How can you enhance your hospitality services?

Absolutely, understanding your guests is crucial for enhancing hospitality services. Surveys, feedback forms, and data analysis are invaluable tools. However, let's not forget the power of verbal communication. Every opportunity, every touchpoint is a chance to connect personally. Engaging in conversations with guests helps build relationships, uncover unspoken needs, and create memorable experiences. By truly listening and engaging, we can go beyond expectations, and build genuine relationships with customers, leaving a lasting impression. It's the human touch that complements data-driven insights for exceptional service

I agree with all of this but would like to add a basic idea - talk with your guests! Surveys and feedback forms are all good but the best way to get what your guests want or think they should get can be found out by ensuring the top management of the hotel take the time out from their schedule and physically meet and speak to their guests at all contact points - either the lobby or restaurant/bar or poolside. And don’t just ask how is your stay, is everything to your liking. Ask open ended questions, ask follow up questions and use the information collected to make a database (not of names and room numbers) but of the things the guests say and ask for. And then find commonality in those and implement them. Far better results to be found!

A few years ago, when I was an employee at a tour operator in the Dominican Republic, one of our colleagues left the company and opened his own. He implemented three significant changes: 1. User-friendly B2C online booking system. 2. Highly personalized customer service experience. 3. Eliminating the need for pre-payment for excursions. This new model disrupted the market, causing major tour operators to lose approximately 15-20% of their excursion sales volume. What does this example reveal? It underscores that the larger operators failed to grasp the needs of their guests. It served as a lasting lesson – a reminder to identify and understand the needs of our guests and proactively adapt and modify our services accordingly.

Enhancing our hospitality services is not just a task; it's our heartfelt commitment. To achieve this, we prioritize personalized guest experiences, invest in staff training, and regularly seek feedback to adapt and improve. By staying attuned to evolving industry trends and embracing innovative technologies, we aim to exceed expectations, making each guest's stay memorable and exceptional.

Personalized services. In a professional hospitalty, every guests has different expectations. With personalized service we are able to touch the base of their needs, and ensure smooth communications since pre-stay, during stay, and post-stay.

I agree completely with this. Training your teams in hospitality is the cornerstone of exceptional guest experiences. It's not just about meeting standards; it's about exceeding them and offering outstanding customer experiences. By setting clear expectations and investing in your teams’ growth through continuous coaching, courses, and regular performance reviews, not forgetting asking them for feedback and genuinely listening to them, you empower your team to create memorable moments for your guests. Well-trained staff not only elevate your customer service but also contribute to a positive work culture, leading to happier employees and satisfied customers.

For me, it is obvious that it's time to acknowledge the need and necessity for the best digital solutions in our segments of the hospitality industry. For instance, having B2B online booking system is no longer sufficient for our DMC company; now, we need to implement instant confirmations (not on-request) and an online payment option for our partners. Moreover, it's time to develop our own application for in-house guests where they can easily see their confirmed bookings, modify them, have direct communication with customer service, etc. And we're actively working on that. Technologies are not luxuries in our era; they are of vital importance for the company!

Empower your team members. Treat all guests as individuals. Ensure that team members see the bigger picture. Ensure team members know their value to the industry. All these should positively impact the service we provide.

Integrating technology is crucial, but let's not forget the core of outstanding hospitality: people. They are the heart and soul of our service. Recruiting people with the right attitude, who genuinely care about guests, is paramount. Their eagerness to serve creates authentic connections that technology alone can't replicate. With the right team in place, ongoing customer service training is key. Technology can enhance efficiency, but it's our team's interpersonal skills that truly elevate the guest experience. Training empowers them to handle unique situations with empathy. So, it’s essential to strike a balance between technology and the human touch. This way businesses can provide a hospitality experience that's truly unforgettable.

To me, technology should be embraced but not at all costs and not if it's to reduce human connection. Think about it - a lot of the points and rewards service offer just that: the more points you have, the more access you have to talk to human beings. It's still at the very core of what we do. Technology should be used to speed up / relief our teams of the transactional aspects of our industry and to allow them to focus on the human aspect of it.

