Posts Tagged ‘first impressions’

A customer is the life, not just for Christmas

Monday, December 5th, 2011

You may not be dreaming of a White Christmas, but I’m sure you’d like a profitable one, so you don’t leave things to chance.

Over the Christmas period you will inevitably have a number of guests or diners who will be coming to your hotel or restaurant the first time, so ensure you create a great first impression and a reason for them to return. Equally you’ll no doubt have a number of your regulars who are coming to you because they know you, like what you offer and trust you’ll deliver what they expect. Ensure you don’t disappoint and demonstrate you appreciate their loyalty.

Maintain your standards

Just because you’re busy or you are offering some good deals, don’t let this be an excuse for poor service or poor value for money. This could be damaging for your reputation and potentially embarrassing for your existing loyal customers, particularly if they are entertaining or have referred you to others.

It will obviously also leave a poor first impression for those who are guests and potentially visiting you the first time.

Trading up

Whereas your customers might be looking for a good deal on the basic price, particularly for group bookings, this doesn’t mean to say that individuals will not be prepared to you trade up to a premium drink or additional menu items. Ensure your team are in a position to make suggestions and recommendations, and are fully aware of what is feasible, and what’s not a practical proposition. Then check that your bar and kitchen staff are prepared and can cope with the ad hoc and additional items.

According to a survey by The Mystery Dining Company many people planning to eat out over Christmas are not making advance bookings. This means hotels and restaurants offering good value and being flexible with walk-ins versus bookings could benefit from last-minute business.

Show your appreciation

Nothing should be competing with your Christmas promotions so don’t plan any other offers or accept other vouchers during this period that undermine your potential Christmas revenue.

But have everything in place for the New Year and what you’ll have on offer that’s exclusive to your Christmas guests as an incentive for them to return sooner rather than later. Even if partygoers are not in the mood to be parting with their personal details that can be added to your database, at the very least have vouchers, brochures or even a goodie bag as a taster of those special bonuses, offers or packages you’ve lined up just to them.

Of course in a perfect world you’ll also be getting their contact details so you can add them to your mailing list, but ensure you have some incentive for them to do this; maybe a prize draw in the New Year, ensuring of course it’s still relevant to non-locals if you’re attracting visitors from further afield, or maybe even for a draw on the night for each of your party nights. If your market is predominantly locals, talk to your suppliers or other local businesses who may be happy to sponsor some other prizes in return some publicity. Bearing in mind you’ll be busy, whatever you use for capturing details make it simple.

Keep in touch

Schedule some time after Christmas to follow up with your mailings. Keep your list of segmented so party organisers on one list, and guests on another so you can keep your mailings pertinent and personal.

This will enable you to follow up with all your party organisers or the person who made the booking to thank them for their booking. Show you appreciate their feedback so you can learn from them what worked well, and what they didn’t like, so you can improve on it for next year. Don’t just do this on the night or at the end of their stay, but follow up post event.  If there is anything they didn’t like they may be reluctant to tell you there and then in front of other guests.

Following up now helps to develop your relationship, and increases your chances of repeat business either during the year or next Christmas.

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What you can do before hotel guests arrive to build the relationship

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Building the guest relationship starts before your hotel guests arrive. Have you ever made a reservation somewhere and then suffered from ‘buyer’s remorse’ as you then get a bad feeling about the venue?

If taking bookings in person ask questions about their visit that might help you offer a more personal service. What is the purpose of their visit, what time will they be arriving, have they been before, how will they be travelling, do they have any special requirements for their room, dietary, access, etc?  Anticipate their needs for the type of event. If a restaurant booking for a birthday party, would they like a cake or champagne, if a training event would they like bacon sandwiches on arrival, if a leisure break would they like reservations made for local events?

Give a great welcome and first impression by confirming their booking in a personalised email. Then keep in contact providing information relevant for the nature of their visit. Act like a tourist office and send details of the events and activities happening locally during their stay so they can plan ahead. Offer to make dinner, theatre or event reservations for them. Send them directions and journey times from their home or office postcode to reach you (this also helps reduce the risk of stressed late arrivals).

