A reputed hotel is a revenue-generating hotel.
The above statement simply means that a customer is more likely to choose a hotel or a property that has a good reputation. If we look at it from a business perspective, it translates to “a good reputation is equal to good revenue generation”. After all, people are more likely to spread the word about a property that offered them a pleasant experience, aren’t they?
However, the real question is: how do you know a hotel is well-reputed? In today’s world, the term reputation has a broader meaning. Of the plethora of lavish property options available, scrolling through google reviews is one of the easiest ways to find a good property for a vacation.
For a customer, writing a review might just be sharing their experience on the internet but for you, it speaks volumes about your credibility as a business. Good reviews not only help you rank better on Google but it has a direct correlation to the revenue you generate as a business. Also, users are more likely to go with a property with amazing ratings and affordable costs.
So, if you are in the hospitality sector, you need to make an effort towards attracting customers who will get you splendid reviews of your property. In this article, we will go through four simple practices that will help you get good customer reviews. So, let’s get right into it.
1. Don’t forget to personalize
Whatever business domain you are in, personalizing is crucial to attracting customers. To understand your customers, you can use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool which will help you know how customers choose properties depending on the context of their travel. This allows you to target an even more specific audience to extend promotions and upsell offers.
You can use such employee scheduling systems like clock in clock out hospitality. This system helps you manage your employees’ work schedules in a way that helps them work efficiently. The system allows seamless communication among internal staff members. Using such systems helps you save time so that you can focus on catering for your guests better.
Apart from using systems, you can offer a one-of-its-kind guest experience by small things like leaving a Thank You note in their room or a welcome gift. You can even provide free refreshments or consider leaving a chocolate cake for couples celebrating their anniversary upon their arrival. These small gestures will make your guests feel special and would want to make them visit your property often.
2. Offer discount coupons or freebies
This practice will garner you the desired results especially if you are new in the industry. Offering your guests a few free services will make them like your property. Doing so helps you build a brand image as these guests will go home and tell their family and friends about it or even share it on their social media profiles.
You can offer services like free transportation to local attractions or the airport. You can even offer free Wi-fi service or provide the guests with a special buffet dinner if they stay for a couple of days.
3. Have special rewards for loyal guests
In today’s day and age, loyalty is extremely rare to find. So if you have loyal guests who visit your property frequently, you should focus on building some strategies that identify and reward these guests. You can come up with loyalty programs, however, they must be solely focused on the repeat guests.
For instance, you can offer a free night to a repeat guest or offer a membership that lets the guests stay at a discounted rate after a certain number of points are accumulated. However, availing of this benefit may take a long time for a person since he/she would be expected to spend a certain number of days at the property. So consider mixing and matching your offerings.
You can offer services such as a free night’s drink at the bar, a complimentary buffet breakfast, late check-out or a room upgrade. You must identify the repeat guests by their name and appreciate them for choosing you again. You can show your appreciation with a ‘Thank You’ card or even plan a unique welcome for them.
4. Use social media to your benefit
How do you build your brand and keep attracting new guests? Well, social media is to your rescue. It is a key platform today for any brand aiming to widen their target audience and receive maximum guest feedback.
According to a survey, about 93% of travelers make bookings depending on online reviews. Now, reviews do not simply include Google reviews. You need to create your social media channels and keep a track of visitors on your page. Plus, you need to devise a strategy to respond to them for better engagement rate.
Remember, users today simply go to Instagram or Google and try to look for places with good reviews for a vacation. You can make aesthetic videos showcasing the serene beauty of your hotel/property or about the services you provide. It will not only attract new users and widen your audience but will also give you an opportunity to know if you need to change something in your brand building strategy.
Wrapping up 4 practices of getting stellar reviews as a Hotelier
The travel industry is one of those industries that will continue to bloom. The reason is that people love to plan vacations and taking tours helps them feel good and stress-free. The pandemic did hit the industry badly, however, now that the world is coming back to normalcy, the travel industry is expected to rise.
Whether you are new to the industry or are already established, these practices will help you enhance the customer experience and eventually boost your conversion rates. So, implement these practices and look at your sales numbers rising!
Author Bio:
Parita Pandya is an Engineer turned Writer. She usually finds herself writing for businesses. When she is not writing, she is either strumming her guitar or penning her thoughts down on paritapandya.com.
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