How to Ensure Your Guests Leave Positive Hotel Reviews?
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You know the common saying: the customer is always right. And when it comes to the hospitality industry, the customer’s opinion can make or break your business.
Positive hotel reviews are a source of pride and satisfaction and a powerful marketing tool to attract more guests and increase revenue. But how do you ensure your guests leave positive reviews after their stay?
This article will share some insider tips and tricks we have learned from our extensive experience in the travel niche. You will discover how to create memorable experiences for your guests, handle negative feedback, and encourage them to share their opinions online.
Trust us; you don’t want to miss this. Read on to find out more!
Pre-Arrival Stage
In the pre-arrival stage, guests plan their trip and look forward to staying at your hotel. It’s also the perfect opportunity to impress them with your hospitality and make them feel welcome and valued.
Here are 2 ways you can do that:
Provide seamless booking process and clear information
You want to ensure your guests have a smooth and easy booking experience on your website or app. You can do this by:
- Optimizing your website for speed, design, and usability
- Incorporating a user-friendly booking engine that keeps the guests onsite and allows them to complete their booking in a few clicks
- Offering loyalty programs, discounts, or freebies to entice your guests to book directly with you
- Handling booking abandonment tactfully by sending reminder emails or texts to guests who left without completing their reservation
You also want to provide clear and accurate information about your hotel, such as:
- The location, directions, and transportation options
- The check-in and check-out times and procedures
- The amenities and services available
- The cancellation and refund policies
- The health and safety measures in place
Ensure personalized pre-arrival communication
You want to establish a rapport with your guests before they arrive and show them that you care about their needs and preferences. You can do this by:
- Sending a customized pre-stay survey to ask them about their goals, expectations, and special requests for their stay
- Offering mobile check-in to save them time and hassle at the front desk
- Recommending local tours and activities that match their interests and budget
- Sending them tips and suggestions on how to make the most of their stay
- Using their name and language in your messages
Arrival and Check-In Experience
So, you’ve done a great job of communicating with your guests before they arrive. They’re already impressed by your seamless booking process and personalized messages.
But don’t get too comfortable – the real test is yet. The arrival and check-in experience is when your guests get their first taste of your hotel in person, and you don’t want to leave a bad aftertaste.
Here are some ways you can make them drool over your hospitality:
Warm and efficient welcome
Nothing says “welcome to our hotel” like a smile and a friendly attitude. When your guests enter the door, you want to make eye contact and use their names. It’s not hard; just look at their ID or reservation confirmation.
Then, offer them water to quench their thirst after a long journey. Introduce yourself and your role, and tell them you’re here to help. Acknowledge and congratulate them if they have any loyalty status or special occasions. Ask them how their trip was and how they’re feeling. Show some genuine interest, don’t just nod and smile.
You also want to check them in quickly and smoothly without making them feel like they’re in a queue at the airport. Use a user-friendly property management system that integrates with your booking engine, so you don’t have to ask them for the same information twice. Or better yet, offer mobile check-in or self-service kiosks for convenience.
Explain their room type’s key features and benefits, and give them a map or QR code of the hotel layout and facilities. Escort them to their room or offer assistance with their luggage. Don’t make them drag their bags across the lobby like a pack mule.
Clean and well-maintained accommodations
Your guests’ rooms are your pride and joy, so you want to ensure they’re spotless and comfortable, with everything in working order. To do this, you must follow a detailed hotel room cleaning checklist covering every surface and item, from the bed sheets to the remote control.
Use high-quality cleaning products and equipment that are eco-friendly and effective. You don’t want to leave any stains, dust, or germs behind. Also, check for any damages or malfunctions and report them immediately. You don’t want your guests to discover that the AC is broken or the toilet is clogged.
Replace any used or missing amenities and towels. You don’t want your guests to run out of shampoo or toilet paper. Add personal touches, such as a welcome note, a bar of chocolate, or a flower. You don’t want your guests to feel like they’re in a generic hotel room.
Outstanding Customer Service
You’ve made a great first impression on your guests with your arrival and check-in experience. They’re happy with their rooms and ready to enjoy their stay.
