In the hotel industry, loyalty has always been the key to success. Building strong relationships and having repeat guests is crucial for a profitable and competitive hotel. However, in the modern digital era and a world moving towards increased individualisation, more than traditional loyalty methods are required.
To meet guest expectations, the hotel industry must invest in a sophisticated and personal strategy that goes beyond the traditional loyalty program. In this blog, we will explore the future perspective on loyalty in the hotel industry and how technology can be the key to creating and retaining loyal guests.
Attention and Personal Relationships
To create personal relationships and gather valuable information, hotels need to actively engage in the guest experience. During their stay, staff should pay attention to guests' preferences and interests. After guests depart, it is crucial to collect feedback and opinions to improve and tailor future hotel experiences.
Management's commitment is crucial for creating personal loyalty. In addition to technological tools, we emphasize the importance of management actively encouraging staff to understand and cater to individual guest needs. By creating a culture where staff feel empowered to treat each guest personally and offer small, unique offers or individual experiences, relationships are strengthened. It could be through small gestures, such as adding extras of a product the guest frequently uses, to show that "we see you." Although it may incur a small cost, it demonstrates valuing guests and creating a memorable experience.
The hotel's handling of both positive and negative online reviews from previous guests is also of significant importance for the hotel's reputation and credibility. Responding professionally and attentively to reviews shows that the hotel values guests' opinions and strives for continuous improvement. This not only contributes to strengthening the hotel's relationship with existing guests but also sends a positive signal to potential future guests.
Technology as a Tool
By leveraging a system, hotels can create an invaluable customer experience. Beyond customized invitations and birthday greetings, this opens opportunities to tailor offers and activities. Guests can expect personalised discounts based on purchase history, exclusive previews of new facilities, and customized packages that match their interests. For business travelers, this could mean tailored meeting packages, while families can benefit from child-friendly offers. Using a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) to understand and adapt to guest needs makes every stay a unique and memorable experience, strengthening relationships and increasing the likelihood of repeat bookings.
Technology plays a vital role in meeting the demands of personal loyalty, and a CRM system is one of the most essential components for effectively storing and categorizing this information. By organizing guest data in a structured way, the CRM system enables the storage of details about previous visits, preferences, favourites, and special needs. This organized database allows hotels to offer more personal and memorable experiences.
Some Property Management Systems (PMS) have built-in features that allow for the collection and categorization of data related to guest experiences. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully evaluate this feature when choosing a PMS system.
When choosing a system, ensure that it is flexible and scalable to meet the company's growing needs over time. Prioritize the security of customer data and ensure that the system complies with applicable data protection laws.
The Future is Personal
The future of the hotel industry highlights the importance of personal relationships and unique experiences to build and maintain guest loyalty. One of the most crucial insights is that satisfied guests not only form the foundation for repeat bookings; they also serve as your hotel's most valuable ambassadors.
By understanding and catering to individual guest needs and preferences, hotels can create outstanding and individual experiences. Each encounter becomes an opportunity to exceed expectations and create memorable moments. This is the path to free marketing and future revenue.
When satisfied guests share their positive experiences, it contributes to the success and positive reputation of hotels. By prioritizing personal relationships, hotels create a strong and sustainable platform for growth and success.
