What is a successful guest experience in hospitality industry?

A customer-centric experience

First of all, the experience provided by your property must make your guests feel unique and privileged. Indeed, it is important to show them that your employees care about their needs and they are available for them throughout the customer journey, whether before, during and after their stay. Thereby, take advantage of the pre-stay period to inform, reassure and create curiosity. This period is particularly essential to learn about your guests, but also to optimize what you offer them. During your guests’ stay, be sure to offer them a positive experience and be available at all times. Finally, the post-stay period shouldn’t be neglected and should allow you to follow up with your guests. It could include asking them to complete a satisfaction survey or to write an online review. Those feedback will allow you to know if they are satisfied with the experience received and things that need to be improved.

The customer experience is often dependent on many factors, including customer knowledge, which resides in the data collection. This data is stored in your property management software, since they are used by your staff to view your guest’s information. Thus, keep in mind that your softwares must communicate with each other to obtain consistent and identical information.

An experience that satisfies your guests

On the short term, an experience that satisfies your guests is a successful one if it has met their needs and expectations and if they are really satisfied with their stay. Moreover, in order to satisfy them, it is essential to have a good knowledge of your guests and their preferences to offer them suitable and attractive offers. Also, the greeting, the services’ personalization and your staff’s dedication and attention to your customers will help your experience stand out from your competitors. Indeed, don’t underestimate your employees’ power in the success of a stay. Don’t hesitate to raise their awareness concerning service and train your new employees so they can properly answer your guests’ questions.

Furthermore, having happy guests will allow you to create a solid relationship with them and generate positive word of mouth.

An experience that builds guest loyalty

On the medium and long term, a successful guest experience builds customer loyalty. Having a good knowledge of your guests allows you not only to satisfy them, but also to be proactive and anticipate their needs and expectations. This proactive approach will help you retain their business and win their trust. Thereby, your loyal guests will not hesitate to book future stays at your property and also refer your property to their entourage, on social media and online review platforms.

In the hospitality industry, a successful experience is customer-centric but also an experience that satisfies and retains guests. Therefore, it is essential to be available and focus all your efforts on your guests, so that they succeed in living, feeling and fully appropriate the experience offered by your property.

Also, keep in mind that a successful experience asks you to work consistently with your actual tools and the ones that could be acquired. Nowadays, technology is more and more needed to create new experiences, so it is important to optimize your current tools in order to make the most of their capacity and stay tuned about new trends.

Finally, a successful guest experience also means a potential increase of your revenue and  strengthens your brand image.