How The Hospitality Industry Can Delight Customers Through Push Notifications
In 2015, global hotel industry revenue was 493.76 billion U.S. dollars. And this trend is only going to grow further in the future, with growth in disposable income. More and more people are spending on travel and spas. And recognizing this trend, disruptive players are emerging in the market, while the established companies are churning out innovative strategies to stay on top of their game.
With more competition vying to secure a larger market share in the hospitality space, it has become necessary to keep customers constantly engaged and satisfied in the long run. But, how does one do that? Well, web push notifications help you solve a larger fraction of this puzzle.
Web push notifications are tiny clickable messages that appear on the users’ device screens instantly. They can contain images and 148 character messages that nudge users to click on them. You can link these notifications to any landing page on your website.
Related: Get More Subscribers With The Right Push Notification Opt-in Strategy
There are many benefits of using this medium for your website. Here are 7 ways to keep your customers happy by sending well-timed push notifications.
1. Welcome them onboard
You might have a great website and a host of services. But, if your subscribers don’t understand how to avail them or have difficulty navigating through your website, you’ll see them bidding you adieu! Resolve this by sending them a series of timely welcome notifications right after they subscribe. Doing so, you can ensure that your subscribers have a smooth and seamless experience with your website. Take a look at the example below to understand how you can pull this off.
2. Personalize notifications to convert better
Your website may offer cab booking services, hotel booking or even spa experiences. But urging customers to make the first purchase is a crucial step to building that strong bridge between your brand and them. Make a strong impact on your customers by personalizing your push notifications. How do you do that? Segmentation is the key!
When you segment your push notification subscribers based on various parameters, like on-site behavior, you’re likely to get 2X click rates on those personalized pushes! For instance, if they browsed through spa packages while booking a couple’s suite, send them a notification about pre-booking a spa therapy for two.
Combine that with your other marketing channels, like emails, and you’ll be witnessing an archipelago of clicks and subsequent purchases!
3. Woo them with incentives
So now your subscribers are familiar with your website and have been checking out your push notifications. Now, just like how The North Remembers, it’s time for you to make your subscribers remember you too. Ideally, you should practice this type of brand recall after the first purchase itself.
Nudge them with incentives like discounts, combo offers, early bird access, among other things. Based on your subscribers’ engagement with your portal, vary your incentive strategy and interval time. This way, you’ll see steady engagement levels, nudging them to return to your portal often to get the best rewards.
4. Send a pre-booking reminder
After the prodding and baby talk, show them the substance your portal is made of. Send your subscribers pre-booking reminders! Did someone book a spa service? Then remind them that their appointment is around the corner and give them discounts on cab services to stay relaxed. If you’re sending them a series of notifications, ensure that you don’t overdo it. Space them out over a strategic time interval, with relevant messages. This is a great method to give them a unique experience with your portal, and you’ll have a larger and stronger fan following!
5. Ask for feedback on services availed
Improvisation is the key to sustaining any business. We strive daily to improve our services, skills, and the experience we want to give our subscribers and customers alike. And there’s no better way to do so than hearing it from the horse’s mouth, what they loved and what can be refined further! Once your subscriber has availed of a service from you, send them a notification that leads them to a page with a quick set of succinct questions about their experience. Not only will you understand them better, but you’ll also make them feel heard and cared for.
6. Give tailor-made recommendations
Consumers love things that perfectly outline their interests and needs. And thanks to push notifications, brands can meet these demands effectively. Suppose a customer booked an air ticket on a sale, which flies to Amsterdam. You’d want to send them backpacker hostel recommendations. Now, how would you know if that customer prefers a hostel or a fancy hotel room? You segment! This is the answer to understanding them better, which will help you in sending them personalized recommendations that will make them go Aha, delightfully.
7. Offer loyalty program packages
When you notice a slight decline in booking activity or even engagement levels, turn the tide by sending push notifications about loyalty programs or membership packages. Ensure that the copy of your notification clearly states the value proposition. For example, send a notification that states that they can avail up to 50% discount on services on weekdays and that they can buy them within a certain time period. With the combination of such a package and the FOMO created by the limited nature of the offer, you’ll see a better response!
The hospitality industry is all about providing the customers with amazing experiences. And push notifications catapult you towards reaching your goal quickly, with great long-term results. Keep these pointers in mind when devising a push messaging strategy for your brand.
Originally published on The Marketer’s Last Mile — the PushCrew Blog.
(You can signup and start using PushCrew Web Push Notifications for free here.)
