Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 1st Quarter 2019 | Page 86

ONLINE CHECK-IN AND PRE-REGISTRATION Guests value the convenience of online mobile check-in. This frees them from time at the front desk and lets the hotel know they are on property. Mobile pre-registration and check-in require minimal staff engagement. Guests receive an email with their arrival date confirming their reservation and providing a link for online check- in. Staff is typically made aware by the PMS of which guests checked-in online and when they will arrive. Housekeeping must also confirm if and when the appropriate room is vacant and clean. The staff must be trained on online check-in and pre-registration technology and procedures such as mobile key credential delivery and confirmation. Also, staff must be ready to assist guests who come to the desk with online check-in questions if they are unsure of how to use the technology. SOCIAL MEDIA Social media has proven to be a very effective way to engage guests, particularly for independent operators. Independents are experts at developing personal relationships and can often more freely engage with guests online. One advantage of social media engagement is that some hotel tech suppliers have developed direct-booking links for social media sites, like Facebook. These links enable guests to book a reservation directly from a social media page for greater convenience. Many properties turn to third-party contractors to handle online marketing and to respond to social media requests. This takes the weight of continuously monitoring social media channels, like Twitter, Facebook ,and Instagram off the property’s hands. If a property selects this method of guest engagement it is important that it hire contractors trained to understand and mirror a property’s online image. There are online social media tools that work well for automating part of a property’s online 86 ILHA presence. If the property decides to regularly use social media for guest engagement it must commit to maintaining and refreshing its online presence. Its content must be relevant to guests and the hotel. This includes creating compelling, time-sensitive promotions for upcoming events, developing special offers, and coordinating and advertising local activities to attract guests. All this must support a consistent online presence to maintain engagement and increase followers on the property’s social media feeds. LOYALTY PROGRAMS Loyalty programs enable hotels to engage with guests and expand relationships by creating frequent-stay programs that reward guests. Properties engage guests primarily with email to update them about frequent-stay points for guest visits, dining and other activities that accrue in a guest’s loyalty profile. Guests are provided with secure access to their frequent stay rewards program. This gives a property the opportunity to suggest promotions when guests view their loyalty points. Guests will value a well-implemented rewards program, and they will return to the site to look for promotions and book rooms. A property’s management and staff are an essential part of a successful guest engagement program. As you consider your strategy, schedule time to meet with your team and agree on the level of engagement you want to achieve and the resources needed to accomplish it. When your team is engaged, your guests will be too. Effectively deployed, the right guest engagement program will inevitably lead to improved guest experience, generate repeat stays, and create a family of loyal advocates for your property.