Every quarter is the perfect opportunity to take a quick look at where you stand on your goals.
NB: This is an article from Revinate
Revenue targets, guest satisfaction standards, whatever your aims are, it’s time to assess and course correct to achieve measurable success with incremental revenue. Let’s focus on revenue and specifically, underutilized ways to drive incremental revenue to your hotel.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date
Increase Revenue Through Text Messaging
First, make sure your property is communicating with your guests. This could be through a pre-arrival email or a text message. Open the dialogue for revenue generators in a natural, un-intrusive way that guests are accustomed to.
Take it to the next level by implementing a text messaging service that is AI-enabled, such as Revinate Ivy, a text messaging solution that can proactively engage with guests and automate responses to their questions and requests. This allows your staff to focus their efforts on guest interactions and satisfaction on property.
As much as 64% of consumers would prefer using texting as a customer service channel. This is key as text messages have an impressively high open rate of 98%. Contacting guests via their desired channel is critical if you want them to read and respond to messages.
As reported in Skift, using a texting service can significantly raise guest satisfaction scores. The article stated, “Caesars compared responses from guests who had used Ivy to those who hadn’t. Ivy users gave the properties approximately 10 points higher satisfaction scores.” If guest satisfaction is your goal, this is an incredible bonus to implementing a texting platform.
1) Pre-arrival Messaging
Start the guest experience on the right path. Reaching out to guests and letting them know you’re looking forward to their arrival, sets the tone for their stay. In this same communication, inform guests of available room upgrades, early check-in opportunities, or special packages that have become available since booking their reservation. Seasoned business travelers know to check for room upgrades, but did you know that a large portion of non-business travelers don’t know they can upgrade to a better room or check in earlier for a small fee? Let them know with a text!
2) Inform Guests About the Property’s Amenities
If your property has a resort fee, be sure to acknowledge what’s covered in that fee. Make sure the guest is fully aware of what the resort fee covers to avoid a poor guest experience. You also wouldn’t want to miss out on upsell opportunities for related services. If your property has an exclusive dining offering, maybe a mimosa brunch, message the details to your guests. More guest usage of resort services usually decreases billing issues around the resort fee.
Additionally, texting allows your property to release specials in real-time for guests who have opted into offers. Not enough traffic at happy hour? An instant invitation for guests to sample a house cocktail can increase traffic and generate incremental revenue!
