4 Ways Hotels Can Create an Unforgettable Experience

People travel every day out of necessity or desire to be somewhere, but where to stop is entirely a choice that depends on personal predilection. The question here is: what can you offer to guests that will not only make their stay at your hotel a memorable one, but also keeps them coming back? It’s said that sometimes the smallest things matter the most. Start from the little things and see how big a difference you can make. Remember, home is not a place… it’s a feeling and if you can create that warm and comfortable feeling, they’ll love to choose your hotel, time and time again. Here we have a few tips to help you offer an experience that your guests won’t forget:

Make It Feel Like Home

The small things done by the people who hold us dear fill our hearts with a feeling of warmth and compassion, a feeling of being valued that we call home. This feeling can also be part of your hotel’s rooms, the lobby and the reception area. How can you make it feel like home? The answer is: How willing are you to go the extra mile for your guests? Focus on the minute details – put thought into them. Almost everyone staying in a hotel room is concerned about the cleanliness of the towels/bed covers. A “Yes, I cleaned here” note placed on the storage drawer or bed with the housekeeper’s name and date will show that the room has been carefully cleaned for the guest, giving them peace of mind. Offering scented candles of their choice also infuses the feeling of home in the hotel room. Instruct the staff at the reception to take note of the guest’s birthday or even birthday month while checking the IDs and surprise them with a small birthday card and a small gift delivered to their room. Similarly, a special package (like a spa treatment or a nice dinner) can be given to people celebrating anniversaries.

Catering To the Needs of Every Guest

As a hotelier what is your first priority? Providing hospitality and customer service excellence the guest will carry in their heart as they check out. To do so, you need to know exactly who your guests are and what their needs are. If your hotel is particularly popular with business people, providing large meeting spaces and latest technology will definitely make your hotel the best option. Similarly, if it is more popular with families, ensure a play area for the children. Moreover, a sophisticated, state-of-the-art gym facility would be particularly a favourite for fitness savvy guests, providing them the perfect spot to work out. Spacious handicap parking spots should be available with priority location for people with special needs, along with step-free access to public areas.

Say ‘Yes’ To Tech

Guests, especially young travelers want technology that is fast and efficient, and actually look for it when booking a hotel. Availability of free Wi-Fi is a must to ensure a 24/7 connection with the world. If you’re willing to spend a little extra to truly revolutionize the experience, a smart solution on a tablet can be offered to control the room’s lighting, temperature and window blinds etc. A traditional key or keycard can be replaced with using smartphones to access the room. A majority of people prefer mobile apps and live chat service that ensures effortless booking experience and quick response to queries.

Proactive Help

No matter how many processes are in place, at one point or the other problems are bound to occur. No guest wants to hear that you are unable to help them for whatsoever reason it may be, neither does any guest like to wait for twenty minutes before you get back to them. The best way to deal with a problem when it occurs is employing the Three Prong Response which is the cornerstone to providing better service to guests facing an issue. The Three Prong Response is employed in three stages – acknowledgement, empathy and resolution.  Making it clear that the problem shouldn’t have occurred in the first place (acknowledgement), before telling them that you can understand how unpleasant the experience has been for them and how they feel (empathy), and then assuring that you’re going to take care of the problem (resolution) will prove very useful to satisfy the upset guest. Being proactive to offer help should be the top priority because today, people want quick solutions to their problems whether it’s an issue with the air conditioner or the salad doesn’t seem fresh. Train your staff with the right customer service training programs in order to deliver exceptional experiences. Being flexible is also essential for those working in the hotel industry.