Hotel Customer Service

November 4, 2015 3:59 pm

The hospitality industry can be busy at any time of year, however, Christmas and New Year typically sees a peak in bookings, events and services. From winter weddings and corporate celebrations to family Christmas breaks and romantic escapes, there are plenty of people looking for the ideal place to stay.

There is certainly considerable competition for the hotel industry and every establishment is doing their bit to provide an attractive package. Whilst luxurious fittings, high quality food, branded cosmetics and spacious rooms can certainly impress, what really makes an impression is personalised customer service. Each guest wants to feel important and it takes a lot more than contemporary interiors and fancy food to achieve that.

If you are aiming to stand out from the crowd and deliver a truly memorable stay, every step of the guest experience has to be given consideration. You need to be making a great impression long before the visitors arrive in their room.

Hotel Bookings

Most potential guests will first come into contact with your hotel online. Hopefully their search would lead to your website pages, from which they will make an almost instant judgement on whether you could meet their requirements. High quality, up to date images, customer reviews and prices need to be clearly communicated and the booking form must be quick to load and intuitive to use. Many visitors may be booking from abroad, so the form should be straight forward to follow even if English isn’t a first language.

Once a booking is made, it is important that this is quickly followed up with a confirmation email. Whilst this may be electronically generated, it should still be friendly and personal in its tone. It can also be a good touch to follow this with another email, which has specific advice for the guest. For example, if they have booked children’s beds, you may send details of local attractions or child friendly restaurants. If they are part of a wedding party, some useful information on the event. Travel directions can be a welcome addition for any guest.

Guest Transport

If you welcome international travellers to your hotel, then it can be wise to invest in a transportation service. This could be a shuttle bus to and from the nearest airport or it could be more personalised transport service which the guest can use for the duration of their stay. 4×4 Hire can be ideal for this situation, as you only need to hire the vehicle as and when you have take-up from a guest.

With 4×4 hire, the guests benefit from considerable space, comfort and performance to get them out and about. With a nationwide franchise, 4×4 Vehicle Hire can provide a local, convenient and reliable service to hotels across the country. Insurance and a generous fuel allowance are included in the hire charges, so get in touch to discuss day, weekend and weekly rates.

Welcoming Guests

As guests arrive at the hotel door, they should experience and genuine, warm and helpful welcome. From carrying their luggage and dealing with their check in as efficiently as possible, to ensuring there are refreshments in their room, great customer service provides the ideal introduction to your hotel.

Also remember that following a lengthy journey the guest may not be able to retain all the details about meal times, alarm calls and hotel services, so it is important to have this information available in the rooms.

Request that guests inform you of any particular requirements that they may have, from specific dietary requirements and high chairs to additional pillows and accessibility needs, so you have time to give proper attention to providing them. Be on hand to assist even the most demanding guests throughout their stay and you will be rewarded with return visitors, recommendations and a great reputation.

Top Hotels

In the latest top hotel list, which has been compiled from guest reviews on Trip Adviser, Casa Hotel in Chesterfield was in fifth place, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons in Oxfordshire was forth, Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate was third, The Milestone Hotel in London was second and Haymarket Hotel in London took the top slot.

If you would like to see your hotel in such a list in the future, considerable attention to every aspect of your customer service is essential. Even in the height of the busy Christmas season, a warm smile, listening ear and a few added touches can go a long way.