Top 6 Ways To Achieve Success In Hotel Industry
Ever wondered how Conrad Hilton, J.W. Marriott, and Cesar Ritz managed to turn some buildings into some of the most iconic brand names in the hotel industry? Or what made them one of the most legendary hoteliers in the world?
Interesting and prosperous, the hotel industry is one of the most attractive businesses in the world and has become a dream career for countless entrepreneurs, leaders, and even fresh graduates. It is something that fascinates many people and through this article, we will be exploring all those factors that can help you to become the next brand in the hotel industry.
The essential keys to becoming a booming hotelier
Unveiling the secrets for a thriving career in the hotel industry, below are the six most basic yet essential points one should know in order to achieve success.
#1. Maintain the safety element
The pandemic has been the roughest on the hotel and travel industry. It has also highlighted the necessity of having strong safety and health measures, emphasizing the fact that the most important duty of hotels is to keep their guests safe during their stay there.
In order to win your customers, maintain good care of the safety protocols of the hotel. Make sure to install appropriate numbers of CCTV cameras, check if fire detectors are working, and proper and regular cleaning is done throughout the premises.
#2. Bring the lucky charm of the right location
“Location is Everything”. Location is the most vital key to a successful real estate project. Not only restaurants and retail chains, but picking an appropriate location plays an important role in determining the success of a hotel as well.
Tourist traffic, weather, major attractions of the place, are some of the factors related to the location of your hotel that can heavily influence the guest drive. Thus, what kind of location you choose for your hotel is directly proportional to how well it is going to do in the long run.
Choosing the right location will lend a strong foundation for your business and some of the points that can make it easy for you, are finding out:
- The average number of tourists and travelers coming to the place.
- The ratio of domestic and international tourists.
- Your unique points and capabilities to attract tourists.
- The probability to engage in group businesses.
- Opportunities of existing hotels that need only renovation.
With these points in mind, you will be able to see the potential of your hotel business and make certain decisions according to them.
#3. Provide delightful guest experience
Above all, guest satisfaction is what is going to help you in the long term. The hotel industry surpasses the basics, that is offering a place to stay and food to eat. In this age of high competition, even 1 or 2-star hotels are doing excellent in providing those basics.
To stand out, you will have to think out of the box and work hard for yourself. From introducing live acts to music performances and to giving exclusive services, you will have to find ways to level up your game. Guests who check out with dazzled eyes and overwhelming satisfaction is what should be your ultimate goal to become a big name in the industry.
#4. Look at the insightful reviews
Trust is the bridge that helps businesses grow, and now, in this world of everything digital, reviews and referrals are the new ways to gain your customer’s trust. New visitors are going to form certain opinions about your hotel after learning from the previous guests’ experiences through their reviews.
These reviews present social proof for potential guests and help them decide whether they would or would not like to stay in your hotel. Therefore, it is a must that your hotel receives a good reputation over the internet, especially on social media, as it serves as a common platform for everyone to share their unfiltered and unbiased opinions.
To better understand the importance of customers’ reviews for your hotel, you will need to first understand the psychology behind it. Why do they leave reviews?
People are generally unbothered and forgetful. Your guests probably will not write a review if they do not receive a very good or very bad experience. If they are doing so, it means something has forced them to write it.
- If good, then you can give a pat on your back and move on with your business. It will fuel you with the motivation you need.
- Bad reviews, on the other hand, are the loopholes you need to fix.
People are subconsciously negativity-biases. Therefore, negative comments about your hotel might do good damage to your business. By reading negative reviews, you will be able to easily spot the mistakes and can make improvements. Meanwhile, reading your competitor’s bad reviews can help you gain an advantage. You can learn what guests in general hate and like, so you can provide services accordingly and please your customers.
#5. Always listen and talk it out
Even in top-rated hotels, mistakes are bound to happen. In such cases, the best thing you can do is to talk it out with your guests. Listen to them profoundly and clear the situation quickly and with utmost seriousness.
Understand the needs and complaints of your customers with a humble and non-defensive approach. It will not only make things easier for you both but will also leave your guest impressed with your services, eventually heightening the image of you and your hotel.
#6. Generate more leads
Group business is what can make you fortunate in the hotel industry. Associate with the planners and look for means to be found by them. Try to reach planners through events, social media pages, or other destinations, display your content and engage with them. Figure out what they are looking for and make strategies accordingly.
Waiting for customer referrals only can hinder the growth of your business. Employ innovative and interactive means to spread across all your marketing channels. Use tools like Social Tables that help embed direct booking onto your website. Most importantly, find ways to engage with planners and customize your listings to always look attractive to your prospects.
Let’s take that thought deeper. Humans are biased toward negativity. Bad outcomes just stick in the head more strongly than positive ones. So one negative review cannot be cancelled out by a positive review. For every negative review, you need many more positive reviews. So you have to pay attention to reviews, not just because this is where guests gain or lose trust in your hotel, you do it to learn about the negative experiences, because it is them, more so than the positive experiences, that will drive traffic into your hotel. To your guests, you are only as good as your worst day.
Taking this thought even deeper, you should eat up your competitor’s reviews. Learn why guests love them and learn what guests hate about. Learning from your competitor’s will make your business stronger. Take joy in finding something that you do badly, because it brings you closer to being better.
Get additional information so you can take your first steps in the hotel industry.