The old king of real estate adages about location, location, location might need to share the throne with a new real estate adage about service, service, service. Just like real estate in general, the hospitality industry has undergone and is undergoing some radical changes. One of these changes involves personalizing the hotel experience for each of its customers. There are many ways in which the hotel industry can personalize the customer's experience. Many are already attempting to do just that by offering more personal selection such as the type of pillow a customer may want. Many hotels are going much farther by personalizing the experience even more. New technologies are paving the way for improved customer experience. In my line of business, like in the hospitality industry, it is very difficult to differentiate your service from the competition. Doing so requires that you take your service over the top. To thrive, the hospitality industry needs to apply the 80/20 principle. In this respect, it becomes easy to see how 20% of what you do will generate 80% of the results you seek. What is that 20% that matters to customers in the hospitality industry? The hotels that are figuring this out are winning the race. Identifying the 20% that matters to customers is difficult, of course, because the 20% is a moving target. Each customer has a different set of 20% expectations. That's why it's so important for hotel management to train their staff to prearrange the experience. It should go something like this:
Hotel customer service rep (not front desk person) calls customer one week before his scheduled arrival and asks the following questions:
Have you stayed at _____________ before? We want to be the first to welcome you to... Is this trip for business or pleasure? Oh, I see. What time do you plan on arriving? Customer repsonse. _____________ will be working the desk that evening and she will be happy to check you in.
What type of pillow do you like -- soft or firm? Customer response. Okay, we'll have that type of pillow waiting for you?
What type of non-alcoholic beverage would you like in the room upon your arrival? Customer response. Okay, we'll have that in your room. Just let us know during check-in if you need help with bags and mention a bucket of ice and we'll have that delivered to your room as well.
Also, did you know we have a free complimentary breakfast which includes ____________, __________, ____________________. We encourage you to take advantage between _____________ and ___________________. Customer response....
Then you could explain what else is available for the customer such as shuttle service to and from the airport, work-out facilities, and pool amenities. Then you could close by asking if there is any special need or service that you can help with such as directions or pressing services.
This is the kind of personalization that will put the customer's experience over the top. Of course, it's important for hotels to offer amenities such as wi-fi and in-room movies but it's about much more than the amenities. The trend toward more amenities can not become a substitute for superior service and personal interaction. It's about the overall experience. Hotels that are the best at personalizing a traveler's experience will be the ones whose revenue soars when the economy recovers. The 80/20 principle, if applied properly, could revolutionize the hospitality industry. Find out the 20% that matters for each client and focus on delivering. It all starts with a courtesy call from a live person (not automated email) before the guest arrives, during his or her stay, and then after departure. Extreme service is what creates customer loyalty -- the wi-fi and free breakfast are simply icing on the cake -- great service takes it over the top.
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