What does it take to make guests happy?
We all know that if guests are not happy, they do not return. Ergo, if guest reviews are critical, and they are, how do we optimize the guest experience?
While this article will not touch on every facet of the hotel industry and will not cover every type of guest experience, consider it my primer on ensuring guests are excited about our properties — even if we have a focused-service hotel with limited guest amenities.
Food and Beverage
The “new normal” of food and beverage began before the pandemic with the elimination of room service by many hotels. Now, guests are more interested in high-quality food and beverage than they are in being pampered — except at the five-star level.
Smaller menu offerings, reduced hours and picking food up versus having it delivered are all fine, so long as quality is there. Good, consistent food service coupled with unique beverage service will be appreciated.
If you do not have a restaurant, all you need is a staff that can recommend great food and beverage experiences. If you have a restaurant and bar, a great cocktail menu that includes espresso martinis, great local wines, craft beers and mocktails will be a hit! Couple that with a staff that is friendly, well-trained in the basics and reasonable prices and profits can actually be made!
Wellness Is Top of Mind
As we transition from food and beverage to wellness, one key area is a healthy balance of food offerings to include both the “meat and potatoes” of the world and the “lean, veggie” diet. Guests who are conscious of wellness will want vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options for food.
The wellness travel market is now approaching a trillion-dollar industry according to the Global Wellness Institute. Guests want stress reduction, accessible exercise options and healthy snacks and meals. Yoga is now mainstream and mindfulness is a growing self-care practice. The latest fitness equipment in the gym, opportunities, on-site or off-site for fitness classes and information that makes staying healthy on the road will benefit the traveler and create happier guests.
Technology Extras That Impress
Robotics is not a new concept, but it is now hitting mainstream in hotels. A service robot can deliver food, beverages, sundries and housekeeping supplies, and these bots are loved by guests and team members alike. A service bot can monitor the Wi-Fi system and provide additional security through its camera and by allowing a night auditor to stay at the desk late at night to early in the morning. A vacuuming robot can do the room flooring while a housekeeper cleans the bathroom — this is both productive and reduces workers' compensation claims due to back strain from vacuuming. These robots can be manufactured in bulk now, so pricing is coming down.
Back to Basics
Today’s guests are not that different; however, we just came out of a true pandemic, one that changed mindsets about life in general and also reinvigorated the “travel as a birthright” lifestyle. According to a fall 2022 study by HospitalityTech.com, free Wi-Fi is still No. 1 on the guest wants list. Positive reviews are a close second and the ability to use their mobile device for reservations is third, tied with text communications with the hotel before the guest stay. A friendly, knowledgeable and well-trained staff can make a guest feel comfortable from the very first touch and through their stay. Guests want a friction-free stay, and if we can add great food and beverage, nice touches in our guest rooms and the ability to live like we do at home — think smart TVs — we will score very high on reviews.
Robert A. Rauch is founder of R.A. Rauch & Associates, a hospitality management and consulting firm based in San Diego.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concern.