In today’s travel landscape independent hoteliers work very hard to win a direct booking. So when you do, it’s important to encourage the guest to come back directly again and again. The major hotel chains have been promoting loyalty for years with points-based rewards programs but how does a small, independent hotel create a loyalty program?
Here are 4 top tips.
Offer Value-Based Rewards
It may seem easier to offer a financial reward to a returning customer but this will bring eventual financial pressure if part of a long term strategy. Also it will become stale in time and the customer is likely to move on to another hotel offering more benefits and a better experience for their money.
The better option is to offer a value-based reward. Offering a bottle of wine on arrival or spa credits is giving the customer an experience which they’re more likely to remember. This perk is also more likely to give the guest favourable feelings towards the hotel. Why not get the guest to even choose their own loyalty reward offering a more personalised scheme.
Another sweetener to wow a returning guest could be a personalised gift such as handmade chocolates from the chef or a luxury welcome pack. This level of detail is bound to generate positivity from the customer and make them more likely to stay with you again or give you a glowing review.
Before deciding what incentive to offer have a look at your hotel reviews and see what really matters to your guests. Are you a city hotel where free parking matters most? Or perhaps you’re a romantic getaway destination where a bottle of bubbles would be appreciated. This might sound an expensive strategy but according to research it’s 7 times less expensive to keep an existing customer than acquire a new one.
