Fixing your guest communication: How to effectively reach your guests

As hoteliers, effective communication with guests is paramount to delivering a great guest experience. Effective communication involves different things, but we can split it into two main areas: what are you saying and how you are saying it. 

The first part refers to all the messages your brand puts out on its different channels, either website, app, OTAs, social media, WhatsApp, SMS, among others. What topics are you talking about? Are you covering your guests’ needs and delivering value or talking about your brand 24/7?

The second part refers to all the formats you are using to communicate these messages. How are you approaching them? Is your communication consistent with your brand essence? Are you using the right channels? Are you communicating clearly? 

If your communication is effective and efficient, the consequence not only will be a positive first impression, but a consistently positive experience during the entire stay. It will set your brand apart from your competitors, increasing the chances of positive reviews and word of mouth.

However, it's not all smooth sailing. 

Common challenges in guest communication include language barriers, miscommunication due to cultural differences, overwhelming guest journeys and the potential for technical glitches in communication tools. 

In this article, we'll explore an actionable framework to fix your guest communication strategy with ease.

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1. Get insights to understand your guests

Understanding your guests is the first step towards compelling communication. But what does understanding mean? It implies having clear who your guests are, where they are coming from, what type of guests they are (is it mostly leisure or business? Family stays or romantic ones?), and to what age group the majority of guests belong to. 

You can easily get information about your guests by looking into your guest data, which must be stored in your hospitality CRM software. The right software will provide you with easy-to-read reports and clean data so you can start taking action immediately.

Once you know your guests, you can start identifying the main groups among them. This means, grouping them based on their different characteristics, and identifying their unique needs and preferences. 

This will help you to map out the different messages you can send to them, making sure value is always delivered. Personalising your communication can go a long way in creating meaningful connections with your guests, especially because you will have fewer chances of being seen as spam or them clicking on the unsubscribe button.

If you want to learn more about the different types of guests and segments you can create, read this article: 9 audiences you can create for better hotel marketing campaigns.

Thinking about using your guest data can be scary or even difficult, but it doesn’t have to. In this video, we share a few tips on how data can become your most powerfool tool.

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2. Choose the right communication channels

When it comes to proactive communication, this means, the messages you send to your guests on your own account, you need to choose the right channels. Whether it's email or messaging apps, understanding the channel preferences of your guests is vital in improving guest satisfaction. 

By reading your guest data and the information available in your hotel CRM, you can already get an idea of what channels they prefer and which campaigns have had the highest conversion rate. If your guests from 18 to 25 are not opening your emails but engaging a lot with WhatsApp, why keep this channel in your strategy? 

Furthermore, keep in mind that integrating multiple channels allows your guests to choose their desired method, making the experience seamless and enjoyable. They will be able to say “Hey, I preferred to be contacted via SMS instead of email”, and you will be right there to provide a great communication experience.

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3. Craft clear and engaging messages 

Crafting clear and engaging messages is another crucial aspect of effective communication. You are not just selling an accommodation but an experience. And your communication should reflect that. 

No matter if it is a WhatsApp campaign, your brand’s website or social media profile, the messages should be clear, consistent and attractive. For example, highlighting the essential benefits can help guests quickly digest relevant information, while talking about local attractions can help them plan their vacation.

Storytelling is crucial for special campaigns and offers. If you are targeting couples, don’t just communicate a 20% discount on the romantic suite but a “20% discount and the opportunity to reconnect with your partner”. Do you see the difference? 

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4. Be responsive and timely

There is nothing worse than waiting hours to get a simple answer. Don’t make your guests go through that situation. Being responsive and timely is of utmost importance in communication. 

Use technology to help you on this matter. For example, Bookboost’s Unified Inbox allows you to create a chatbot that can take over once the reservations or front desk team is not available. In this way, even if a guest sends a message at 3AM, they will receive a prompt response. 

On the other hand, the more control you have over your communication channels, the better. If you gather all your accounts into one platform, you will help your team get rid of other tools and answer every message quickly using one single overview.

The less they wait, the better for you. Imagine losing the opportunity to upgrade a room or to buy additional services because it took you too long to respond to their inquiry and now they lost interest. That doesn’t sound so good for the business, right? 

5. Deliver relevant and valuable information

Review your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and ask yourself if any other information can be missing and would help your guests have it. Use this information to feed your chatbot, so guests can receive the main answers instantly without having to wait for a human.

The same goes for your hotel marketing campaigns. Providing relevant and valuable information through your communication can help you establish a deeper connection with your guests. Sharing helpful tips, making personalised offers and promotions, and keeping guests informed about any updates or changes can lead to loyal and satisfied guests.

Learn more about how to craft your pre-stay communication in this article: 8 pre-stay communication ideas to increase guest satisfaction

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6. Handle difficult situations

Handling difficult situations is challenging, but it's essential to maintaining good guest relationships. Dealing with guest complaints and negative feedback in a professional and prompt manner can turn negative experiences into positive ones. Addressing issues head-on and effectively can demonstrate to your guests that their satisfaction is a top priority.

This is a very important aspect of your communication and all your team should be trained in this area.

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7. Be consistent in improving your communication

Finally, continuous improvement is vital to staying ahead of the curve in guest communication. Collecting feedback from your guests, analysing communication metrics, and implementing changes based on learned insights and trends will keep your communication strategies relevant and effective.

Get inspired with this tips to increase your guest engagement in this article.

In a nutshell

Effective guest communication is undeniably the cornerstone of a delightful guest experience in the world of hospitality. Clear, friendly, and tailored communication, not only sets the stage for a positive guest encounter but also fosters a sense of value and satisfaction among guests.

Understanding guests, channel selection, message crafting, responsiveness, information delivery, conflict resolution, and continuous improvement, serves as a roadmap for hoteliers and property managers to elevate their guest communication strategies. 

By putting these principles into practice, your guest journey will be marked by meaningful connections, memorable experiences, and a desire to return leading to the long-term success of your hotel.

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