Summer is just around the corner and hotels are preparing to face the summer campaign as best they can. Especially this year is going to be different than usual due to the hygiene and safety measures that we must all apply in order to eradicate the covid as soon as possible. For this reason, from Web Products Direct we want to make sure that we do everything in our power to help businesses and entrepreneurs face this campaign as best we can.
We are aware that customer loyalty is crucial in hotels. A happy customer can leave you a good recommendation on their TripAdvisor profile, but a loyal customer will do more. What is better than a satisfied customer who repeats at your hotel and who also recommends it to friends and family? The answer is obvious.
To achieve this goal, it is best to apply strategies with which you can measure the response of your client and be able to adapt to their needs to improve and make them feel comfortable in your hotel. Are you interested? Keep reading!
Examples of loyalty programs for hotels
Loyalty is based on trust, confidence that when a guest arrives at your hotel they know they will feel at home. This is what makes you as a customer decide to repeat a stay at your facilities again. Not only you can use a loyalty card with which to offer free nights depending on the accumulated points, there are other alternatives that you can use to build customer loyalty. Let’s see some of them:
Flexible check in and check out
Flexible check in is something that clients value in a hotel, especially if they are professionals who travel often for business. Adapting to the arrival time of a guest is something that compromises the organisation of the staff of your hotel, so you should only use it with corporate guests or with people with whom you already have an extensive relationship. In this way the inconveniences in the organisational scheme are reduced, allowing you to adapt better and offer it only to the clients that really interest you.
Offering them the possibility of checking in earlier or checking out later are things that customers often value and can help you retain your favourite guests.
Cross selling with local businesses
We are sure that more than once guests has asked your staff for a nearby restaurant recommendation or a clothing store because they forgot to bring a specific piece. If you pay a little attention, you can quickly find out what your guests usually look for during their visit, or which restaurants they visit the most. Why not take advantage of it to talk to those local businesses and agree on some type of discount for being a client of your hotel?
If your cross sale offer is according to the tastes of your clients, the results you will obtain will be highly satisfactory for both parts.
Take care of your staff
Not everything is going to be advice involves factors external to your hotel. Taking care of your staff means choosing the best professionals to be part of your team. Yes, this may seem silly to you, but choosing a professional who knows how to treat a guest, has empathy, is agile in their work and solves any type of problem is extremely important.
But this is not all, the important key here is to ensure that your worker is comfortable being part of your team. Take an interest in their needs and motivations and teach to them your corporate values so that they can identify with your business. If your staff is oriented with the vision of your hotel and also feels fulfilled being part of your team, it is something that will be transmitted to your clients, making them feel at ease when they spend the night at your facilities.
Invitation to VIP events
Another technique to build customer loyalty in a hotel is the organisation of gastronomic meetings, professional or cultural talks at your hotel facilities. This is a good way to boost bookings on specific dates when you do not usually have a large amount of visitors.
These types of events are often seen as a good way to do business or meet people with the same business interests with whom you can do business together in the future. What better way than to organise an event that acts as a meeting point for professionals?
Adapt the meeting room, offer a small discount, or free breakfast are different promotions that you can offer for the stay during the days of the event. Added to the press exposure, they are factors that are highly valued by professional guests.
Personalised gifts for hotels
Who doesn’t like receiving a gift when you get home? The idea here is to get ahead of your guests and have everything ready before their arrival. Giving a little surprise can make the difference between arriving at a hotel, or feeling like they are at their home.
A good idea is to prepare a welcome pack with some products that they may need during and after the stay. You can offer them a magazine with information on events and places they can visit, coffee capsules for a quick breakfast in the room or even, if they come by car, a personalised car air freshener.
What better way for your customers to remember their stay at your hotel than with a car air freshener to hang it and remember your brand every time they drive. From Web Products Direct we are suppliers of personalised products. We have a wide range of cellulose air fresheners that you can personalise with different fragrances and templates. Do you want to use the shape of your logo? Contact us through the phone 01524 848382 or the contact form and let our team of experts help you with the design.
Do not forget the loyalty techniques for hotels
There are many other ways to retain your guests. We wanted to offer you some that you surely had not thought of and with which you can start. You just have to start putting them into practice and as soon as you see that you are moving forward and reaping success, try new ones.
Something that we have not commented so far is that a loyal customer is much cheaper to maintain than getting a new customer, who does not know your hotel, decides to spend a vacation or stay overnight at your facilities. For this reason, not applying loyalty techniques with your current clients is to lose new sales opportunities.