How to Prioritize Guest Communication in 3 Easy Steps

May 25, 2022

Traveling is stressful, or it can be if guests aren’t given the right customer support. And their demands are changing quickly, which may be why McKinsey suggests the traveler customer experience needs a ‘reboot’ to bring back the ‘spark’ of travel. With this in mind, it’s more crucial than ever to provide your guests with an unforgettable guest experience. 

Communication is the foundation of any travel journey. From the booking process, until guests are back home writing a review, how connected your guests feel to your service is what ultimately forms their opinion and experience of their stay. 

Long gone are the days of receptions and in-person concierge services, in fact, this type of interaction may deter guests, as awareness of health and safety has risen drastically. So, how do you create a fantastic experience without ever meeting your guests?

3 ways to achieve five-star guest communication

1. Integration

Communication is shifting from in-person service to digital self-service. The digitalization of travel started with the online travel market. Now, guests are seeking digitized experiences through integrated technology. So much so, last year the global revenue of mobile apps in the industry grew by 38%.

Supplying guests with digital self-service doesn’t mean you can’t offer personalized communication. In fact, the right technology helps you create a tailored service for your guests. 

For example, an easy-to-use platform where guests can access guest services 24-7 via an app or with in-room technology. Real-time assistance allows guests to find answers specific to the property/area quickly, without them needing to find human assistance, which can create a seamless experience. 

2. Contactless technology

There are two key stages in the guest journey that hugely affect their overall experience and one of these is before they’ve even checked in. 

Planning a trip can be stressful, but once a trip is booked guests enter the passive anticipation stage, where their stress levels lower and they begin to get excited. Take advantage of this window of opportunity by using consistent, informative communication to help your guests feel well prepared for their trip and encourage this happy anticipation.

Woman on her cell phone

Since most of us keep our phones in an easily accessible place (89%) and often choose mobile apps and live chat for communicating with companies (81%), the best way to communicate these updates to your guests may be through text or in-app messages. Apparently, Millennials, the largest living generation, prefer customer service through a live chat platform than any other channel.

3. In-room technology

The buzzword for guest experience is convenience, and since property tech solutions are aimed at reducing inefficiencies in the guest (and property manager) experience, it’s no surprise 31% of guests want a voice-controlled device in their room. 

Appeal to tech-savvy guests and the millions of people who already use similar tech in their homes by adding a virtual concierge service to your properties. Voice assist technology such as Xplorie’s customizable in-room virtual concierge, SmartHost, can answer up to 4 million pre-loaded questions. This allows you to offer personalized information to your guests instantly. You can tailor the smart tech to each of your properties, for example, to request more towels or to ask how to turn on the TV or hot tub.

Automating guest communication streamlines both their experience and business efficiency, as according to StayFi it can save up to 70% of your time. This means you can redistribute your resources into attracting more guests. Guests will be able to use this in-room tech to find out room-specific information, get restaurant and activity recommendations, and if lodging providers also have an activity program with Xplorie, they can book their activities.

Technology is forever advancing and with it the expectations from guests for more efficient vacation experiences and reliable, speedy service. Keeping up with market demands and vacation rental trends means you can appeal to a broader range of potential customers, and create great guest experiences that keep them coming back time and time again.

Xplorie

Xplorie is the leading platform in guest acquisition and retention solutions for leisure lodging providers. Since 1996, Xplorie has leveraged local and complementary activities to help lodging providers differentiate their properties, improve guest loyalty and increase top-line revenue. To learn more about how Xplorie enables lodging providers to deliver an unforgettable vacation experience to guests, visit xplorie.com/partner.