Six Steps to Success - Using Data to Improve the CX - by Podd Consulting
At Right Revenue, we believe in the power of collaboration to drive excellence. Our esteemed partners are at the heart of our mission, each bringing unique strengths and expertise to the table. We work with industry leaders and innovative companies to deliver unparalleled solutions as we know that Revenue Management does not work in insolation (after all Revenue Managers Rule The World!!!)
Introducing Nora Douds from Podd Consulting and we hope you enjoy the read…
In hospitality we’re in the business of providing each one of our guests with an exceptional experience. We have so much data available to personalise the customer experience (the CX) but often we get overwhelmed and don’t leverage the information. By using the information at our fingertips, we can start to enhance the guest experience and in turn improve our overall business performance.
Firstly, it’s important to understand the technology we use, how we utilise it to gather information and how we can use the data to improve the CX. The tech we use should streamline processes, improve the buying journey and give us the data required to understand our key markets and customer wants, needs and expectations. But the tech we use is only as good as the humans who use it!
Step One: Do we care enough?
Often in our busy hotels and restaurants, we’re just trying to get through the day, to check our guests in and out and provide a good level of service. To really elevate our CX, we need to care enough to go looking for the data that we can use to personalise our guest experiences. I always start with why. Why should we try to ensure every one of our guests have an exceptional experience? Usually because they’re just like us – people who work hard for their money and have chosen to spend it on the promise of a great experience.
Step Two: Using data from guest feedback
Despite how you might feel about guest online reviews, particularly TripAdvisor, 76% of UK consumers check online reviews before making a booking with a hotel or restaurant. The reviews that your customers write about their experiences are an invaluable source of data, to understand what you do well, and what you and your team could do to improve the CX.
The four and five star reviews are great for giving positive feedback to your team, but the three star and less is where the gold is at. I get it – sometimes the reviews might feel unfair and can be a hard read, but the majority of reviewers are, again, reasonable people just like you and me, who have been disappointed by the provided service. Use the information they provide, both in person and online to make adjustments to your provided product and service, to continually improve your CX.
Step Three: Pre-stay preparations
The CX begins long before your guests arrive. By using data from previous stays, or booking preferences, we can start to personalise the experience. Ensuring the reservations team keep the guest profiles clean (no duplication), notes can be made on each reservation, highlighting guest room preferences, special requests or details from previous guest stays.
Completing the guest list arrival check is vitally important, both to ensure the details of each reservation are correct and to gather little nuggets of information about each guest – at the front desk and the restaurant. If a guest has stayed before, greet them with ‘welcome back, it’s great to see you again’. If they are from a different country, ask them how they are enjoying their travels. If they haven’t booked dinner yet, ask them if they have any special plans for this evening and if they don’t, invite them to make a reservation – you know the restaurant team will look after them. The data is there, we just need to use it in our conversations and guest interactions to create extra special moments.
Step Four: Using your guest’s name
When our guests make a booking the first thing they do is provide their name. When a guest arrives to our hotel or restaurant, the first thing we do is ask for their name. So, use their name! Using our guest’s name makes them feel valued and appreciated. One of the most impactful hospitality experiences I have ever had was when a hotel restaurant host used my name to greet me as I walked towards the entrance, despite never having met me before. All it took was a quick phone call from the receptionist as I passed by to let the host know I was on the way, but my goodness, what a ‘wow’ moment that was for me.
Step Five: Communicating within and across departments
We can prepare for our guest’s arrival long before they arrive and by communicating the gathered information with our team members and departmental colleagues, we can get to know our guests before they arrive. At weekly head of department meetings, we can highlight the organisers of key events and functions, VIPs, groups and guests celebrating special occasions. This also offers the opportunity to discuss any returning guests who may not have had a great previous experience, to ensure everyone is on high alert to make sure this stay is one to remember – for all the right reasons!
The front desk team can provide a daily list of guests who are planning to dine in-house, so the restaurant team can ask how they are enjoying their stay. The spa team can provide the front desk with any last-minute availability so guests can be offered a relaxing, last minute spa experience.
If a guest is unhappy about anything upon arrival or after checking into their room, make a note of the information on their profile and communicate immediately with all department managers, so everyone can ensure that there are no further issues during the guest’s stay. And most important – handing over key information to your fellow team members is vital, to ensure they are aware of what they need to do to action individual guest requests. Our tech can provide us with handover diaries, but although handover books are old school, but sometimes old school is best!
Step 6: Post stay follow up
Our guest experiences don’t end when they leave. What we do once the guest checks out is just as important as preparing for arrivals. Updating guest profiles with any gathered information from conversations or in-stay requests will provide your future self with valuable data for your customer’s next visit. Personalised post stay emails, thanking the guest for choosing your hotel or restaurant, asking them for feedback and offering a future incentive, are all great ways to build guest relationships and loyalty. And remember often the last customer engagement, is the lasting memory – make it count.
By caring enough, each one of our team members can personally contribute to creating great customer experience. By using the data available to us, we can change our guest experiences from good to exceptional, from black and white to full technicolour.
After all, that’s what hospitality is all about.
Read more about our guest author and trusted partner Podd Consulting here and website here
