For the accommodation sector in mid-2020, the term ‘business as usual’ has taken on a whole new meaning. Though customer service and guest satisfaction remain top priorities, properties must refocus their business models and marketing strategies in response to the changing industry requirements enforced by COVID. Your existing strategy may fall short on meeting the evolved needs and expectations of future guests, so it’s crucial that you make the necessary adjustments in line with the new normal.

Guests are the bread and butter of your accommodation business. Those that fail to adapt may find themselves trailing behind competitors. Here are four starting points to enhance your 2020 guest satisfaction strategy:

Speak to your guests on their level

With technology at your fingertips, there will be a renewed focus on direct communication to win back previous guests. If your property management software has EDM and SMS modules, you can tailor and send highly personalised messages to suit a specific audience. By segmenting your customer database, these targeted messages will resonate more with your guests than a generic ‘one-size-fits-all’ campaign. As many competitors will be pushing their marketing to boost business, this simple personalisation will put you way ahead.

Deliver curated guest experiences

Use your personalised marketing campaign to share local attractions and cultural experiences that align with your guest’s interests and habits. By analysing guest data from previous stays, you can pull information such as their reason for travel, past attraction bookings, traveller type, dining reservations etc. which you can use to tailor future activities to their taste. Consider business traveller segments that might be interested to hear that you’ve opened up a socially distanced co-working space on-site. Or segment guests with families to tell them about a local child-friendly event that’s coming soon. Consider partnering with local businesses to drive dual revenue with exclusive deals for guests. 

Offer a seamless user experience

Once your marketing campaign piques interest, the next logical step for your guest will be to browse your website. It is crucial that your website is user-friendly, easy to navigate and up to date. It must also be optimised for mobile as savvy travellers will browse and book from their handheld device. Add a prominent book now button to drive direct bookings and utilise a rate manager to ensure your rates are competitive. At the same time, you should also consider adding special offers to showcase empathy over profit. This helps reinforce your brand image of understanding your customer’s needs rather than just focusing on sales.

Go contactless

It goes without saying that guests (and properties) will want to limit face-to-face contact where possible. Features like contactless check-in and the ability for guests to sign the health declaration form from a mobile device are things that guests will be on the lookout for. Not only will you tick the box for the safety of guests and staff, but you will also create a positive guest experience, eliminating inconveniences from the moment they arrive.

We’re talking more than just keeping your property extra clean and wearing personal protective equipment. For many guests, this will be a basic requirement that they’ll expect to see in all public spaces. To go above and beyond, consider some of the less-explored avenues that will surpass standard guest expectations and keep you firmly at the forefront of their minds.

RMS Cloud is the innovative hospitality technology platform that you can make your own. As global leaders in reservation, property management and distribution systems, we live and breathe hospitality.