Guest wants and needs are everchanging, and adapting quickly to market demands and changes is crucial for today’s hotel marketers.
NB: This is an article from Hotelchamp
On top of that, in this digital age, it never hurts to be more data-driven in your overall business strategy. Leveraging customer data – collecting, analysing, and applying it – enables your hotel to tailor marketing efforts, effectively reaching your target audience and enhancing the guest experience.
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These insights not only guide you to make more informed data-driven decisions, but it’s also an easy way to save your team time and money in the long run. And while many hoteliers tend to underestimate the power of customer data, making it a focal point in your own strategy is a reliable way to ensure your hotel maintains a competitive edge.
Step 1. Gather Data About Your Customers
Gathering information about your guests is a game-changer for any thriving hotel. When you know what your guests like and what they’re looking for, you can shape your services to match their needs. So, where do you get this information? A mix of places: direct bookings, feedback from online reviews, responses from surveys, insights from loyalty schemes, trends from web analytics, and interactions on social media platforms. By pulling all this data together, you get a clear picture of your guests’ behaviours and preferences. This doesn’t just help your team create detailed customer profiles; it also sets the stage for offering tailored experiences that guests will love.
Here are some of your main sources of customer data.
Direct Bookings
Direct bookings are like hitting the jackpot for hotels. They give you a clear view of what customers like, how they behave, and their booking habits. By digging into this data, you can spot which rooms are favourites, which amenities get the thumbs up, and even pinpoint the marketing channels that bring in the most bookings. Afterwards, you can shape your offers and create promotions that will make guests even happier.
Surveys
Surveys are essential for hotels wanting direct feedback from guests. Clever hotels use well-designed surveys to find out what pleases their guests, what doesn’t quite hit the mark, and what piques their interest throughout their stay. By taking on board this feedback, hotels can adjust their services, enhance their quality, and anticipate guests’ wishes. Overall, you’ll be able to deliver a stay that feels tailor-made for each guest.
Online Reviews
Online reviews play a significant role in the hospitality industry. By closely watching and assessing these reviews, you can get a clearer insight into guests’ hopes, challenges, and specific likes. Remember to address both positive and negative feedback. Only like this will you be able to make strategic improvements that resonate with your target audience and boost your reputation while also attracting new guests.
Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are a fantastic way to collect data, allowing you to categorise guests based on their travel patterns, spending behaviours, and preferences. By examining this information, you can offer tailored benefits, special deals, and rewards to enhance guest loyalty.
Web Analytics
Through web analytics, hotels can gain a deeper understanding of how users interact with their website, which pages are more popular, and where the majority of the traffic is coming from. This information enables you to make data-driven decisions to improve your website’s overall performance.
