What is hotel guest loyalty?
Hotel guest loyalty shows just how committed a guest is to your brand, usually due to emotional investment and purchase behavior. A loyal guest consistently chooses your brand over the competition. Why? Because they're happy with the service, staff, location and amenities your hotel offers.
Loyalty can be as simple as converting one-time guests into repeat clients. It's part of a larger strategy to increase profitability since the acquisition costs of bringing in a customer are noticeably higher than keeping an existing customer.
What are the benefits for your hotel to increase guest loyalty?
There are many benefits for hotels to increase guest loyalty. For starters, loyal customers are more likely to book directly, help contribute to lower acquisition costs and eventually turn into brand advocates. Once the guests trust your brand, they'll likely be less sensitive to price, meaning they'll stay at your hotel even if the price is higher.
In a people-focused industry, having regular guests helps contribute to employee satisfaction levels. Your team can create a bond with the regulars and become more invested in providing better service. It's also great for guests who get better service from familiar faces.
How to increase hotel guest loyalty?
While there's no magic formula to turn guests into loyal customers, these excellent strategies will lead you in the right direction.
Consistency is key
The "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" mentality works for guest loyalty too. When you consistently offer excellent service, a clean and comfortable room and seamless operations, hotel guests keep coming back.
Guests are less likely to give up on something that works. If they know what to expect, they'll keep returning – especially from a chain property.
Loyalty programs
Hotel loyalty programs are among the top ways hotels build loyalty. It's a way of rewarding customers for spending money at your property. Members earn points based on the number of nights stayed, services purchased, or overall money spent. The prizes and rewards come in all shapes and forms: a future stay, an upgrade, or service discounts.
Rewarding loyal customers is a way of maximizing RevPAR, ADR and overall profits. It also boosts occupancy rates and keeps guests coming back to your hotel. In a highly competitive market, give your guests an incentive to book at your hotel.
Personalization
Personalization throughout the guest experience is one of the best ways to make guests loyal to your brand. If you have a reward program, adapt rewards to your guest preferences. Your foodie clientele will appreciate discounts at local restaurants or gourmet treats in their room as a bonus. These extras will go a long way to boost loyalty.
By closely monitoring buying behavior and the services regularly consumed at your hotel or creating guest profiles, you can get insights about your guests and tailor offers to their preferences.
Go above and beyond
Going above and beyond is what entices guests to keep coming back to your property. Offer extra services like laundry, complimentary valet parking, or popular amenities – exceeding their expectations will set you apart from the competition.
Excellent customer service
The list is endless: addressing your regulars by name, checking in with guests to see whether they need anything, and being armed with a welcoming smile, just to mention a few. Good customer service is expected; remarkable customer service makes you stand out.
Conclusion
We've looked at 5 ways to improve hotel guest loyalty that can set your hotel apart from the competition. The better the guest experience, the more personalized it is. And more consistency in your service can turn one-time guests into regulars. Ultimately, returning guests drive down acquisition costs for brand recognition and your hotel's bottom line.
Download our guide Understanding the Modern Guest
Familiarize yourself with the modern traveler to enhance your profitability and ensure that your property is tailored for an exceptional guest satisfaction.
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