Welcome to part 1 of a 3 part series we’re featuring on guest communications. For this series we are joined by Russell Bullen of DGX (Digital Guest Experiences) as he shares some simple and effective ways to better communicate with your guests.
Part 1 – Booking essentials – automated guest communications.
Whether you’re shopping online for clothing, home-wares or even appliances, these days we expect a great experience well before the parcel even arrives.
The same can be said for Hotels. Ever booked a Hotel and not receive a booking confirmation? Even leading up to our stay we double check the booking to make sure there’s a room booked for when we arrive. All this before we’ve even stepped foot inside the Hotel.
Admittedly I’ve booked the right Hotel on the wrong dates before…but hey. We’re only human right?
There are a number of ways we can use email and SMS messaging as a simple and effective way to build a great first impression and make guests feel welcome . In fact, we can use these methods to check how much they enjoyed their stay….all without lifting a finger.
Simple right? In fact, it is these days. Many Hotel management systems offer what we called a ‘trigger’ based solution that can send communications to guests pre, during and post stay. GuestCentrix E-Messaging Solution is one of those systems that does a super job of sending guests either beautifully designed emails they can read on their phone, or an SMS.
We use the word ‘trigger’ in the sense that you can automate when the confirmation email goes out, send a reminder based upon the cancellation policy and many more ways to select certain guests for specific communications.
Imagine having a quiet restaurant and sending guests a quick SMS to come down for Happy Hour!
Or even promoting a spa treatment to in house guests in a beautiful email with inspiring photos..
What about a ‘Book Direct and Save’ offer after they’ve checked out? And let’s not forget to ask them to rate you on Tripadvisor etc. Phew…that’s a lot!
All this and more can be achieved using a system like E-Messaging . No need to cut and paste or export and import information, the system accesses all the guest information it needs to allow you to connect with your guests.
Join me for Part 2 as we dive into some great ways you can connect with your guests once they’ve checked in.
Talk to Duncan Waterman (Duncan.waterman@cmshospitality.com) about the power of E-Messaging by CMS Hospitality.
Russell is an experienced Hotelier with over 28 years industry experience, specifically in Digital, Technology and Marketing. In 2016 his agency was nominated as a finalist in the national ADMA awards for best use of Digital in Tourism. Russell is a regular guest lecturer on Tourism and Marketing at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
