Everyone knows how important first impressions are. They lay the foundations for any relationship – and form opinions that can make or break the entire experience.
NB: This is an article from BookingSuite
That’s why check-in is so important, both for you and your guests. But how can you make that key first impression even better?
In this blog post, we’ll explain how check-in technology solutions can help make the whole process quicker, smoother and even more personal.
Create a great first impression
Let’s start with your guest. When they arrive at your property, chances are they’ll be slightly tense after their journey – and it won’t be until they’re settled in their room that they can unwind, with all the administrative work out of the way.
That means that check-in has to be smooth. The less time spent copying documents and filling in forms, the better – and the better the guest’s first impression of your property.
Check-in technology makes it easy for guests to send you their IDs and fill out any forms ahead of time. With the bulk of the check-in work already completed, you can give them a warm welcome and show them straight to their room – getting their stay off to a positive start.
Strike up a good relationship
For a lot of property owners, treating guests like friends is the starting point for a great experience for both parties. While, in theory, check-in technology can eliminate the need for you to greet guests, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the personal touch – at all.
When it comes to check-in, less time spent filling out forms means more time to chat. You can get straight into topics like nearby activities or the food your property offers – in other words, skip past the stressful, transactional part and straight into getting to know your guest face to face. All of which will help you get the information you need to create the best possible experience for that particular guest.
Improve your guest’s overall stay
Check-in technology puts you in direct contact with your guest before they arrive, and that gives you the opportunity to improve their stay from the beginning. There are two reasons for this. First, it’s an easy way for them to ask any questions they may have about things like parking, driving directions or extra beds.
Secondly, it gives you the chance to start tailoring their experience to their tastes. For example, you could share information about local activities, and depending on their responses, prepare a cross-selling or upselling offer for when they arrive.
Ultimately, your aim should always be to make your guest’s stay as pleasant as possible. And if you’re able to generate more revenue while improving your guest’s experience, that’s the definition of a win-win situation.
Handle guest information securely
Depending on the laws in your country, you’ll have to deal with guest IDs, contracts and city taxes on a daily basis. You may even be obliged to share some documentation with local authorities such as the police.
Check-in technology is designed for secure storage and handling of your guests’ personal documents. Not only that, but you can automate the sending of information to authorities, helping you cut down on time spent doing administrative chores.
Reduce cancellations
These days, a significant number of guests book several properties at once, knowing they can rely on free-cancellation policies to make a last-minute decision. Obviously, for property owners, that’s far from ideal.
Check-in technology can help to keep those situations to a minimum. Once guests have made the effort to send you their documents, they tend to be more committed to their stay.
Cut down on costs
One of the main outlays for a lot of property owners is staff salaries. Since check-in technology can cover some of the repeated, administrative elements of their jobs, you can both free up your staff’s time and cut your own costs.
For example, with check-in technology, you’ll no longer have to pay a staff member to stay up to greet late arrivals. What’s more, you may not even need to have anyone at the front desk at all, at any time of day. Guests could simply pick up their keys on arrival, having filled out all the necessary forms already.
Check-in procedures have remained the same for decades, if not centuries. But as time goes on, more and more technology is being designed to help property owners and their guests to make this process easier and faster. Whether it’s safe handling of documentation, saving time for staff or enhancing guest experiences, the benefits are there for all to see. Plus, with the support of online check-in technology, you get more face-to-face time with your guests.
