Are You Ready To Make 2022 The BEST Year Ever For Your Hotel or VRM Co.?
NB: This is an article from TravelNet
If so, it is not going to be easy. As we look ahead to the coming year, nothing is certain. Well, actually one thing actually is certain: there will be continued disruption in the lodging industry!
One small but important sales habit you can do now to help in your reservations team’s QUEST to be the BEST in 2022 is to update your list of QUESTions that should be asked as part of your sales “flow” criteria.
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Why do lodging industry reservations sales agents need to update the questioning process? Today’s callers are pre-informed. They already know the rates. They’ve seen multiple images of each option online and perhaps even used 360° or virtual tours. In fact, they can most certainly book it themselves online by using the smartphone they’re calling from.
To put it bluntly, those who are calling no longer need us. The lodging industry pundits have been predicting the demise of the voice booking channel for decades now, and yet still they call.
What can reservations sales agents do that no website, computer-generated IVR voice, or chatbot do? Through the magic of satellites and transmission towers, we can touch the hearts of strangers. Have you ever had that warm, fuzzy feeling around your heart area after having an especially heartfelt conversation reservations caller? Guess what — they are feeling it, too.
By asking the right questions, we can start conversations that enable uniquely human engagements.
Chances are that your hotel, call center or vacation rental company already has a list of call standards in place that includes traditional questions. At KTN we call these call standards the “call flow” model. Following are five new and/or updated QUESTions we should be asking as part of our QUEST to be the BEST!
Question One:
Instead of this: Have you stayed with us before?
Ask this: Have you stayed with us before or did anything online catch your eye?
This question helps you obtain two important details all in one question. When callers have stayed before you can probably look them up in your guest history, and in all likelihood they will want to rebook the same accommodation. If they have not stayed, you will know they need help in selecting a room or vacation rental home. Additionally, by asking if anything online caught their eye, you will determine where they are in their decision making process. Perhaps they have seen something but have a question about it or they just need some reassurance. Perhaps the option they want is sold out and they need alternatives. Or perhaps they are simply overwhelmed by the number of choices.