Nearer the arrival time or day send through a welcome, and any hot off the press information e.g. advise them of any traffic problems by email or text. Get them looking forward to their visit by telling them of tonight’s special menu items or today’s activities.

Tomorrow we’ll look at how to continue to build on this relationship once your guest arrives.

Learn the 7 fatal mistakes hoteliers make in getting more business on this complimentary tele seminar

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How to waste your hotel marketing budget

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Is your hotel making any of these mistakes…..?

Last week my husband and I read a full page colour advert in one of the colour supplements for a holiday we’d been thinking about for a while. This was the Saturday paper and at lunchtime on Saturday I went to their website to find more details. So far so good, the advert had grabbed our attention and had a very clear call to action.

But the website didn’t match the advert. The specific holiday advertised was difficult to find and when I did find it the prices quoted in the advert didn’t seem to be available. So I’m already starting to lose faith in the company.

Undeterred I picked up the phone to ask for more details. Bearing in mind this was the day the advert came out I was rather surprised that the number they gave went directly to a voicemail saying there was no one available to take our call. I was given a selection of options, one of which included requesting a brochure. Fine, all I needed at this point was a brochure, so I selected this option.

Even this bit they couldn’t get right, as I was immediately put on hold!

Quite frankly I have better things to do with my Saturdays and realise there are plenty more companies offering similar holidays. As my first impression was so poor, needless to say this company will not be getting my business. I wonder just how much potential business they lost on that day, and what damage this did to their credibility.

When your hotel does any marketing or promotional activity how prepared are you, your team and your systems for the response you get? Or are you just turning people away and wasting your hotel marketing budget?

For more articles and resources http://www.zealcoaching.com/products-resources/

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Help guests find your hotel

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Where is your hotel?

Last week I wrote about Google places, but it seems some restaurants or hotels haven’t yet mastered the concept of including a postcode or zip code.

Today I went to look up the location of the hotel where I had thought about staying to see how long it would take me to get there from home and how far it was from the venue I was going to visit. It seemed to list everything but the postcode, even down to having the grid reference coordinates for helicopters!

I looked on the homepage, under location, contact details, directions.

Everything but the postcode.

One simple little detail that could make all the difference between someone saying “yes this hotel is ideally situated” or left wondering whether your location is right for them and clicking away from your site to find somewhere else.

Knowing where you are has to be a fundamental part of the decision-making process to book or not to book, and therefore a part of your restaurant or hotel marketing message. If you want to increase your chances of getting more restaurant or hotel bookings make this information as easy as possible for your prospective customers and include on your restaurant or hotel website’s homepage.

Added to this, even if your customers know roughly where you are there’s a good chance they’re going to use their Sat Nav to find you, so make life easy. Better still put the postcode or Sat Nav coordinates and directions in your confirmation e-mail. But please check the Sat Nav coordinates are correct and don’t take your guests up the wrong road! If you know there can be some confusion pre warn guests and give them the coordinates for a key landmark where they need to make a turn and give directions form that point onwards.

It all adds up to a part of great customer service and contributes to the all-important first impression.

 

For more articles and resources http://www.zealcoaching.com/products-resources/

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Are you on Google Places?

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Are you on the map yet?

Have you entered your hotel or restaurant onto Google places?

Increase your visibility by adding your details including a brief description of what you offer, a link to your website, photos and even videos. You can update it as often as you like. You can even adjust your location on the map if necessary, making it nice and easy for people to find you, and creating a great first impression.

It’s really easy to do; all you need is a Google account, and then set up your details and claim your spot! So when someone Googles hotels in X restaurants in Y you’re not only come up as a text listening, you will also be plotted on the map.

 

For more articles and resources http://www.zealcoaching.com/products-resources/

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Chalk and Cheese

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Last week while I was on holiday in Scotland we had a fabulous meal at the Ardanaiseig Hotel in Argyllshire, where Chef de Cuisine is Gary Goldie, Chef of the Year, Scottish Hotel Awards 2011. We enjoyed it so much we went back the following day and spent time at the hotel and exploring the gardens. On both visits we received a warm welcome and attentive service.

