How to achieve customer satisfaction in the tough world of hospitality

In today’s hospitality business, customer satisfaction is the key target at the start, middle and end of everyone’s work day. In this tech-savvy world, customers are beginning their journey with you online, comparing prices and reading reviews. Their impressions of your accommodation have already begun before they ever step foot inside your business. Here are some effective ways to satisfy your guests and ensure they come back for more:

It starts with a great website

Your customer relationship will undoubtedly begin online these days. To be the most successful, you will need an excellent website that combines easy navigation with engaging content. Images are crucial as customers want to get a feel for your establishment and the level of facilities available. Plenty of information including directions, parking information, local tourist information, restaurant details and reviews should all be on your site in a clear and navigable fashion. An online shopper wants to digest the information quickly, book easily and have a minimum fuss experience. A good example is a site for Serviced Apartments Birmingham at http://www.8waterloostreet.co.uk

Your business must be available how, where and when customers want and including a direct phone number is essential. Many customers will research online but like to call to book. Dealing with this call in a helpful, friendly and knowledgeable manner will lay a great foundation for customer satisfaction before their stay begins.

Knowing your customer

The very best customer service is more than simply be friendly when you greet them on arrival. It’s about knowing and understanding who your customer is and what they want. To know your target market and understand their needs is the heart of great customer service. A business traveller looking for mid-week accommodation will have different expectations than a family looking for a weekend break. Mastering those needs and wants consistently is the key to obtaining customer loyalty. A great hospitality team will do this and offer extra benefits that the customer might not even have considered.

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Dealing with complaints

This should always be the last line of defence in your customer satisfaction plan, but complaints and issues will inevitably occur but it’s how you handle it that’s crucial to maintain those levels of satisfaction. Resolving issues quickly is the key to de-escalating a problem. If there’s an issue with the room, fix it promptly or you risk a bad review for not caring or slow service.

Ongoing staff training

One of your biggest assets is a well-trained workforce. Working as a cohesive unit for the good of the customer leads to a business that runs smoothly and a better all-round experience for the guest. The hospitality industry is notorious for customers with high expectations so regular training and industry courses should be a yearly occurrence for your customer service staff. Ideally, your staff should know how to deal effectively with complaints and even better, how to avoid them in the first place.

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