It isn’t what you do—it’s how you do it. The way you handle guest communication says a lot about your brand, your hospitality, and how much you value your guests.
Get it right and you’ll build up brand loyalty, better reviews, and increase the likelihood that positive word of mouth spreads. Get it wrong and they won’t be coming back.
We’re going to unpack:
- The secret of clear guest communication
- Why better guest communication is all about texting them first
- How the hotel tech revolution is here to help you do more with less
- Ready to improve your communication with guests? Let’s talk about it.
Start communicating with your guests the right way
The Truth About Guest Communication
Guests might be returning to your hotel but staff certainly aren’t. That means you’re forced to run a tighter ship. Doing more with less while keeping guests happy requires nothing less than excellent guest communication.
1. Know What Your Guests Need
Don’t wait for guests to come to you with questions. Show them you’ve done your homework by anticipating their needs. Do this by asking some simple questions as they make their bookings, like:
- What is the purpose of your trip? If it’s business, let them know about your conference room. Pleasure? Connect them with a local tour guide.
- How are they getting to your hotel? Offer an airport taxi service to expedite this.
- Any special requests? It’s best to ask if they have any allergies rather than finding out the hard way. Trust us on that one. Guests might even be on a Honeymoon, in which case you could sprinkle some roses on the bed and send up complimentary champagne
Just by asking these simple questions as your guests make their booking you can anticipate their needs, raise guest satisfaction, and greatly improve their guest experience. Psst—by using the right PMS you can craft custom segments and triggers and automate this entire process. Check out the link below.
Learn More: If You’re Not Using Profile Enrichment In Your Hotel, You’re Missing Out
That’s why we put together this list of 7 actionable tips you can implement right now for crystal clear guest communication. Keep scrolling.
2. Silence Is Not Golden
When something goes wrong guests want to hear from you now, not in two hours.
You should always have someone manning the front desk or checking your guest communications center to ensure that guests never feel like they’re being ignored. Your goal is for them to feel like problems are your number one priority.
But you have to deliver on your promises. All because you answered their complaint about a broken toilet in record time doesn’t mean squat—you still have to fix it. The key takeaway? Ensure your speedy responses don’t come at the expense of quality of service.
3. Don’t Be Afraid To Text First
You shouldn’t have to wait for your guests to turn up at your property to start communicating with them. There are plenty of opportunities to show guests your clear communication and hospitality before they turn up. Such as:
- Sending them a welcome email with local travel tips or any COVID restrictions
- Giving them a list of upsells (room upgrades, early check-ins) that might interest them
- Sharing a link that allows them to pre-fill their registration cards*
Doing all the above gives a strong first impression. So when guests do turn up your staff are able to give them a warm welcome rather than waste time on bureaucracy that can and should be done ahead of time.
4. Why Investing In Your Staff Is The Key To Clear Communication
Your staff are the face of your brand and have the most day-to-day contact with your guests. However minor each contact might be, your guests won’t forget it.
It’s important to give a great first impression—training your staff in the spirit of hospitality is key. But with well-documented staff shortages in the hospitality sector, you’re suddenly having to do a lot more with a lot less.
Luckily, the hotel tech revolution has got your back. Modern hotel management systems have given hoteliers the tools like contactless concierge and automated upsells to take the burden off your staff, allowing them to concentrate more fully on guest satisfaction.
We dove deep into this subject right here.
5. Don’t Forget To Ask For Reviews
Don’t ask and you don’t get. Good reviews are the lifeblood of any hotel. So don’t be afraid to remind your guests to leave reviews on the platform they booked you under.
Of course, you want the majority of your reviews to be positive. But less than stellar reviews are a great opportunity to see what isn’t working, improve your staff training program, and learn from mistakes. This leads us nicely to our next point—don’t leave it too late to ask for feedback.
Start communicating with your guests the right way
6. Check In With Your Guests Before They Checkout
Asking your guests how their stay was as they’re checking out is a case of too little too late. If they had a bad time but didn’t tell you about it, it’s less than likely anything your staff can do now can fix it.
That’s why you have to monitor guest satisfaction throughout their stay. Anytime guests interact with staff you can ask them how their stay is. And also, a couple of times throughout their stay, you can send a message through your hotel communication service to check on things. That’s something Duve can fully automate for you too.
7. Take Your Guest Communication To The Next Level, With The Latest In Hotel Technology
Everything you just read? That’s fully automated, thanks to the latest in hotel management technology.
Duve has been helping hotels of all sizes maximize their bookings and improve guest communication for years. And one of the most effective ways to do this is by utilizing an integrated guest web app, with features like:
- Guest reservation information being visible at all times
- Integrated chatting service with customer segmentation (so hoteliers can mass send messages to particular segments i.e. business travelers over 40 or leisure seekers under 30) thereby increasing upsells and revenue
- Interactive maps of the local area along with videos and images to guide them
These features allow you to communicate with hotel guests as if you had an endless amount of time to spend with them. Whatever problems guests have, you’ll be able to preempt and lessen the burden on your busy employees.
That means you can redeploy them as needed to keep your business running full tilt while providing the level of service and hospitality that your guests deserve. Curious about how technology can improve your guest communication?
About the author
Hi, I'm Tal Lavi, a hospitality enthusiast dedicated to transforming your guest experience to an unforgettable one. With a passion for crafting engaging narratives and deep insights into guest behavior, let me take you on a journey to the future of guest experience.