Compare this to another local hotel. Same star rating, equally impressive location and stunning views across Loch Awe.

Sadly the same could not be said for the impression it left on us.

As we drove up to the entrance a sign directed us to the back of the building. I could appreciate they did not want cars parked at the front, interrupting the views. However, grand as the front entrance was, the back was far from impressive. As we approached the car park, we felt as if we were getting the evil eye from someone sheltering from the rain under the archway, smoking a cigarette. We could only assume form his attire that he was a hotel employee.

On entering the car park, we passed unsightly equipment – a rusting barbeque and other dishevelled tools. The back of the hotel was far from attractive and at this point I almost suggesting turning round and heading back to the Ardanaiseig. We carried on and down the back steps, passing the window to either the cleaning cupboard or kitchen, whose cluttered windowsill was laden with cleaning products. Then into the back corridor, only to walk past the gents, with the door wide open and the urinal in full view.

I’d love to say this could be forgiven had our afternoon tea made up for it – it didn’t. We waiting over half an hour and when tea did finally arrive, it was luke warm!

What a waste. This hotel could have been fantastic, had someone just thought through the customer journey and taken a leaf out of the Ardanaiseig’s book.

 

Hear it from the experts. Join me on my regular FREE interviews when I talk to hospitality experts and specialists and ask them to share their insights, strategies and secrets that can help to give your hotel a competitive edge.  Find out more and register here.

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What do your staff say about your brand?

Monday, March 28th, 2011

While I was in one of our local supermarkets yesterday I asked a member of staff where I could find peanuts. I’d already been to the aisle clearly marked ‘Salted Nuts’ but not a nut in sight, nor a member of staff. So by the time I found this staff member I was already getting frustrated.

“I’m off duty” was the rather curt reply I got. “Oh. I’m sorry, well could you at least tell me where I can find someone to ask?”  Big sigh…..”You’ll have to go to customer services”. Needless to say Customer Services was at the opposite end of the store!

The fact that this member of staff was in her uniform – to me, she represented the company – on or off duty. As a customer I will not distinguish the difference.

So what do your staff say about your brand when they are off duty?

  • How do they behave on their way to and from work, or at any time when they might be identifiable as one of your team?
  • What impression do they give when coming into and out of work? E.g. how they drive, the cleanliness of their car, etc?
  • How helpful are they towards your guests even when off duty?
  • How much responsibility do they take for things that need attention even if this isn’t their job e.g. attending to a guest if they need help?
  • What are they saying about you or your guests in the staff room?
  • Where do they go on their breaks, and what impression do they give if visible (e.g. smoking by the back door)
  • What are they saying when within earshot of your guests; either to each other or on the phone?
  • What are they saying about you or your customers on social media?

What do your staff say about your brand?

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Guests’ first and last impressions

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Yesterday I ran a workshop at a hotel. This was for a third party, so I had not been involved with the booking, but had the conference organiser’s name. Ironically the word “Welcome” was in the title of the workshop….

On arrival there was just one person at reception at the normally busy checkout time. She happened to be dealing with a guest’s bill, which one might expect at this time of day. But, I received absolutely no eye contact or acknowledgement that I had even been seen. I decided to try and locate another member of staff, or at least the meeting room where the workshop would be run. Any signs? No.

I came back to reception, laden with my bags, reluctant to leave my laptop unattended. By which time of course the lone receptionist was deep in the transaction of the next guest.

I waited.

Finally I had her attention and asked for my contact. “That’s me” she says, without a hint of apology for keeping me waiting.

So she finally comes out from behind the typical unwelcoming barrier of the reception desk, to appear in the most inappropriate dress I think I’ve even seen on a receptionist!  (Leggings, low cut smock top, bare ankles).  Mmm, not a good first impression……

Did they redeem themselves? Well, they could have done.

