Fulfilling guest expectations in a hotel is the minimum required to have a steady stream of bookings throughout the year.
NB: This is an article from Mews
But exceeding guest expectations is the secret to turning guests into brand ambassadors. The more you can understand what guests are looking for in each phase of the buyer journey, the more you can ensure that you provide these minimum services and also go above and beyond.
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A guest who is offered only the minimum such as a clean room, a hotel in a good location, and a comfortable bed and pillows isn’t being offered anything that differentiates your hotel from the competition, and is therefore not likely to return.
On the other hand, if you provide excellent service, special amenities, use technology and make the guest journey smoother, they are not only more likely to become loyal guests but are also more likely to refer friends and become brand advocates. For bonus points, try creating an emotional connection to your brand through personalization.
Top five hotel guest expectations
Every day, guests are becoming more and more demanding. With the digitalization of the travel experience, guests are constantly comparing experiences through social media and are looking for the “wow” effect that they can share with their online communities. This is why the experience you provide must not only exceed the guest’s expectations, but also impress their followers.
So what can you do to stand out? By ensuring that you meet certain criteria that guests are looking for such as the use of technology, excellent service, amenities, personalization and through a good price/quality ratio.
1. Use of technology
The use of technology and connectivity with access to fast Wi-Fi are two things guests have come to expect. However, how your hotel uses technology such as self-service kiosks and online check-in can help you stand out. Not just because guests expect these services, but because they also help your operations run more smoothly by allowing guests to avoid long waits at the front desk and to check in quickly no matter what time they arrive.
Shorter wait times and online check-in have a direct correlation to positive satisfaction levels.
To take it one step further, you can surprise your guests by using augmented reality to provide a unique experience that won’t necessarily be available at other hotels. It could be an interactive map with the top tourist spots or a range of other opportunities you can unlock with AR technology. This way you can meet the basic requirements with your hotel’s use of technology, but also create an element of surprise.
