At the heart of every hotel or bed and breakfast lies the guests who visit these facilities. If the guests are not happy and do not have a good experience, then the business cannot expect to have success. Fortunately, however, improving upon a guest’s experience is not difficult, nor does it take huge amounts of money. Instead, simply following a few basic tips can do the trick.
Require Friendliness
When guests visit a hotel or other lodging facility, they are away from home and from the things that make them comfortable. Thus, making guests feel welcome and like they’re at a “home away from home” can have a major impact.
One of the easiest ways to achieve this at-ease feeling is to enforce friendliness among the hotel staff. If everyone, from the front desk clerk to the bellhops to the people who clean the rooms has a smile on their face and is entirely accommodating, then guests are sure to have a wonderful experience all around.
A friendly staff can be achieved by a careful, selective hiring process, treating employees well, and outlining and enforcing strict standards for how guests are to be treated.
Incorporate Small but Special Touches
When a hotel provides a few little “extras” to guests, they’ll often feel much more satisfied with their overall experience. These extra touches don’t have to be extravagant either. Small touches, like candies on the pillows, a bottle of champagne left in the room, or free coffee in the morning can go a long way with most guests. Gestures like these make people feel more welcome and valued, which increases overall satisfaction.
Don’t Skimp on the Linens
The main reason that guests book a hotel is to have a comfortable place to sleep. Thus, every facility should really focus its efforts on having excellent beds.
Beds should be comfortable, clean, and freshly made upon arrival and each day of the stay if requested. The linens should be of top quality, and ample blankets should be provided.
While acquiring great beds and great linens can be a bit of an investment, it is one that should pay off in the long run.
Ultimately, the secret to a better guest experience is going the extra mile to make guests feel valued. If hoteliers show guests that they care, the guests are sure to be more satisfied, which equates to greater success for the business as a whole.