How to maintain the guest relationship with a personal touch
Small accommodation providers take note: the relationship that you develop with your guests is more important than ever.
In fact, 1 in 3 guests book directly with their hotel when they are making travel arrangements. With a personal touch, you can improve your guest relationships, increase your direct bookings and earn the loyalty of your customers.
Here are some actionable ideas of how you can do it.
Add your story to your website
Your website plays an important role in developing your brand.
While you need to incorporate the basic facts about your hotel on your website — such as your live availability, your current rates and photographs of your property — you also should use it as a way to connect with potential travellers.
Share the story of how your hotel came to be. Explain why you choose this particular location, or the role you have played in the community throughout the years.
This personal narrative will motivate guests to book with you, because they feel they can relate to you on a human level.
Be responsive on social media
Whether you are monitoring your reviews on TripAdvisor or tracking the comments you receive on Instagram, you will want to make sure you are being as responsive as possible.
If someone mentions that they enjoyed staying at your hotel, be sure to thank them for their comments. If someone leaves negative feedback in a review, be sure to address the review in a polite and professional manner.
Social media is a vital part of everyday life because it helps people to connect with one another. Take advantage of this, as it helps you develop a personal relationship with your guests at every step of their journey.
Offer an authentic experience
One of the top reasons that people book a room at a bed and breakfast or a small hotel is because of the intimate, authentic atmosphere that can be found at these accommodations.
Create a destination guide that points out the best locally-owned restaurants, boutiques and tour companies in your area.
Establish a theme for your hotel and implement it throughout the property. In many cases, travellers are willing to spend more in order to enjoy a unique atmosphere, so you can take advantage of this at your hotel.
Create promotions to enhance their stay
You can create packages that allow you to up-sell items while also giving guests a customised experience at your hotel.
For example, you could create a romance package that includes a bottle of wine from a local winery as well as cheese and crackers upon their arrival.
You earn an additional profit from this booking, but your guests view it as an enhanced experience that is available only at your hotel.
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