Running a hotel requires careful planning and certain factors need to be taken into consideration to ensure its success. After all, the hotel industry is extremely competitive, so you need to be constantly evolving as a business and looking for ways to stand out from your rivals. Throughout this article we will share our top tips to get you started.
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Tip 1. Location, location, location
The location of your hotel can either make or break your business. If the hotel is situated in the middle of nowhere with little to nothing to do around it, it is unlikely you will get many travellers through the door. Everyone has different incentives for travelling and has different tastes in activities so there’s no definite answer when it comes to an ideal location for a hotel but there are some things you should take into consideration:
- Are there local attractions, activities or events that will draw tourists to the area?
- How do other hotels fair in the area?
- Do they get many tourists in that town?
- Is there anything that makes that location special? Beaches, landscape, landmarks?
Tip 2. Offer your guests more than the basics
With so many hotel options on offer, if you miss the mark on one or two things, its likely that your guests will stay somewhere else next time they’re in town. Guests expect an experience when they stay somewhere not just a room. It’s a good idea to think of ways you can enhance your guests stay. For example, offering a complimentary breakfast pack if you don’t include a hot breakfast is typically well received or live music by the pool puts people in holiday mode, plus they are more likely to drink and eat more whilst listening to the music so its win, win.
Tip 3. Constantly look for areas of improvement
Sometimes it’s not even the major things that can make a bad impression on your guests. One towel short or long wait to check in can set your guests off on the wrong foot. Ensuring that no detail is missed, the property is impeccably clean and that your guests experience first class customer service are all steps in the right direction. If someone complains or offers feedback on their stay or experience, rectify the issue promptly to ensure that other guests don’t have the same problem. Constantly look for ways to make your guests stay amazing.
Tip 4. Communication is key
It shouldn’t only be the hotel managers responsibility to effectively communicate with the guests. Everyone working there that is in contact with the guests should be friendly and effective communicators. When guests have a question, they want to feel heard and not fobbed off. Excellent communication plays a key role in the success of a hotel. All staff should be trained on how to problem solve and rectify issues promptly and effective.
Tip 5. Don’t be the only one who can make the tough decisions
If a customer is dissatisfied with something whilst staying at your accommodation, they want it fixed quickly. They do not want to be waiting around for the manager on duty to make a decision. You and your head of staff need to make decisions quickly to ensure customer satisfaction. Ongoing training and educating for your staff enable them to deal with a problem quickly and turn a less than ideal situation into a positive one.
Tip 6. Safety
It’s not only your guests that you need to keep safe, it’s your staff also. All staff should conduct annual training for safety such as fire and occupational health and safety and food safety. All appliances and facilities should be regularly maintained and kept in optimal working order. The whole hotel needs to be kept clean, manicured, and hygienic at all times.
Tip 7. Host events to generate business
Events such as weddings bring in big revenue. Source out event planners who can bring exposure to your hotel. Some people may not be aware that your hotel offers such services in normal instances. Be present on the internet. Have a website and social media platforms that you can connect with other event businesses through.
Tip 8. Reviews
The main way people communicate their hotel experiences is via the internet. Some people feel more comfortable leaving a review rather than physically saying something to the hotel staff. More times than not, people feel compelled to leave feedback if the hotel was exceptionally good or plain terrible and it can have a drastic influence on the image of your business. If the feedback is primarily negative it will deter potential guests. If a guest has left a negative review, do not get defensive in your response, this will tarnish your business further, listen to what they have to say and respond in a gentle manner. Word of mouth is key to your hotel’s success. Have a look at reviews left by customers on other hotels like yours to establish things that customers are loving and disliking and implement or eliminate those things from your hotel.
The hotel industry is competitive however, your hotel can be a success. It requires commitment to be better and keeping up with what is in and what customers expect from their stay. We hope the tips we’ve shared have given you some inspiration to start your hotel endeavour off on the right foot.
Our team here at Lepack have many years’ experience catering to the accommodation industry and have a selection of luxury toiletries on offer that are suited to every budget. Get in touch with us today to discuss the suitability of our Hotel Supplies for your venue.