But, when it was time to leave, I passed 3 members of staff on the way out. Not one of them offered to help with my bags, not one of them thanked me for my custom, and not one or asked for any feedback. Not only did I not feel valued as a customer; what a wasted opportunity to get some feedback. Although I was not paying the bill, I’m sure that one booking earned the hotel considerably more revenue than any single accommodation bookings that day. And they certainly weren’t so busy that they could not have taken 2 minutes to ask me.

What seemed to be lacking was any hotel management, training or systems.  Did anyone recognise the  importance of first impressions?

The thing is, what was delivered in between was actually quite good. But it’s what your guests see first and last that leaves the greatest impression. And it’s that impression I’ll be thinking of when my client asks for feedback on the venue.

Caroline Cooper

The welcome is just one of the topics discussed by my guests on the tele seminar series “How to Give Your Hotel a Competitive Edge”

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Do your hotel guests suffer from buyers’ remorse?

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

So you’ve got the booking. All you do now is wait for your guests to arrive. Right? No.

I’m sure you, like me, have made purchases – maybe bought a new pair of shoes, ordered a new car, or booked a holiday – only to reflect afterwards if we’ve done the right thing.

With a car it may have been an over zealous salesman, and now you start to see the car everywhere, or you hear tales of unreliability. When you’ve bought that new pair of shoes (I’m addressing the ladies here!) and you wonder if you will ever get any wear out of them. And with the holiday you start to read of poor experiences or learn that you have to fly from some remote airport that means leaving home at some forsaken hour to get your flight.

So what has this to do with your hotel guests? Why would they ever feel remorse?

Well, let’s think about that period between making the booking and arriving at their room.

Do your guests get:

A stony silence for the intervening period?

…..Or do you:

  • Send a personalised confirmation email summarising their booking
  • Send details of the events and activities happening locally during their stay so they can plan ahead
  • Offer to make dinner, theatre or event reservations for them
  • Send them directions and journey times from their home postcode to reach you (this also helps reduce the risk of stressed late arrivals)
  • Advise of the best and most cost effective routes from the airport or railway station

Frustrated at having to make a detour due to the local roadworks, missing the turn into the car park or finding the car parking full?

….Or do you:

  • Advise them of any traffic problems by email or text
  • Allocate ample parking for your expected guests opposed to the car park being full of employees’ vehicles
  • Warn guests in advance if you have limited parking and advise of the alternatives
  • Ensure the hotel entrance and car park are well sign posted and lit so guests can easily find the entrance

  • Tell guests in advance of any security measures needed to enter the car park

A poor first impression

….Or do you ensure:

  • The car park is clean, tidy and well lit
  • The route from the car park to reception is well sign posted
  • Staff on breaks, waste bins, and delivery areas are all out of sight
  • The walk to the entrance is easy to navigate with heavy bags (and potentially the pouring rain)
  • The main entrance is clean (including any signage), welcoming, and obvious from the street and the car park

  • The first thing guests see as they walk in the door is a smiling welcoming face…

A disappointing welcome

….Or do you ensure:

  • Staff are warm, friendly and welcoming to guests – no matter what their role
  • The route from reception to their room is easy (eg lift working correctly, clear signs, clear of discarded room service trays, key cards work properly)
  • The room is fresh, well maintained and at a comfortable temperature
  • The bathroom is spotlessly clean

…..and if there are any problems your team are trained and work as a team to address these and deliver great customer service.

If you are in any doubt about any of these areas, take the customer journey, reviewing all potential routes; and encourage your team to do the same, as they may well notice things that you have become oblivious to.

The way your guests perceive you before they arrive and the welcome they receive will be a key factor in influencing the overall guest experience.  A poor perception is likely to cause them to pick fault with everything, looking for confirmation of their first impression.

Always remember you only have one chance to make that first impression. Make sure it’s a good one.

The welcome is just one of the topics being covered on the forthcoming free interview series How to Give Your Hotel a Competitive Edge.

Caroline Cooper

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