by: Elska Vuong
A great guest experience starts and ends with customer service. Without it, the most beautiful hotel in the world would have abysmal TripAdvisor scores. But good customer service, while necessary for an excellent experience, isn’t enough to get the job done in the ever-changing hospitality industry. Today, hotels have to take a more holistic approach. Three major trends transforming the guest experience are community building, seamless technology, and customization.
Community Building
Sharing is caring.
Given the proliferation of co-working, co-living, Uber, and Airbnb, the traditional, rigid lines, separating living, working, and socializing, are becoming blurred. As a result, the focus on the hotel guest room is becoming less pronounced, while common spaces are receiving more thought. Fluid, open concept layouts in public areas, co-working spaces in the lobby instead of a dedicated business center, and inviting social events like nightly happy hours, create a sense of community where guests can connect with fellow travelers and the locality. What was once typically viewed as a transit point, or waiting area, can now be a destination in and of itself.
Seamless Technology
Just as smartphones and wireless technology transformed our daily lives, they are changing guests’ expectations of hotels. Guests are accustomed to on-demand transportation and peer-to-peer payments; they expect the same of their hotel stays. For example, guests can connect to streaming devices through their TVs, use their smartphones to check in or unlock their rooms, or text hotel staff with requests. Marriott International is even dabbling in face recognition and voice-activated room technology.
Personalization
The third leg of the stool is personalization. Knowing their guests – why they travel and what they request – allows hotels to customize experiences. Anticipating a guest’s stay with an email to solicit requests, stocking the room with the guest’s favorite soda or candy, or offering a list of off-the-beaten-track recommendations, are ways hotels can tailor the experience.
Don’t Forget to Smile!
Still, the most enduring positive guest experience comes from how staff engage guests on a personal level. According to a 2017 guest experience study conducted by Deloitte Consulting, the number one reason for a positive hotel stay, as reported by guests, was the friendliness of the hotel team. An unfriendly team was the second most common reason a guest reported a negative stay, behind only dirty rooms. Hotels that are able to weave technology insights and empower their people to deliver authentic hospitality are leading the way in guest experience.