2024 trend: How to put guests at the centre of all

There are millions of hotels out there. In the same city where your property is located, there other thousands of brands aiming to win the same customers you are trying to reach.

How to win the war? Definitely not by doing the same everyone does it and taking a general approach to everything. 

Staying ahead of the competition requires understanding and adapting to the ever-evolving needs of your guests. This why putting guests at the centre of all operations seems like a logical approach in 2024, where personalisation and customer-obsession is going one step further. 

In this article, we will explore what a guest-centric approach means in 2024 and how to implement it effectively.

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Understand the guest profile in 2024

Not only generations are changing, with Gen Z and millennials rapidly taking the largest part of the market, but also the preferences. 

You’ve probably heard several times about seamless integration with technology being crucial and it remains true for 2024. Free WiFi is not enough anymore, guests expect many extra things.

Personalisation has shifted from knowing where they come from and remembering their birthday to useful and personalised recommendations for dining experiences. To matching the purpose of their trip to the type of local activities you recommend to do. 

But that is not all. The motivation for taking a trip and staying in a hotel is also changing. Guests now don’t only go on vacation, they also book trips due to smallest occasions, like a concert. On the other hand, they also match trips to their preferences, for example, destinations that match their hobbies, like being into wellness, doing yoga or being a foodie.

This only shows that the guest profile in 2024 keeps evolving and understanding your data plays a key role not only in putting your guests at the centre but also on growing your business. 

Interested in learning more characteristics of the guests in 2024? Read here.

Understand what a guest-centric approach is

Imagine walking into a place where they remember your name, your preferences, and even those small details you mentioned offhand during your last visit. Feels like magic, doesn’t it? That’s what a guest-centric approach can do.

But how can you know who your guests are, what they expect, and what they need? It all starts from guest data. Yes, a guest-centric approach at heart means putting guest data at the centre, and every decision should be made based on that. 

By pulling your guest data form different sources into one source of truth, you are able to create strong guest profiles and deeply understand your guests, their preferences, what makes them go to your hotel, and especially, anticipate their needs. This is what Michael McCartan from IDeaS mentioned about how to be guest-centric in one of our webinars:

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Overall, this can help you move away from broad, general strategies to more tailored, nuanced interactions that resonate with each guest on a personal level. 

Get inspired with this article and discover how to use the data from your guests to achieve your goals. 

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The new era of personalisation

In the past, personalisation in the hotel industry meant adding guests' names in the emails. While this was a step towards making guests feel valued, the future of personalisation goes far beyond that. 

With the advent of advanced technologies and robust data structures, hoteliers now have the ability to anticipate guests' preferences and offer tailored services even before the guests themselves are aware of their needs. 

Therefore, instead of reactively answering guest requests, the new era of personalisation lies in proactively offering specific services and creating delightful surprises that match their profile and preferences.

For example, hotels now can analyse various data such as stay dates, length of stay, and room category to proactively offer specific services that align with guests' profiles. If a certain type of room is typically booked by guests with specific characteristics, hotels can anticipate guest needs even before sending messages and surveys. This enables them to send offers that will be perceived as delightful surprises.

How a CDP and CRM fit into this trend

At the centre of a guest-centric approach is the guest data. Nowadays, hotels have conversions from different platforms such as websites, online travel agencies (OTAs), social media, loyalty programs, among others. The problem is that valuable guest data is scattered all over the place and it is not easy to use it.

That’s when a Customer Data Platform and a CRM designed for hotels come into play.

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Structure your data with a CDP

This situation can lead to data discrepancies and a dirty database filled with outdated and inaccurate information. And a dirty database is fatal to a hotel's business since it may result in miscommunication, missed opportunities, and ineffective marketing efforts. 

By integrating data from multiple platforms and sources, a Customer Data Platform can create a unified view of each guest's profile. This comprehensive profile includes details such as booking preferences, feedback, communication history, and more.

This is particularly important when it comes to first-time visitors. An increasing number of guests today are booking from different online platforms, and are becoming more and more anonymous. Are you still unhappy that you only get very little guest information from an OTA booker? With a CDP, hotels can combine all the interactions from different platforms into one single profile and enrich it with different data.

Personalise guest experience

With a clean database, hotels are able to better analyse and segment massive guests, and personalise each experience. Instead of bombarding guests with generic offers and campaigns, a hotel CRM helps you to make sense of the masses so you can treat each of your guests individually and improve your service.

If your data tells you that a guest really enjoyed the dining experience at your hotel before leaving, then you know exactly how to bring them back. If your data shows that a significant number of guests enjoy spa services, you can introduce spa packages or promotions. 

When hotels put guests at the centre of all their operations, it naturally leads to improved guest loyalty. It can further encourage guests to become advocates for their brand. Word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied guests can be invaluable for attracting new customers and expanding their customer base.

Read here to get more details about how to personalise your guest communication.

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Automate your marketing efforts

Now that you know how you can treat each of your guests individually, you might be wondering where to find the time and energy to do so. A hotel CRM cannot be estimated when it comes to automating your marketing efforts.

Let’s say you want to target guests with a specific nationality within a certain environment. It would cost lots of time to find each one of them manually. With a CRM, you can create filters to find all the guests that meet your criteria and send marketing campaigns to all of them with one click. 

And are your staff still writing each email/message from scratch? Your Customer Relationship Management system should enable you to build different triggers in your guest journey, for example, booking confirmations, check-in reminders, check-out surveys and more, and send emails/messages automatically. 

It can save lots of time from your workforce so they can focus on what’s more important - create personalised interactions with your guests. 

‍Learn more about how a hotel CRM can level up your marketing efforts here.

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Conclusion

Putting guests at the centre of all is now a necessity in the ever-competitive hospitality industry. By adopting a guest-centric approach and utilising a CDP and a CRM, you can position your hotel as the go-to choice for memorable and unique experiences. That’s how you can keep bringing guests back and boost your hotel business in the long term.

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