hospitality Archives - Page 13 of 14 - Public Relations, Advertising & Social Media

In Hospitality, Customer Service is Everyone’s Responsibility

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Brian Lee

INTRODUCTION

In a survey by American Express, 7 in 10 Americans said they were willing to spend more with companies they believe provide excellent customer service. This is especially important for hotels, B&Bs and resorts. It is the responsibility of every employee–from the front desk to housekeeping–to provide a high-quality, memorable experience for each and every guest.

Following are a few keys to hospitality success.

HOW TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Creating a customer-first culture starts with training. Make your hospitality standards a key part of new-employee onboarding.

Employees should learn your hotel’s mission and values. Your internal communications–for example, email, Intranet or department meetings–should regularly reinforce these points. A maintenance worker directing a guest to a pool or a bartender providing sightseeing recommendations goes a long way.

Senior staff members need to lead by example, according to HotelRED General Manager Jason Ilstrup, a past Wisconsin Hotel and Lodging Association Innkeeper of the Year whose hotel in Madison, Wis., has earned numerous Trip Advisor Certificates of Excellence.

“I’m out on the floor, working in all departments, and great customer service becomes contagious,” Ilstrup said. “I’m trying to demonstrate that we’re all on the same team and doing this together. Our mentality is that we’re here for the guests.”

BENEFITS TO GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Contrary to popular belief, customer loyalty is not built through great customer service, according to a study by the Customer Contact Council. Instead, customer loyalty is built by “reducing (the guest’s) effort—the work they must do to get their problem solved.”

That’s why Ilstrup empowers his staff to solve issues as they arise.

“We train the staff to have the right frame right of mind, and then we never question their decisions,” Ilstrup said.

As a result of great customer service, Ilstrup said the main benefit for his hotel is not only referrals or favorable reviews, but also the “positive attitude the staff has all the time.” And that, in turn, benefits the guests, too.

RECOGNIZE YOUR STAFF

You also should establish an employee recognition program. Staff members always appreciate being noticed for going above and beyond. This is not an employee-of-the-month award; rather, it’s calling out “wins.” Your program will hopefully lead to increased productivity and high morale.

Check out what Hilton does:

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Revelation PR, Advertising & Social Media offers hotels, B&Bs and resorts services related to media relations, community relations, branding, group sales, SEO/SEM and social media management. Please contact Brian Lee, brian [at] experiencerevelation.com or 608-622-7767.

How to Rebrand Your Hotel

Posted on February 7, 2017January 9, 2020 by Brian Lee

INTRODUCTION

hotel room Did you recently take over an existing hotel? Have you lost your existing customer base? Or is it simply time to freshen things up?

In regards to the importance of rebranding your hotel, resort or bed & breakfast, you must portray to guests that the changes will benefit them (vs. to your owners or shareholders). Your secondary goals include increases in occupancy and profit, stronger brand recognition, stronger guest loyalty and a better reputation.

Here’s how to rebrand your hotel, bed & breakfast or resort. Continue reading “How to Rebrand Your Hotel” →

Nine Ways Hotels can use Pinterest

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Carley Hanko

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It’s no surprise that consumers who are interested in planning their vacations or weddings turn to Pinterest for ideas. In fact, the platform continues to grow in popularity, as its usage doubled from 2012 to 2015, according to the Pew Research Center. Thus, it’s likely your guests are using it, too. For Pinterest, here are nine best practices for hotels.

Inspire. You don’t necessarily need a call-to-action. Post high-quality, desirable photos of your hotel to inspire viewers to take a trip or plan a wedding at your hotel.
Showcase the rooms and amenities. Make the customer feel like all they may need and want in a hotel is in yours by pinning pictures of rooms and amenities such as a pool, spa and fitness rooms.
Promote events. Pin images of events that your hotel has hosted or will host to demonstrate that you are a popular destination for event planners.
Promote tourist attractions. When booking a room at a hotel, the guests will take in to account the features outside of your hotel. Promoting nearby attractions like beaches, restaurants, local businesses, museums and more will help sell your hotel to potential customers.
Run competitions. Pinterest for hotels provides an easy way to run contests and promotions. This encourages past and potential guests to engage with your brand. For example, have contestants pin photos of their favorite experiences while on vacation in your city, and have them include a hashtag.
Drive more traffic to your site. Pinterest is next to Facebook and Twitter for the most visited social media platform. Make sure to add to your photos a URL that links back to your hotel’s website.
Help engaged couples imagine their wedding at your hotel. How can your hotel cater to a couple’s big day? Post pictures of previous weddings (with permission) to help them visualize what your hotel can offer, from staging areas to sites for wedding party photos to where the band or DJ can set up.
Create an interactive board. Create a board and invite former guests to post photos of their recent stay at your hotel. This way you are creating a meaningful interaction with your recent guests while receiving fresh, third-party content.
Show off the meeting and conference space. What are the various room configurations? How many people can you hold in each room (think rehearsal dinner, reception, farewell brunch, etc.)? How flexible can you be?