Don’t relax just yet, because you still have to provide them with outstanding customer service throughout their stay. This is the key to making them loyal and satisfied customers who will leave positive reviews and recommend you to others.
Here are some ways you can do that:
Attentive and responsive staff
You want to ensure your staff is attentive and responsive to guests’ needs and requests. You can do this by:
- Training your staff to smile and be courteous in all their interactions with guests
- Empowering your staff to solve problems and handle complaints quickly and effectively
- Providing your staff with the tools and technology they need to communicate and collaborate efficiently
- Encouraging your staff to go the extra mile and exceed guests’ expectations
Personalized experiences
You also want to ensure your guests feel special and appreciated during their stay. This can be achieved by:
- Remembering and using your guests’ names and preferences
- Offering personalized recommendations and suggestions based on their interests and goals
- Surprising your guests with gifts or treats on special occasions or just because
- Asking for feedback and following up on their satisfaction
- By following these tips, you can provide outstanding customer service to your guests and make them feel like VIPs in your hotel.
Exceptional On-Site Facilities and Services
Wow, you’ve really nailed it with your customer service. Your guests are super happy with your staff and how they treat them.
Yet you know what? You can make their stay even more awesome by offering exceptional on-site facilities and services. This is like the icing on the cake, which will make your guests go “wow” and tell everyone about your hotel.
Here are some cool things you can do:
Comfortable amenities and technology
You want to ensure your guests have everything they need to chill and have fun in your hotel. How about giving them some comfy amenities like:
- Soft bedding, fluffy towels, cozy robes, and slippers
- High-tech gadgets like smart TVs, Bluetooth speakers, USB ports, and wireless chargers
- Hotel Wi-Fi that is fast, reliable, and free
They’ll feel like they’re in heaven. And suppose you want to be really futuristic. In that case, you can use robots and artificial intelligence to enhance service delivery and guest interaction. How cool is that?
Comprehensive dining options
You want to ensure that your guests have various dining options to suit their tastes and preferences. You can do this by:
- Offering a free breakfast that includes continental and hot dishes, as well as local specialties
- Providing a range of restaurants and bars that serve different cuisines and beverages, from casual to fine dining
- Catering to dietary restrictions and allergies, such as gluten-free, vegan, or halal
- Surprising your guests with room service or in-room dining that is delicious and convenient.
They’ll love being able to enjoy their food and drinks without having to leave the hotel.
Post-Stay Follow-Up
You’ve done it! You’ve provided your guests with an amazing stay at your hotel. They’ve enjoyed your exceptional on-site facilities and services and had a blast. But wait, there’s one more thing you need to do before you say goodbye to them.
You need to follow up with them after their stay and make sure they leave positive reviews. This is the final step in your hospitality journey, and it can make a huge difference in your reputation and revenue.
Here are some ways you can do that:
Expressing gratitude and seeking feedback
The first thing you need to do is to show your guests that you appreciate their business and value their opinion. Try out these tips:
- Sending them a thank-you email or text within 24 hours of their departure
- Asking them to rate their stay and share their feedback on your website or app
- Inviting them to join your loyalty program or newsletter
- Responding to their comments and suggestions in a timely and professional manner
Incentivizing positive reviews
The next thing you need to do is to encourage your guests to leave positive reviews on online platforms such as TripAdvisor, Google, or Facebook. Why do you need to do that? Well, online reviews are among the most powerful ways to attract new customers and boost bookings. This can be done by:
- Reminding them of the benefits of leaving reviews, such as helping other travelers and improving your service
- Offering them incentives, such as discounts, vouchers, or freebies for their next stay
- Making it easy for them to leave reviews, such as providing links or QR codes to the review sites
- Showing appreciation for their reviews, such as thanking them or rewarding them with loyalty points
Conclusion
You’ve read some awesome tips for ensuring your guests leave positive hotel reviews. You’ve learned how to impress them at every stage of their stay, from pre-arrival to post-stay. You’ve discovered how to provide them with exceptional customer service, facilities, and experiences. You’ve also learned how to incentivize them to share their opinions online and boost your reputation and revenue.
Now, it’s time to implement these tips and watch your hotel shine. Ready, set, go!
