The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4th, 2024
The Art of a Great Arrival for Luxury Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 22nd, 2024
Customer Satisfaction With Hotels Continues Free Fall, While Online Travel Agencies Bounce Back Slightly
ACSI | April 26, 2022
ANN ARBOR, Mich.--Customers have started to scratch their travel itch once again, but expectations aren’t being met. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Travel Study 2021-2022, satisfaction with airlines is flying in the wrong direction, hotels aren’t hosting happy guests, and car rentals can’t get back on track. Online travel agencies are the only industry to improve customer satisfaction, but not by much. “Many folks ventured out to travel for the first time since the pandemic hit only to be met with lackluster service and dashed hopes,” says Forrest Morgeson, Assistant Professor of Marketing at M...
Traveler Trends and Hotel Guest Behavior – What’s Changed, What’s New, What’s Next?
Preetham Shetty | April 26, 2022
By Preetam Shetty There is no denying it – the COVID-19 pandemic inspired a global shift that very few of us saw coming, ushering in a period that was affectionately (and later, tirelessly) referred to as the new normal. For the better part of two years, the public stayed home, donned masks, limited social contact, traded in-person meetings for Zoom meetings, postponed events and celebrations, and, en masse, canceled travel plans for the foreseeable future. While the global economy was under immense pressure with each passing lockdown and new restrictions, few industries were more gravely impacted than travel and tourism. Seemingly ...
How to Deal With Customer Complaints: The Perfect Thing to Say
Shep Hyken | April 21, 2022
By Shep Hyken There are many ways to deal with complaints or angry customers. I’ve written a number of articles on the different ways to do so, and today I want to add an excellent technique. The idea is to say something that lets the customer know you understand the problem, you’re in sync with their concerns, and you empathize with their frustration, anger or whatever emotion they’re exhibiting. I refer to this as The Perfect Thing to Say. This is more than apologizing and acknowledging the customer, which are steps one and two of my five-step process for dealing with angry customers. When a customer brings you a pro...
When It Comes to Inspiring Loyalty and Direct Bookings, FOMO Marketing Is Out, and Instant Gratification Is In
Ellis Connolly | April 20, 2022
In today’s fast-paced and competitive landscape, guests have high expectations of convenience and a low tolerance for delays, gimmicks, or friction By Ellis Connelly What is the best way to incentivize behavior? This line of questioning keeps marketers and business owners up at night. Why? Because brands can’t protect their bottom line without generating revenue, and they can’t generate revenue without nudging their customer toward a desired purchase. Hospitality professionals, especially, are familiar with this challenge, as travelers are constantly inundated with options and competing product offerings at every stage of their...
The Don CeSar Provides “InnSpired” Luxury and Convenience With Guest Experience Mobile App and Integrated Technology Suite From InnSpire
InnSpire | April 19, 2022
Iconic Florida property teams up with leading hotel technology provider to empower guests with unrestricted access to luxury amenities through a comprehensive mobile-based Digital Guest Journey that provides convenience at every touchpoint St. Pete Beach, FL, USA – April 19, 2022 – InnSpire, the leading provider of a comprehensive technology suite that helps drive a seamless, world-class guest experience for some of the world’s most iconic hotels and brands, has partnered with The Don CeSar, a historic property located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, to provide a comprehensive suite of technology solutions designed to maximize and streaml...
Empeiria High Sierra Hotel Selects INTELITY for Mobile Guest Experience
INTELITY | April 18, 2022
With the INTELITY platform, the Mammoth Lakes hotel will elevate experiences for explorers Los Angeles, CA - April 18, 2022 - INTELITY®, provider of hospitality’s broadest guest experience and staff management platform, announced today a new partnership with Empeiria High Sierra Hotel in Mammoth Lakes. The destination hotel for outdoor adventurers will implement the INTELITY guest-facing suite of tools, including a branded mobile app, mobile check-in, mobile key, and guest messaging. Powered by INTELITY’s cloud-based platform, Empeiria’s branded mobile app is set to deliver a more convenient and digital guest experience for the mo...
The Day I Became a Customer Service Expert and Two Important Lessons
Shep Hyken | April 13, 2022
By Shep Hyken “Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This line has been credited to Confucius, Mark Twain, Mark Anthony and others. Anyone who finds what they love to do at work, either through a passion, hobby, interest, a random job they end up loving, or some defining moment is lucky. That makes me one of the lucky ones. Just out of college I started my career as a customer service expert. It wasn’t a random job I applied for. It was a chosen profession that had its roots in something that happened to me when I was younger, an event that caused me to become obsessed with customer service. I’v...
What Hotel Guests Really Want: It Might Surprise You
Venkatesh Sakamuri | April 6, 2022
You don't need the resources of a large global brand or chain to take the steps that will keep your guests coming back for more By Venkat Sakamuri What do hotel guests really want from the hotels they frequent? And what are they willing to pay more for? As we collectively move beyond the challenges presented by the pandemic, hoteliers view these questions with renewed interest. Not only has the industry changed, but the world at large has changed. So what does that mean? Surely, travel behaviors have changed to adapt to the new normal, and what guests want from hotels today might be different. Guests now crave a more customizable exper...
