6 Ways to Engage with Your Guests Before They Arrive
Consumer expectations are constantly evolving. As such, Google Travel has named our modern time “the age of assistance.” This term doesn’t refer to traditional customer service, but the multi-layered communications approach required by nearly every brand with customers.
Most travel brands like airlines have jumped on board with this multi-layered approach. As a result, travelers have far higher expectations, even compared to just five years ago. Those expectations are so high because airlines, OTAs, and Airbnb have taken charge and set them there with tailored pre-trip communications.
But the reality is, we’ve noticed that hotels, especially independents and small groups, are not optimizing communications with guests between the booking confirmation and the day they set foot on the property. Hoteliers are missing the opportunity to build the brand relationship between the hotel and its guests, as guests have come to expect, and are missing out on the opportunity to create upsell opportunities.
Think about it. Pre-travel emails, texts, and push notifications are standard practice for airlines — even budget airlines — to reach out regularly to travelers after the booking and in the weeks and days leading up to a flight.
This is why hotels need to get with the times. While this might be daunting for hotels with fewer resources, the great part is, this kind of pre-trip communication series can be totally automated. Your marketing and/or ops team puts in the effort once to create the communication series, and that’s it. The messages run in the background, and you rake in the extra revenue and delight guests with no additional effort.
Here’s how this communication series might look to your guests:
1. Secure the Double Opt-in
As of May 25, 2018, the European Union’s new privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), went into effect. The law aims to protect the privacy rights of European Union (EU) citizens through stricter, more defined requirements for handling and processing personal data. GDPR also requires that companies obtain explicit consent from all EU consumers over how their personal data is used. Non-compliant companies will see fines up to 20 million euros or 4 percent of annual turnover (whichever is greater).
All organizations who provide goods or services to the EU or possess the personal data of an EU citizen are subject to the GDPR. If your hotel has personal data on any EU resident or citizen, regardless of your hotel’s location, the law applies. As such, this signals the end of forced opt-in, such as pre-ticked boxes on a form. It is now imperative to obtain an active opt-in from your guests before beginning any communication series.
Fortunately, this isn’t just a silly regulation holding you down. Multi-channel marketing is all about building and nurturing relationships and those relationships start by asking for permission. Coined by Seth Godin, permission marketing is not only the most effective, but the best way to ensure you have a good relationship with your customers.
We recommend a double opt-in approach to cover your bases. With double opt-in, upon signing up for email or text promotions, the guest receives a communication with a verification link. When they click this link, it confirms both their consent and the accuracy of their email address or mobile number. It also keeps a record of that consent, which is required by GDPR.
2. Booking Confirmation
For a guest staying with you for the first time, the booking confirmation email is the first one-to-one communication your hotel has with that guest. Since transactional emails tend to have much higher open rates than marketing emails, hoteliers should take this opportunity to go beyond a simple receipt and travel itinerary. Many guests, particularly millennials, prefer texts or to receive push notifications, so the first thing you should do is ask your guests for their preferred methods of communication. Second, you should highlight your brand promise and continue the work of setting expectations for the guest’s stay. It’s a great idea to include items like essential travel information, travel partners, and a call-to-action (CTA) to join your rewards program if you have one. You should aim to anticipate your guest’s needs as a traveler and also create additional revenue streams.
3. One Week Before Check-in: Value-add Message
The next message could very well be a value-add one week before the guest arrives. It might include recommended events and excursions around town that guests could purchase directly via a tap of their phone, or an opportunity to earn points with your rewards program. In anticipation of a fast-approaching trip, both of these offers work to build the brand relationship by bringing additional value to a guest, while at the same time opening revenue streams for your hotel.
4. Four Days Before Check-in: Reminder and Upsell Communications
Since guests often book travel weeks or months in advance, sometimes the booking confirmation gets lost. It’s a great idea to send them a reminder message with the confirmation code, travel itinerary, and other essential information a few days before they will need it. This is also a great opportunity to create a much stronger CTA for any upsell offers like room upgrades as well as booking dinner, spa and golf appointments on property.
5. One Day Before Check-in: Branding Reminder
The day before your guest arrives, you should continue setting expectations for their stay by reminding them of items like your upcoming on-property events or complimentary services like mobile check-in and airport shuttle. Southwest does this with a final reminder of the free in-flight services the day before the flight, establishing the Southwest brand as a friendly, value airline.
6. Day of Arrival: Welcome Email, Text, or Push Notification
Finally, the day of check-in is a great time to welcome the guest to your hotel with a friendly note. Many hotels do this with a brief message from the general manager and a link, button, or phone number by which the customer can contact the front desk or guest services. Beyond the welcome message, try offering your guests replacement of items they might have forgotten like a toothbrush or razor. Or, delight them with an offer to schedule in-room dining while waiting for the luggage at the airport. Depending on which communication mediums the guest has opted in to, these might include an email, text message or push notification. The idea is to show the guest you are awaiting their arrival and are eager to be at their service.
