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It's common knowledge that perfection is often unreachable, and it's almost always professionally incorrect for anyone in any field to say their work is free of mistake. That being said, we've gathered and studied various areas where most of the errors happen in the hospitality business. We tried to manifest the best ways to avoid the mentioned mistakes, but practically, it falls on your shoulders to deal with your problems! Sorry, not sorry!
You know how hard it is to present your best as a hotelier. Sometimes to deal with guests' frustration, you'll have to be the calmest you can ever be and sometimes, to deal with specific problems, you'll need to put your assertive side card on the table. Either way, it's safe to say it's not the easiest of things to do. However, you can avoid making the same mistakes as others have done before you with a focused mind.
Also, keep in mind, hotel work is very delicate, as we all know. Even greeting your guests has its guidelines! We tried to shrink the list to keep the most common areas you may falter in. Let's take a look!
Guests' happiness is not only mandatory for you because you need the lovely review they'll leave for you, and it's also a plus point for your personal brand as a hotelier. A happy guest leaving your property with your name on their tongue is a sign that you're doing your work as you're supposed to.
Also, many people are naturally not as talkative; some don't even ask for what they need just because they shy out. Proper communication for a hotelier is where you include all your guests in your day to day communications. Keep everything - and everyone - in moderation.
Many people - especially businessmen and businesswomen - talk about motivation in workplaces. As a manager, it's definitely a part of your job to keep your personnel motivated, whereas it's more of a teamwork attitude as a hotelier. What I mean by this is that, to whoever is reading this as a hotel worker, motivation for your colleagues has to come from your manager. However, if your manager is overlooking motivation in your workplace, you can do it yourself. Pat your teammates on their back whenever they're doing something right, or teach them if they're doing something improperly.
We have learned a lot in the time of the pandemic. If the pandemic had taught me one thing, I'd say it was "how important it is for people to adapt." We watched many start-ups and businesses rise to the occasion as some others shut down regrettably. The reason why? Adaptation.
In 2020, regardless of how bad the situation was in the travel industry, many properties set their eyes on the world's newest technologies to beat the COVID outbreak. Many were successful, again pointing out how vital adaptation is in business.
All in all, as a hotel worker, you must adapt to the worlds latest technologies and methods to keep your property relevant. And in an industry as active as the travel industry, it's not necessarily a piece of cake to do so!
What's the first word or the first picture that comes to your mind when we say "hotel"? A single room? A spa? A hotel's looks? Good services and staff? How about all the above?
The point here is, as a hotel, your job is to sell your guests a good experience, not a rental room. The design of your rooms, the utilities and even how you speak to the travellers make up the travellers' experience. Your hotel is a place to sell a journey, not a room!
The average guest looks up your website or at least googles the name of your property once before checking in. Whichever platform you're using to put yourself out there, you must make sure you're presenting your property well enough and then make sure you're not overdoing it.
Many hotels make the mistake of photoshopping pictures to make them look perfect, which is not the best way to do it. Alternatively, you can hire professional photographers to take lovely photos of your property, or if the budget is limited, you can at least take better pictures yourself. Present yourself as you are on your social media, website, and booking platform. Making anticipations and not delivering is poisonous for your brand!