Self-Service Technologies: The Next Frontier in Hotel Service
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | March 29, 2022
Self-service technologies (SSTs) have simplified many aspects of everyday life. However, their relatively recent introduction means that the pros and cons of SST adoption in the hotel industry are still being explored. The potential advantages of SSTs notwithstanding, hotels in China seem to have some reservations, say Professor Kam Hung of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and her co-researcher. Without a clear understanding of how preferences for SSTs over human staff are formed, hoteliers are perhaps right to be wary. Moving beyond previous work, this ambitious study integrates indivi...
5 Ways Technology Can Enhance the Guest Experience
Emily Teachout | March 3, 2022
By Emily Teachout Guests are the most important part of any hospitality business, so their satisfaction should always be top priority. A quality guest experience strategy will empower you to maintain strong customer relationships by providing opportunities to authentically interact with your guests, and in turn, provides guests with an optimized experience. Technology can further boost your efforts by providing additional options, control, and personalization. If you’re unsure where to start, explore these five technology enhancements that add to the guest experience. 1. Interactive Guest Portals Travel restrictions due to COVID us...
Think Simplicity Integrates SimplyChat SMS Capabilities to Its Cloud Communication Platform
Think Simplicity | March 2, 2022
Integrated solution now provides easy access to SMS to enhance the guest experience and streamline operations BONITA SPRINGS, Fla., March 2, 2022 — Think Simplicity, a cloud communication technology provider of all-inclusive voice and chat solutions for the hospitality industry, announced today the launch of SimplyChat™, an integrated, seamless way to communicate with staff and guests via SMS. By bringing the entire communication platform together seamlessly via the cloud, hoteliers have the opportunity to enhance the guest experience. Hoteliers are looking to simplify their technology spend, however installing and managing new phone ...
Cloud5 Launches “Flip to SIP” Program to Provide Simple, Cost-Effective Path to FCC Telecommunications Compliance
Cloud5 Communications | March 1, 2022
New program offers hoteliers a solution to avoiding rate increases as FCC works to sunset copper-based telephone service lines. Chicago, IL. — March 1, 2022, Cloud5 Communications, a leading provider of communications solutions and Managed IT Services for more than 5,000 hotels, MDUs, and commercial facilities across the Americas, has today announced the unveiling of its “Flip to SIP” program in response to the FCC mandate requiring the termination of POTs-based telecommunication lines. The program is specifically designed to provide businesses with a streamlined, cost-effective solution to transition to more modern telepho...
Beachy Builds Executive Team With Appointment of Third Hospitality Industry Veteran
Beachy | February 24, 2022
Resort technology solution provider accelerates 2022 growth initiatives with addition of three highly respected hospitality industry professionals. Miramar Beach, FL – February 24, 2022 – Beachy, a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality solutions purpose-built for outdoor use, today announced the appointment of Beth McClure to senior vice president of marketing. The third addition to the Beachy executive leadership team in recent months, Ms. McClure joins Tim Hansen who was named senior vice president of business development earlier this year, and Michael Hinojosa who has been leading strategic product direction as vice president o...
INTELITY Partners With Paramount Hotels to Offer Guests Complete Mobile Experience
INTELITY | February 23, 2022
Boutique hotel collection transforms digital guest experience across three properties Los Angeles, CA — February 23, 2022 — INTELITY®, the provider of hospitality’s broadest guest experience and staff management platform, announced today a new partnership with Paramount Hotels. This collaboration will see the INTELITY platform implemented across three properties including Paramount Hotel Seattle, Paramount Hotel Portland, and Maui Coast Hotel. Each property will be outfitted with guest-facing features including a branded app, mobile check-in, mobile key, smart-room tablets and GEMS®, INTELITY’s staff-facing suite of tool...
Make Your Customer Smarter: Create an Educational Experience
Shep Hyken | February 17, 2022
By Shep Hyken It’s natural that you would gravitate toward a person you perceived as an expert. When someone demonstrates a level of expertise and shares information you didn’t know, you tend to trust them. That expertise creates confidence. For example, when you go to Best Buy and are looking for a new TV, you’ll find there are so many to choose from. Even when they have them all hanging on a wall, turned on so you can compare the quality of the pictures, it’s still confusing as to why one would be so much more expensive than another. They are the same size, and many have similar great pictures. So which TV should you buy?...
A Restaurant That Offers Car Washes on the Menu
Shep Hyken | February 3, 2022
By Shep Hyken I recently wrote an article about the little surprises that companies – and people – sometimes give us when we do business with them. We received some great feedback, and it got me thinking of other ways to surprise our customers. That’s what this follow-up is about. I’m often surprised at how companies find ways to improve a customer experience with something that has nothing to do with what they sell. It’s best illustrated with an example. I pulled into a restaurant parking lot where there were several valets waiting to park our car. The gentleman opening my door greeted me and then asked, “While you’re ...
