It's Not About You! It's About Your Guests: Here's How To Build A Guest-Centric Hotel

What’s in it for me?

In this new-era hospitality article, you will learn about:

• Shift focus: Transform your hotel into a guest-centric haven for unparalleled experiences
• Measurable benefits: Elevate guest satisfaction, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth for sustainable growth
• Strategic approach: Personalize services, integrate cutting-edge technology, and engage with the community for lasting impressions
• Continuous refinement: Maintain impeccable standards, leverage feedback, and innovate to exceed evolving guest expectations

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Customer is King.’ 

But are we using it right? 

Are we working with this mantra in mind? 

Are the hotel guests feeling the same way? 

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Here is an interesting notion to think about at this time - it’s not about you, it’s all about your guests and their experiences. As technology works wonders and contactless hospitality is the new norm, you may want to grasp how to build a guest-centric hotel. 

So, let’s peep at the main question: What is customer centricity in hotels? It is an entire system of running your hotel operations by focusing on your guests' needs and desires. 

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Why Take A Customer-Centric Approach At Your Hotel: Specific, Measurable Benefits

As per a verified source, “hotel daily room demand headed for all-time high in 2023.” At a time when the hospitality industry has revived from the backlash of the pandemic, the idea to build a customer-centric hotel guest journey for your customers can only be advantageous:

• Get ready for super positive reviews and top ratings all the way through once you make the shift. 

• A guest-centric service model will also help you stand out among other local players in this business. 

• The constant upgrades to hotels and other lodging establishments assisted by the growth of technology will make it easier to crack the formula and provide personalized services on par with your guests’ evolving expectations. 

• A more personalized and attentive service will lead to higher customer satisfaction which, in turn, can increase repeat bookings. 

• Satisfied guests can become brand advocates, leading to word-of-mouth referrals that lower the cost of acquiring new customers.

• Gathering and analyzing customer feedback will help identify operational weaknesses and areas for improvement, leading to more efficient service delivery. 

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Strategies To Build A Guest-Centric Value In Your Hotel

As we turn our focus on how to build a guest-centric hotel and make it work, don’t forget to concentrate on productive marketing tools to grind through the competitive market. So, let’s move on to a few strategies to foster guest-centric value at your hotel!

1. Upgrade the standards of customer service

Even good marketing cannot fix a bad product. Similarly, your base aka the level of service you provide should be on point as it serves as a strong foundation for introducing additional future upgrades. If the base itself is faulty, even your top-notch upgrades or amenities will hold no value in the eyes of the guests.

To enhance your hotel guest experience, take action to update your style of service through comprehensive staff training programs, ensuring every team member understands the importance of flexibility and personalization related to being customer-centric.

By integrating these practices, your hotel can create an environment where guests feel genuinely valued and cared for throughout their stay. 

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2. Learn about your guests and take care of what matters most

It’s important to research your guests the way they research your property before booking it. By research, we mean taking proactive steps to understand guests’ expectations, their intent behind choosing you, and their overall purpose behind travel. 

Adapt your customer service approach to revolve entirely around guests’ needs by gathering the necessary information through well-prepared queries and studying their preferences. 

Make it a common practice to prioritize guest health and comfort while maintaining control on the service end. Analyze and collect feedback from your customers and do what’s essential to make them feel heard!

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3. Utilize technology to offer incredible experiences

In building a guest-centric hotel, harnessing the right technology is essential for offering an exceptional experience. While it is not easy to build a guest-centric hotel out of an existing property, this can be very well accomplished, step-by-step to improve customer experience in hospitality. 

For a simple start, you can find a perfect guest-centric hotel PMS to handle your day-to-day matters. On the communication side of things, guest messaging and AI chatbot can deliver faster responses to queries at various stages of the guest journey.

A recent study revealed that 51% of customers have shown an interest in using an in-room voice assistant to request services and make queries. 

Adopting a guest-centric approach in hotels means anticipating needs. For instance, instead of directing guests to collect pool towels at the reception, ensuring towels are readily available by the poolside showcases a commitment to easing their experience and heightening comfort levels by offering a high-end guest-centric digital experience. 

4. Improve marketing measures to gain fresh revenue

As hoteliers, one of the prime targets of taking on such a makeover is to design and execute marketing strategies that highlight this unique selling proposition to attract new revenue streams. 

It creates a huge impact when you tailor your services and amenities to meet guest preferences rather than simply offering what's traditionally available. 

That way, your property stands a chance to expand the value provided for accommodation by encompassing a whole new and wide range of possibilities aimed at fulfilling customer desires. 

Showcasing these efforts through creative advertising on booking channels and social media is crucial. 

This can effortlessly be achieved in this venture to build a guest-centric hotel by utilizing testimonials, providing timely responses to guest reviews on notable platforms, and personalizing each guest's journey. 

The ultimate aim of guest-centric hotel marketing is to ensure guests feel they've achieved their desires seamlessly, without overtly stating them, thus fostering positive word-of-mouth and establishing a brand-new reputation where the customer comes above all.

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5. Personalize every guest’s visit to surpass their expectations

There’s nothing more powerful than personalizing each guest journey to create memorable vacations that stand out from other hotel visits. By focusing on providing a one-of-a-kind experience, your property can become known for its exceptional efforts to improve guest experience to the highest standards. 

It is best to anticipate and categorize different guest personas as a reference to design each hotel stay. You can create a pre-arrival survey for your guests after their reservation is confirmed to gather adequate information on their likes and interests; however, ensure it is prepared respectfully to avoid intruding on their privacy. 

The data you collect prior to their arrival and along with their stay helps you offer tailored promotions, discounts, and recommendations to leave a lasting impression.

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6. Always keep up maintenance of your property and offerings

When you build a guest-centric hotel that deviates from the old norms, the common factors that all guests equally value require meticulous attention and timely remodels. These include maintaining impeccable hygiene, ensuring comfort, optimizing the functionality of facilities, providing quality amenities, and delivering seamless services with no chance for error. 

Similarly, it is equally relevant to ensure that your unwavering customer service influences customers to leave genuine reviews, to which you must then craft excellent management responses. You can opt for the assistance of a reputation management solution for optimal results. 

Customers expect flawless operations in a setting that caters to their expectations. This means you have the responsibility to continuously collect guest feedback to understand their excitement, identify what satisfies them, and define their profiles with more clarity.

7. Stay professionally connected with the local community

You may spot a few reviews on your property where visitors say something like “no good dining options nearby.” Let’s look at another innovative way to build a guest-centric culture in your hotel! It involves connecting your beloved guests with the local community to provide a homely atmosphere. 

Establish strong relationships/tie-ups with nearby businesses and attractions over a mutual understanding. In your gradual course of action to build a guest-centric hotel, this step will allow you to offer your guests special consideration at these local destinations. Such advantages distinguish a customer-centric hotel from other players in the industry.

Studies show that 60% of luxury hotel guests seek authentic experiences embedded in local culture, making community engagement essential for guest satisfaction. 

Collaborations with the community not only enhance brand reputation locally but also create impactful experiences.

‍Key Takeaway

Building a guest-centric hotel is not just about offering exceptional service; it's a comprehensive approach that integrates constant innovation, meticulous follow-ups, and strategic marketing. 

By prioritizing guest satisfaction and tailoring experiences to what guests truly want, hotels can expect increased bookings, rising revenue, and a solid reputation that soars along with the fame. 

However, success in this endeavor requires a commitment to ongoing improvements and adaptations to keep pace with the evolving guest preferences and industry trends.