How to Build Guest Loyalty

Being visible in your establishment and making personal contact with your guests helps build rapport and trust but it’s only half the story, writes Caroline Cooper MIH.

What are you doing to reflect and convey your values and attitude to guests and staff? The way you interact with your staff and participate in the operation also gets noticed.

Talk to your guests. Get to know your guests personally – their likes and dislikes, their routine, their suggestions, their network – all this not only builds rapport, but makes it a lot easier to up-sell and tailor your offers to your market.

• Learn how to use all feedback whether it’s positive or negative.
• Network in the right circles and meet your guests or prospects in other environments outside your business.
• Find out what are the best and most appropriate ways to reward loyalty.

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How to Build Guest Loyalty

Ask for feedback

Every bit of feedback you get from your guests is valuable to you, whether it’s positive or negative and whether you agree with it or not.

Capture the good and the bad. If you don’t agree with the feedback, find out (tactfully) what has led to their perception. If you don’t know what disappoints guests, you can’t improve on it, so make sure you are prepared to listen to, and take on board any thoughts on what lets you down.

Identify what factors would encourage them to return. If certain services or facilities are important to this guest, the chances are they will be important to others, too. Take note of the language your guests use to describe what they like. Capitalise on this information and use it in your marketing.

Ask for the feedback. Face-to-face is always the best option, but it needs to be more than:
“I hope you enjoyed your meal” or “How did you enjoy your stay?”
…which tend to get very superficial replies. Think of some more direct questions such as:

• “What did you enjoy the most?”
• “What was the best part of your stay here?”
• “If there was anything we could improve on, what would it be?”

Whatever format you use, make it user-friendly and show them that you appreciate the feedback. Then make it clear you’ve acted on it.

Network in the right circles

Help to build rapport by taking the opportunity to meet your guests or prospects in other environments, too.
Recognise that networking is not necessarily about meeting only with your guests directly. Much of the networking you do will be getting you in front of people who are able to influence your potential guests, such as other businesses who share the same customers, or people who make bookings on your customers' behalf. Where do these people meet, socialise, or network? And remember that a lot of networking is done online today so find out how social media can help build your network.

Building rapport and trust takes time, so be prepared to invest some time and effort. Networking is about giving as well as receiving, so look for opportunities to help, whether through referrals, information, or contacts.

Recognise loyalty

Never get complacent about your guests’ loyalty or about what you offer them.

The very least you can do is to remember your regular guests. Capture their details and preferences – do they like a particular room, prefer a specific table or need a special pillow? Remembering these small details can make your guest feel valued.

Think about what you can do to reward loyalty. It doesn't need to be a complicated scheme.  Start by capturing personal details, add them to your list, and then maintain contact.

Any rewards need to suit your target audience – something that is of real value to them or regarded as special. If your guest’s bill is normally paid by a third party (e.g. business expenses) make the offer something they can benefit from personally – otherwise there is little incentive. Here are some reward ideas:

• Bring a guest for free
• Free upgrades
• Exclusive use of special guest facilities, e.g. ‘members’ lounge’,
• VIP access to special events
• Members’ access to joint venture sports facility
• Offering ‘secret’ or special items not available to other guests

Qualifying for a reward or thank-you may depend on something other than just their spending level. How about acknowledging guests who refer you to others?

Let guests know what each promotional offer is worth to them in points, to encourage them to spend and add to their points. Keep a track of people’s rewards levels, so you can remind them when they are nearing a reward threshold. The nearer they are to achieving a rewards level, the more tempting your offer will be.

Remember their special occasions

Why not help your guests to celebrate? Capture their birthdays and anniversaries on your database, and invite them to the hotel to receive their special gift or offer.

• Invite wedding couples back for their first (and subsequent) anniversary.
• Make birthday cakes as a surprise.
• Invite businesses to celebrate awards.
• Keep a note of special anniversaries for local businesses – their AGM, awards dinners, the anniversary of their launch.

People don’t celebrate alone, so these provide ideal opportunities to bring in new guests. Make your offers worthwhile to encourage people to bring their friends or colleagues and make up a big party.
Receiving a birthday card with a voucher – or an invitation to celebrate a forthcoming anniversary – is a pleasant surprise, and adds a very personal touch. If you can hand write these, even better (it can make a huge difference and really demonstrate your interest in your guest).

Seasonal offers and events

To maintain interest with your regular guests keep things fresh and interesting. You can’t afford to stand still. Then make sure you tell your guests what you are doing.

If your guests get to know that you have regular features or offers this gives them an incentive to check you out to see what you have on this month. Even if they are not interested it keeps you in their mind and gives you a reason to keep in touch.

If your event is at time when there'll be a lot of competition, give your loyal guest a real incentive to come back to you, and book early so you can secure a booking. Offer something different from your competition. What will make your offer stand out above the rest? What will be attractive to your target audience? After all if you've already built the relationship and trust, you already have the upper hand.

Caroline Cooper MIH is a qualified business coach and author of The Hotel Success Handbook  www.hotelsuccesshandbook.com