Verdant Thermostats Deliver Seamless Compatibility With LG VRF Systems
Verdant Environmental Technologies | February 1, 2022
Montreal, Quebec – Verdant is proud to announce a new collaboration with LG Electronics, U.S.A.’s Air Conditioning Technologies that allows for seamless integration of Verdant’s energy management thermostats with the LG Multi V™ VRF series product line available in the United States. Whereas some other HVAC controls rely on costly third-party adaptors to achieve such integrations, the collaboration between Verdant and LG ensures a native integration using LG’s VRF InDoor Unit protocol, preserving the full benefits of thermostat and VRF system alike. “We estimate that over 25 percent of new construction projects in our core m...
Mills James’ Secret to Meeting and Event Success Is Service
MILLS JAMES | January 25, 2022
Exceptional pre-production sales and service is enabling this boutique hospitality AV group — named ‘Best AV Provider’ in Ohio — to bring revenue-generating differentiation to hotels COLUMBUS, OHIO — January 25, 2022 — Award-winning hospitality audiovisual services provider Mills James attributes its ongoing success and growth to one thing: SERVICE. Recently named Best Audiovisual Provider by Ohio Business Magazine, Mills James helps corporations and nonprofits connect with their audiences through relationship building and event objective deep dives. With offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Boston, ...
Five Lessons on How to Personalize the Customer Experience
Shep Hyken | January 6, 2022
By Shep Hyken I love to receive great examples of outstanding customer service. I’m always on the lookout for great stories, whether I personally experience them, or they are sent in by our followers. What I share with you today is a great example of personalized and proactive communication. While I provide the lessons, the example comes from one of our subscribers, Dawn Mushill, who shared a letter that BarkBox wrote to one of its customers. BarkBox caters to dog owners and lovers and is a subscription business that sends a box of dog toys and treats to dogs – actually to the dog owners – every month. Recently, some severe torna...
How Much Do You Trust Your Customers?
Shep Hyken | January 3, 2022
By Shep Hyken One of our loyal subscribers, Darrell Grant, The CXO at Hightower Wealth Advisors, shared a great story that provides an excellent customer experience learning opportunity. Darrell stopped by a local bakery to pick up some treats for a client. There was a longer than usual line, and some of the customers were becoming frustrated. Apparently, the internet was down so they couldn’t ring up sales. The staff was struggling. The customers were frustrated. That’s when a staff member asked the customers to please be patient, and they excused themselves for about two minutes, stepping away to discuss the problem....
Lodging Interactive Launches CoMMingle-PLUS Premium Customer Engagement Service
Lodging Interactive | January 3, 2022
Lodging Interactive, award-winning digital marketing, and social media engagement agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of its CoMMingle-PLUS customer engagement service for resorts and luxury hotels. CoMMingle-PLUS provides properties with the highest level of guest engagement services 7 days a week with social media marketing, direct social media messaging responses with property escalations, and customized guest review responses for all OTA sites and Google Business. “CoMMingle-PLUS is like having your own in-house social media marketing and guest review response departments with all the ...
How Hoteliers Are Tapping Into Technology to Bolster Ancillary Revenue and Boosting Customer Satisfaction
Shawn Tarter | December 16, 2021
By Shawn Tartar Hoteliers worldwide are embracing a significant return of leisure travel through the end of the year while anticipating a massive spike during winter holiday periods. Many are turning to technology to drive revenue while providing a personalized experience to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty. The trend towards technological innovation began before COVID-19 but is increasing in acceptance, as hoteliers and customers understand the critical role of technology in managing their stay. There’s little question that hoteliers are reviewing, updating, and embracing traditional customer-facing services thanks ...
Customer Experience Transformation: How to Get the Essentials Right First
Dr. Alessandro Inversini | December 13, 2021
By Dr. Alessandro Inversini If we believe that the customer experience is the future of business, then understanding how your customers perceive their interactions with your company is a vital key to success. Getting essential customer experience right in every touchpoints can lead to more meaningful and transformative moments during the customer journey. What exactly is Customer Experience? Customer Experience is a multifaced concept which can be understood as the cumulative cognitive, affective, sensorial and behavioral impact of multiple touchpoints interactions between an organization and a specific customer. In other words, cus...
Here’s a New Word: Skimpflation
Shep Hyken | December 9, 2021
By Shep Hyken The other day my friend asked me, “Is mediocrity the new customer experience?” He mentioned how he’s had to wait longer when he called customer support and that there weren’t enough cashiers at the grocery store. I said, “You are a victim of skimpflation.” The word skimpflation was introduced recently on NPR’s Planet Money podcast. I’ve already written several articles about this ugly word, and I thought it was time to introduce it here. Skimpflation is a result of rising business costs and the labor shortage caused by what we’ve been calling The Great Resignation, in which employ...
