The hospitality industry is one of the industries that suffered the most during the pandemic. It practically went out of business with the lockdowns and travel restrictions preventing customers from booking travels and stays. Previously booked business trips, vacations, conferences, and meetings were canceled or postponed. Many budding names from the hospitality sector got lost in the long list of businesses closing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Today, it looks like things are restoring to normal. People are back to booking their long, craved vacations and getaways. However, the customers and the hospitality industry have changed due to the pandemic.
It is a post-pandemic world, and there is a lot that the hospitality industry needs to keep in mind to improve its customer experience and future business prospects. It is time for the hospitality industry to bounce back and make up for all losses they have suffered in the past.
The world is still recovering from the gruesome pandemic. However, there is always news about some other variants kicking in. Even though people have found the safe space to set out with all vaccinations and caution plans, they are still skeptical about their health. This skepticism is a challenge and an opportunity for the hospitality industry.
Which industries are the customers ready to spend their money?
With all the dreams of stepping out in the open, people treat themselves with a great trip and vacation budget. But they will spend this budget only when provided with the services that make them happy and give them a secure feeling. As a result, travelers are now focused even more on how clean and pandemic-proof a property is before they choose to enjoy their stay purely based on how appealing a hotel looks visually.
Contactless and Covid Safe Services
Many top players from the hospitality industry are using the need for safety as a marketing tool to gain an edge over their competitors. ‘Contactless check-ins’ and ‘Covid-19 safe spaces’ are working as the keywords on every website, ready to host guests and build their persona as a protected stay option. So naturally, customers want the feeling of getting out. Still, at the same time, they are seeking reassurance that their hotels or other accommodation spaces will not expose them to infection.
Hotels are working on strategies that help them maintain physical distancing while engaging with the customer in the best way possible. Technology here is playing a significant role in ensuring the same. A clean and hygienic space that was earlier an essential requirement has become an effective marketing tool to lure customers.
Smartphone applications and QR codes allow customers to access facilities, control their room lighting, close the blinds, request upgrades, and order room service. While the hospitality industry collaborates with websites, applications, and online listings, they are now using customized applications to note and resolve customer queries and requirements.
Enhanced Online Presence
The Covid lockdowns witnessed an unbelievable upsurge in users’ online presence worldwide. Many business ventures used this online presence as their target audience and worked on their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to attract more potential consumers.
Now that the world is back to the offline mode, their online presence has not decreased. On the contrary, about 40% of travel and hospitality revenue is derived from organic SEO searches. Therefore, this presence is the perfect opportunity for the hospitality sector to work on their SEO and convert their online visitors and viewers into offline customers, said Marina Turea in this article from Digital Authority Partners.
Investing in good SEO and improving their online brand presence on social media sites is turning out to be immensely profitable for many players from the industry. Moreover, communicating the latest offers, services, and notable factors offered by the hotels or resorts also becomes easy with a dynamic online presence.
Imagine searching for top hotels around your vacation spot. By default, you will go for the maximum results that show on your feed or search engine. The reason why these make it to the top is their great SEO.
Fully vaccinate the staff
If an option arises to visit a hotel with fully vaccinated staff or another hotel with a partially vaccinated team, which one would you select? There is hardly anyone unaware of what the pandemic did to the world. Coming out of the recent trauma, not many will risk their safety.
Moreover, as the hotels, resorts, and living spaces extend their services with a fully vaccinated staff, the customer feels more comfortable engaging. This attention builds a better relationship between the hospitality brand and the customer and yields considerably enhanced feedback.
Use the power of data collection
With digitization, collecting surveys on easy-to-access links is not a huge deal. However, the responses can be a notable thing. With integrated software and intelligent tools, the hospitality sector utilizes the power of data collection to analyze, reflect and take action on the feedback submitted by the customer.
Most organizations work with the traditional system of manual feedback and complaint registration. But these responses are unlikely to get the attention they deserve for enhancing the hotel’s performance. With customers who can search and compare services within a few clicks, it is not a wise option to ignore their feedback.
Many customers instead appreciate when their concerns receive responsible attention. The hospitality sector can promptly entertain, revert, and resolve issues with user-friendly quick surveys and online complaint registration portals. They can also monitor the collected data and enhance their services for better performance and customer feedback in the future.
Driving in greater customer loyalty and satisfaction is not a difficult task. Still, it will take efforts from the industry to engage closely and respond to their guests.
Many organizations from the hospitality sector are investing in customer experience programs. But until they take time to process the changes in the market and consumer trends, no program can help them improve on the business front. This effort is where the need to analyze and strategize comes into play.
With the assistance of technology, automation, and relevant marketing, these organizations can focus on making the best out of the high demands of the post-pandemic travel enthusiasts.
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