, the email they get to confirm their reservation, the advert they see when browsing the web, and a million other tiny moments that have the power to change perceptions.
So how important is guest experience? McKinsey research shows that the primary reason consumers state when asked how they’ll choose a travel brand in the future is positive past experiences with a brand – not value, quality, or convenience.
The knock-on effect of a good guest experience can be profound. Studies show that 40% of hotel guests are likely to write a review after a positive experience, and 48% are likely to write a review after a negative experience. Whatever reviews are out there, hotels absolutely want them to be because of a good guest experience, not a bad one.
Paving the way for securing future bookings is a key reason why hotels need to focus on guest experience. But how do you ensure a great guest experience is delivered, and also delivered consistently? It all comes down to two things: personalisation and automation.
Personalisation: the warmest welcome
Personalisation = satisfaction. In fact, research shows that customers rating the level of personalisation 9 or 10 on a scale of 0 to 10 are far more likely to rate their overall satisfaction ‘very high’. This has a direct link with revenue too – 61% of guests are willing to spend more if they receive a personalised experience.
How do you deliver a personalised service that guests really connect with? Technology must be central to this. This is where a customer relationship management system (CRM) really comes into its own. An opportunity to create complete guest profiles – based on all the interactions guests have had with your hotel over time – a CRM can capture valuable information about guest needs and preferences.
A system such as SIHOT.CRM, which integrates seamlessly with SIHOT.PMS, can become a valuable source of information for delivering an exceptional guest experience. This ranges from booking a guest’s favourite table in the restaurant and delivering the desired pillows before they’re even requested, to targeting the perfect offers and packages to specific market segments. With modules such as SIHOT.PRE&POST-STAY too – where emails can be sent to guests before and after their stay – the guest experience is nurtured at key points throughout the customer journey.
Automation: enabling staff to give stand-out service
Not only can automation enhance the guest experience – such as through quick and easy contactless check-in – it also frees up hotel employees to focus on delivering exceptional in-person service.
Manual processes can cost hotel staff hours of valuable time every single day. By identifying tasks that can be automated – ranging from taking bookings and guest self-check-in, to assigning housekeeping and maintenance tasks – staff can focus on delivering the service and experiences that matter most to guests.
For most hotels, the centre of this is the Property Management System (PMS). With the right modules added to automate key tasks – such as SIHOT.KIOSK and SIHOT.MOBILE – the pressure on staff can be quickly lifted. This gives them the freedom to elevate the guest experience by going above and beyond to surprise and delight guests.
SIHOT can support your hotel with the right technology to enable the delivery of an exceptional guest experience – contact us to find out more.