How can you manage guest expectations in Hospitality?

As a hotelier, some time we need to go two step forward for fulfilling guest expectations. Some time they ask, but some time we have to understand their needs. In my career I have plenty of story with guests. Most important thing is being loyal to guest, and try to give your best service to every guest, so that it Will be more easy to fulfill guest expectations.

Knowing your customers is essential. We’re not talking in particularly broad terms of ‘around 20-50 years old and probably couples.” We’re talking about narrowing down who your main audience demographic is, where they live and work, their education levels, whether they’re married or looking for single rooms, what other brands they’re interested in, and how you can connect directly with them in a way that’s going to make them take notice. We’re talking about creating Buyer Personas that are rooted in factual data – the creation of which allows you to create your branded marketing and advertising in a way that will appeal to a person rather than just an abstract concept. Depending on your offering you may need several personas.

Building and maintaining a strong database of lifestyle preferences, dietary concerns, feedback from past stays or interactions and other personal / professional milestones is one of the most basic and easiest ways of educating employees about their guests / customers. Such information can be further used to customise hotel stays or events with thoughtful and personalised gestures which go a long way in building goodwill, positive experiences and increasing repeat business.

The hospitality industry staffs must have knowledge on Temperament and Psychology of persons. To meet guests expectation is what make hospitality industry a highly competitive industry. Thus, the knowledge on temperament and psychology is needed to give individuals the best experience for their money. No individuals are the same,therefore understanding who is who can tailor ones services accordingly. Humans are unsatisfiable but having the understanding of who a particular person is can go a long way in meeting their expectations. Smiles are necessary in services to a guest but not all guest needs your smile. The efficacy of meeting guests expectation is having the knowledge of who your guest is and practical application of common sense.

One of the biggest issues I see is the lack of hiring for the position. You hire others that are not exceptional in guest service. If you want guest to have exceptional experience that will increase revenue naturally stop hiring micro Managers to employees and show the focus to be on guest experience

One of the ways to do the above is to conduct periodic checks of your online presence that is available for public consumption e.g., services, products and features listed on the brand website and other online booking engines, images, menus and rates etc. Though the vast majority of consumers would rather call your establishment to know more about your product / services, there are many who would still prefer to make use of your online presence. If your establishment uses outsourced reservation services, it would be beneficial to conduct such periodic hygiene checks for product information available to that agency as well.

Always anticipate what they want and need even the impossible things and be prepared for it and build a good relationship and give them a unique service in which they will remember you

Promises made to customers have to be delivered or executed in a timely fashion. Encourage team members to use the existing property management system to record important details or requests for future reservations / events. This way information will remain readily available for necessary action with more than one stakeholder. Use features e.g., alerts, traces, profile notes etc. Additionally, do not overpromise and under deliver. Avoid getting into such sticky situations by being transparent with your guests. They will understand reasonable solutions to reasonable demands.

Earning the trust of your guests?is the key to meet their expectations. Do not try to hide information from them, do not market services you do not actually offer, being transparent and honest when giving information about your hotel is critical, because these are the factors that shape your customers' expectations.

When handling any complaint, be patient and listen to your guests without interrupting. Empathise with their concerns. Address the complaint and offer a genuine apology first. Offer to rectify the issue and then make amends or offer compensation as needed. Circle back to understand if your guests were fully satisfied with the resolution and only then consider the matter closed. Lastly, discuss guest complaints with your team to sensitize them towards getting things right the first time in order to avoid unhappy guests and / or revenue loss due to service recoveries.

Getting constructive feedback from guests can be difficult. Most will let you know when something is really bad but a lot of the in-between feedback is never shared. Some of the most practical feedback you can get from guests is what they order and how much they are spending. How well you manage this data strongly influences your food cost, menu pricing, and inventory par levels. You should know the popularity, price, and par level on every item on your menu! If you don't, there is a lot of room for improvement!

Creation of a two way communication is very crucial in meeting customer expectations. Feedback coupled with prompt response enhances a more positive outcome, and create more space for improvement paving way for mutual relationships. This does not only help in meeting customer expectations but rather a platform for going beyond them.

Uncommon service is going beyond your guest's expectations, and the vehicle of that service is your staff. Training your staff in steps of service is a non-negotiable in restaurants, it's the baseline that all guests expect when they enter a restaurant. But how do you go above and beyond? One of the ways that is free for restaurants is internally celebrating your staff that exemplify great service. Shout out their specific behavior in morning meetings, ask them to train underperformers, and ask for feedback on changes they would like to see in the restaurant!

To manage guest expectations in hospitality effectively: Communicate clearly and transparently about your property, services, and policies. Monitor and respond to online reviews and ratings. Train your staff in excellent customer service. Provide detailed information during the booking process. Use accurate photos and descriptions in marketing materials. Encourage feedback and use it to improve services. Anticipate and exceed guest needs when possible. Resolve issues promptly and professionally. Maintain consistency in service standards. Follow up with guests after their stay for feedback and appreciation. Effective guest expectation management leads to satisfied guests, positive reviews, and repeat business in the hospitality industry.