The World Is Getting More & More Personalised

In the 21st century and beyond, people who make use of hotels and/or their facilities will constantly demand more qualitative and personalised services than ever before. The reason for this is not farfetched: Technology and societal advancement continue to make our large world a smaller - and more adaptable - place.

For instance, webinars today make it possible for anyone to organise online, live learning sessions in real-time, with attendees from all parts of the world, even though each person NEVER has to leave his/her physical location to participate. And it all happens at a very low price compared to what it would have cost when these tools did not exist.

Many service and product providers are daily leveraging new discoveries to personalise shopping experiences in brick and mortar premises as well as electronically. And the benefits are easy to see. We all love to feel recognised. To be remembered. To be considered important enough to have a special arrangement made to cater for our unique needs as individuals.

To Stay Relevant, Hotels MUST Get More Personalised

Hotels that want to succeed in this new age can simply not afford to be different. Customers, who are used to the personalised experiences they enjoy in their interactions with other enterprises, will ultimately expect hotels to provide similar if not better conveniences.

Now, the reality is that not every hotel will be equipped to adopt the latest tools and systems to create unique experiences for their guests or customers. After all, they must consider the environment they operate in, and the kind of paying customers they cater for. Adopting an expensive customer service system for people who cannot afford to pay enough to enable you maintain such systems would amount to shooting yourself in the foot.

Six (6) INEXPENSIVE Ways You Can Personalise Your Hotel

What I suggest is a practical/realistic adaptation of the concept of providing a personalised experience, by doing the following:

1. Setup A Front Desk Team That's ALWAYS "Personal”: When customers come to your hotel, how they are greeted or welcomed by your front desk staff and other personnel can go a great way to making them feel they made the right choice. People - including you - like to feel special.

A warm engaging smile directed at ALL arriving customers will make them feel truly welcome - and they will take it as a sign of other good things to expect from your hotel. But you will not stop there. Throughout their stay, they should be attended to with impeccable courtesy and engaging smiles. They should rarely - if ever - have to repeat requests they make for service.

By the way, in case you think this is too obvious to be worth discussing, maybe you should think again. Many hotels have staff who "forget" at some point during the day, that their reason for "existing" is to serve the customer. So, sometimes they allow work pressures to make them respond to customers with "frowns" or "blank expressions", or even impatient gestures!

Some hotels - often big ones - fall into the trap of becoming "impersonal" in serving their guests - everyone becomes a statistic, and gets treated with stiff formality. In comparison, many smaller outfits tend to retain a personal touch in providing service. The challenge will be for your hotel to maintain that personal touch, regardless of how BIG or successful you become. Your guests will reward you with repeat patronage.

2. Maintain a "Flexible" Kitchen or Chef: What would it take to make your guests feel at home where it concerns food they can get to eat while staying in your hotel? How impressed do you think they would be if they learnt your kitchen or chef would be willing to "accommodate" certain preferences they have in preparing meals for them? When people know they can get meals prepared to their unique tastes, it could sway their decision making to choose your hotel. I am of course not asking you to turn your kitchen into a personal request centre – just that you offer “custom” treats to delight :-)

3. Offer Guest Feedback Outlet(s): Nothing works better to mitigate customers’ grievances, than providing them a convenient medium to express their feelings. You can have key members of your staff tactfully solicit feedback - informally - from them during their stay (e.g. "I trust you are enjoying your stay so far?" or "Is there anything I can help you with?" etc). Such staff should be quick to ensure resolution of any issues the guests raise, as may be necessary.

You can go a step further to provide a physical guest book to be signed by willing guests as they check out. A guest book on your website (you do have one, don't you?) would also add value - especially for those who are unable to use the one provided in the hotel. What is crucial is that you collect this valuable information about their perception of your hotel, and carefully analyse it, taking action where appropriate to make needed changes or consolidate.

4. Provide Useful Information, Education &/or Entertainment: One of the most time tested and reliable ways to gain credibility in the minds of those you wish to win over – and RETAIN - as customers is to offer them useful information, education - even entertainment - through what they will perceive as a risk free "channel" or medium.

Many successful business owners today understand that writing articles, reports and books is a powerful way to gain credibility in the eyes of others. The Internet has proven to an extremely powerful medium for propagating useful knowledge or news. And when what you write on it is perceived to be truly useful, it gets replicated rapidly - making even more people discover you. This is bound to work in your favour with time - those who come in contact with resources you provide will come to TRUST you, and ultimately when in need of hotel services, will choose you over others - every time.

5. Make Income Earning Offers: Why not make it possible for your guests - if they are interested - to earn income while they stay at your hotel? Think about it for a minute. Is it not likely that a person would choose to stay at your hotel, or use your facilities, if s/he learns that while doing so, opportunities to earn reasonable income could arise? The obvious answer is YES.

So what can you offer? One example: A commission for referring friends/relatives. We all know nothing beats a personal recommendation from someone we know and trust. So, why not encourage your hotel guests or customers to convince people they know to use your hotel, in exchange for a commission? Get creative - there are many other offers you can come up with, with a little thinking. So long as your hotel is able to deliver satisfactory services consistent with the expectations those customers have, it is likely more of them will choose to return again and again, because of this singular benefit!

6. Be Online & “Socially Networkable”: Have a decent website built, with a focus on generating potential sales leads. Provide a members-only area that visitors will have to register to access. Bury some of your more useful articles, reports and other resources in there. Stimulate interaction - many tools exist to even build an online community on your website.

At the very least, you should have your own business page on Facebook - but don't just go on to post anything and everything you feel like. Take time to reflect on what you learn from doing 1 to 5 above, and then develop/create specific "news worthy" items to be shared on your Facebook page, and any other social networking channels you adopt.

Indeed, careful analysis of the information you gather from 1 to 5, can guide you to decide what social networking platforms to focus on. You MUST set a goal for your social networking activities, which should include creating MORE interest and awareness amongst those who may need your services. Assign competent members of your staff to manage this important aspect.

Make out time to do a periodic review of progress (or otherwise), based on parameters you will have decided upon. As earlier mentioned, it is advisable that you have a website presence, and engage in active articles marketing that includes invitations for readers to join your newsletter mailing list, and social networks among other desirable actions. Aim to stimulate participation from your target audience by offering them opportunities to get personal benefits e.g. gift certificates, free vouchers etc as reward for repeat patronage within a defined period of time.
Customer service provided through the Internet is a basic necessity expected by most customers these days. Except yours is too small or niched, you will want to have this done.

Summary: The above is not an exhaustive listing - but it can get you started on the road to providing more REAL customer satisfaction, by delivering unforgettably pleasing hotel services, with a consistently personal touch.

Austin Eruotor is "President" of Whitehouse Hotels & Conference Centre, located in the fast paced, high brow Ikeja business area of Lagos(Nigeria's commercial nerve centre). Whitehouse Hotels is Lagos-Nigeria's popular entertainment & events venue frequented by trend setters in business and entertainment. Unrelenting patronage from fun lovers and famous personalities, earned us our reputation as a Celebrity Hangout.

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