Yes, enhancing hospitality services is also about innovation. However, there's an essential factor to consider alongside innovation — your frontline teams. They are the heartbeat of your establishment, and involving them in the innovation process can be a game-changer. Your staff are those who interact with guests daily. They have valuable insights into what customers like and dislike. They are the ones who hear firsthand feedback and understand the unique preferences of your target market. Harnessing their knowledge can lead to more targeted and effective innovations. Your teams hold the key to turning innovations into memorable and valuable experiences for your guests.

Focusing on common areas, here - but I think that creating a happy environment for our guests starts in part by creating a happy and inviting environment for our team. When they can be themselves and be happy at work, the space can not help but being lit up. We should also always strive to inspire every team member from every department to have ownership over common areas, so these belong and are taken care of by everyone. Furthermore, I think that we should invite community and neighbours in as much as possible. It creates its own neighbourhood of sorts, with beautiful interactions between staff, locals and travelers alike.

A welcoming environment is essential, but here’s a crucial element to consider – an attentive, caring, genuinely warm team. While ambiance plays a significant role, it's the people who truly bring hospitality to life. Your staff are the face of your business, and their interactions with guests can make or break the experience. A friendly smile at the front desk, a thoughtful recommendation from a waiter, or an empathetic response to a guest's request can leave a lasting impression. Investing in employee training can be just as important as the physical environment. Staff who are well-trained in customer service, who actively listen to guests, and who go the extra mile to meet their needs contribute immensely to a hospitable atmosphere.

I LOVE feedback. It's my favourite thing - from our guests as much as from our team. We should treat reviews and answers to surveys as great opportunities to improve and serve our guests better - and I am always very grateful when someone cares enough to take the time to write, call or give us feedback in person. It's a great gift. Some of the "trigger" words that may not be obvious to all team members and that we should pay attention to when we check on our guests are "ok" and "fine". There is feedback to be dug up there, for sure. :)

Absolutely, feedback is a goldmine for improvement. While enhancing your hospitality services, remember that listening to your guests is paramount. They provide valuable insights through ratings, reviews, and suggestions. Talk to your customers face to face, don’t simply rely on comment cards etc. Sadly, many businesses miss the mark by ignoring negative feedback or dismissing complaints altogether. It's a missed opportunity for growth. By actively soliciting feedback and using it constructively, you demonstrate your commitment to delivering the best service. Your guests will appreciate that you value their opinions, and this trust can lead to lasting relationships and improved services.

Most guests want to be treated like VIPs, to be seen, to be heard, to be acknowledged for their patronage. Treat all your guests like VIPs and in return they will not only thank you for it but will reward you with their loyalty. Think about why is a person going to your hotel and not to your competitor. Enhance and build on that USP and make sure to go and do those things consistently and try to do more to reinforce your relevance in the market.

A Hotel’s culture provides a base for understanding the differences that may exist between successful Hotels operating in the same national culture. It can be understood as a system of shared values (that define what is important) and norms that define appropriate attitudes and behaviours for organizational members (how to feel and behave). Collaboration, employee focus, knowledge-sharing and teamwork are the key cultural characteristics in the best performing Hotel businesses.

Enhancing the hotel guest experience through different means is crucial in order to enforce your hotel’s brand identity, position your hotel among the competition, potentiate guest retention, increase sales and revenue, and continue to grow. It’s important to enhance the experience throughout all touchpoints with your guests whether it be when they book, before they arrive, upon arrival, during their stay and long after they’ve left. Some of the trigger points are: *Knowledgeable and helpful staff *A relaxed and welcoming environment *Create a trusting relationship with customers *Offer freebies and complimentary services *Implement in-room technology *Be proactive in your service *Reward repeat guests *Create an inclusive experience.

It's a common misconception that you need money to enhance your hospitality service. It doesn't have to be like that. Personalization is very important here. That's what all guests want. To be seen and heard. That doesn't cost much. Remember their names, their special preferences. Suggest things they may like. Go one step further than customer service and make it a customer experience. This is what guests will remember.

I feel every guest that walks through entrance door is a VIP Treat them special from the start & they will return with friends & family