5 Things Business Travelers Want in their Hotel Rooms

I travel for business. At least once a month I'm attending meetings, conferences or visiting clients. This means I stay in a lot of hotels. I am sure you see people like myself at your hotels. Busy professionals and entrepreneurs living out their dreams, making strives and connecting with others. The last thing these people want is to be frustrated with their hotel stay. So how can hotels keep business travelers happy? 

That's easy - Give them what they really want!

Business travelers represent the second largest source of revenue for most hotels and has been growing steadily since 2012. Most hotel brands these days spend millions of dollars on marketing and offering perks to keep these people loyal.

Is your hotel getting its fair share of corporate travelers? Or are you allowing them to stay with your competition? In this article I share some of the most important things business travelers look for when deciding on what hotel to stay at. 

(If you can think of any more, please share them below and hit the Like button - thanks!)

1. Fast, Free WiFi Access

After a long day in meetings, the last thing I need is a lousy internet connection when I am trying to FaceTime with my kids. Slow internet has been consistently ranked as the #1 complaints among hotel guests. Traveling executives and managers need a strong and stable internet connection for them to be able to check their emails, access their work files from the cloud, and even get on web-based video conferences. Make sure that you provide fast WiFi in your hotel rooms and common amenities areas.

And by the way.. business travelers don't have unlimited funds to spend on their travel (like in the past). Most have budgets they need to stay under. Offer complimentary WiFi and they very well may choose your hotel over the other guy.

 Free and fast – those are the two magic words when it comes to hotel Wi-Fi.

2. Strategically Placed Electric Outlets

Ever stayed in a hotel room where it turns into a frustrating game trying to find an outlet? You haven't lived until you've had to move around furniture just to get your phone charged. It's annoying!

I bet you $100 almost every business traveler today has at least 2 electronic devices they need to charge. Using the latest gadgets and technology allow them to perform their work even if they’re away from the office. At the end of a busy workday, these devices need to be charged. 

Be sure to provide multiple outlets conveniently located on or near their nightstand as well as their work desk. Offering these in your hotel rooms with surely make guests from all walks of like happy! 

3. Work Desk or Lap Desk

Even after working their tails off trying to win a contract or close a deal during the day, a lot of corporate travelers are still working when they return to their room.

Make their lives easier, provide a work desk where business travelers can work on their computers or review business documents. If you can, provide a lap desk as well if they want to work while lying on the bed.

4. Bottled Water

Remember a few years ago, one of the major news networks did an undercover investigation on the cleanliness of hotel glasses? And remember them showing a housekeeper spraying cleaner into a drinking glass and cleaned it with a rag? Millions of people saw that episode and made them weary of drinking water from a hotel room faucet. 

Most seasoned travelers know not to drink from those glasses. With that said, they do want the convenience of bottled water in their rooms. Hydration is extremely important for business travelers. No one can survive a busy business day without constantly hydrating.

They would greatly appreciate the convenience of having a few bottles of water without venturing out of their room. Many don't even mind to pay a couple of bucks for it. What if you would take it a step further and customize the water bottle with their name? It could greatly improve their experience at your hotel. 

This simple gesture can improve your service scores and turn a customer in a loyal, raving guest. See SmartGuests.com's PrintName Water Bottle Labels - we provide you full color labels, all you do it print your guest's name with existing office printer.

5. Iron and Ironing Board

How would you feel is you attending a family wedding with wrinkled clothes on? I would be embarrassed! Expect business travelers to bring business or formal attire with them for business functions and meetings. These clothes get wrinkled inside their luggage and on flights.

How much would they appreciate if your hotel anticipated their needs and provided an iron and ironing board? I would be grateful. 

As an alternative, you can also offer ironing, laundry and dry cleaning services within your hotel.

With billions of dollars spent on business travel each year, you need to fulfill these business-specific needs of business travelers if you want to get your piece of the revenue pie. Take the extra steps, go above and beyond and provide exceptional service to completely satisfy the demands of today's savvy corporate travelers.

Have a successful day!
-Rupesh 

If your hotel is struggling to get reviews and needs to improve its guest service scores, use tools that have been proven to work. SmartGuests.com helps hotels boost reviews with easy to use tools, such as customized air fresheners cards and review reminder cards.

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About Rupesh
Rupesh Patel, hotelier and founder at SmartGuests.com, a U.S.-based Hospitality and Review Tools company that helps hotels increase revenues and occupancy, by boosting their online reviews and reputation. His proven systems have not only improved his own hotels, but have helped hundreds of other hotels (large and small) get advantages over their competition.

He regularly shares his passion for entrepreneurship, customer service and marketing on numerous industry sites, social media and blogs.

>Connect on LinkedIn >Rupesh’s Twitter >Read my Blog >Facebook >Pinterest

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