Few industries rely as much on customer satisfaction as the hotel industry. When a guest checks in to stay at your hotel, they bring not only their luggage but also their expectations of the accommodation – a nice room with fresh, clean sheets, smooth check-in, comfortable temperature, good breakfast, and a friendly receiving from the staff.
Unfortunately, a good reputation can easily be torn down by negative reviews from dissatisfied visitors. So, what can you do to ensure that your hotel meets your guests’ expectations?
4 ways to turn dissatisfaction into customer satisfaction in your hotel:
1. Slow or inconvenient check-in
Hotel guests want to avoid queues at the reception and they want rooms that are ready upon arrival. According to a survey by Zebra Technologies, 70% of guests want to be able to use their mobile phones to check in when staying at a hotel. Business travelers in particular expect fast and smooth access to their rooms when they arrive at a hotel. 67% of travelers even say they choose hotels that offer smartphone check-in.
What you can do:
Today, there are several apps and digital platforms on the market that make it possible for you to offer your guests a smoother check-in experience, incresing the customer satisfaction. Read up on the options and investigate which solution best suits your business.
What function Solutions can do:
By removing the traditional key card holder from the hotel room and replacing it with function Solutions’ keyless — or as we like to call it — Cardless solution, your guests can check in via the hotel’s own mobile application and go directly to their rooms upon arrival, without having to stand in line at the reception. The Cardless feature also ensures that the rooms only consume energy when the guest is actually inside, making it a more sustainable solution.
An example of how converting dissatisfaction into customer satisfaction can be remarkably easy.
2. Incorrect temperature
Temperature is a real challenge for many hotels to solve in a satisfactory way for the guest. We all have different preferences when it comes to room temperature when staying at a hotel, and a guest who is freezing or sweating all night is unlikely to return to your hotel anytime soon.
What you can do:
Review the basic settings in the thermostat or air conditioning. Make sure to have some portable heaters and fans available for guests who are too cold or too hot.
What function Solutions can do:
With function Solutions’ computer-based Guest Room Management System, the hotel staff can easily control and monitor all the rooms’ important functions and electrical equipment such as ventilation and underfloor heating. The staff can thus regulate the temperature according to the guest’s wishes without even having to enter the room. The control panels installed in the room also make it possible for guests to adjust the temperature themselves by a few degrees for increased comfort and customer satisfaction.
Read more about how function Solutions recently helped the popular Amerikalinjen hotel in Oslo to solve a recurring issue with room temperature here.
3. Malfunctioning technology
If technology fails to operate properly, it can lead to adverse effects on your customers, staff, and ultimately, your business. The business may even suffer from financial losses if you need to shut down one or more rooms while waiting for the issue to be resolved.
What you can do:
Avoid unnecessary complaints and frustrations by checking the room and making sure everything is working properly before the guests arrive. If the problem cannot be solved immediately, offer guests another room while the problems are being addressed.
What function Solutions can do:
function Solutions offers a smooth solution where all the room’s functions are combined in one single installation and connected to a GRM system where the staff has full oversight of all the technical functions in the room. Air conditioning, comfortably heated floors, the ability to connect one’s own device to speakers via Bluetooth, and a night light in the bathroom where the light automatically turns on when you enter the room. These are all examples of smart room functions that can be easily integrated to ensure great customer experience. The system can also troubleshoot deviations and prepare the rooms for each new guest or season. By consolidating the controls in a single installation, you also save time and cables and at the same time reduce the risk of having to shut down an entire floor in connection with installation or renovation.
4. Annoying lighting or sound
The lighting in a room not only affects how we perceive the room, but also how we feel when we stay in it. However, many hotels do not provide sufficient or appropriate lighting options. It can be anything from a thermostat that buzzes or lights up even after the guest has turned off the lamp and crawled under the covers, to the disturbance when you have to turn on the bathroom light from the outside of the bathroom in the middle of the night (and risk waking up other sleeping guests in the room).
What you can do:
Make sure that all the lighting inside the rooms and in the hotel’s other areas is pleasant and tailored to the room’s functions.
What function Solutions can do:
function Solutions’ GRM system can integrate smart features such as a night light in the bathroom where the light automatically turns on only when someone enters the room. By clearly marking the interfaces, such as thermostats, light switches, and curtain controls, guests have a better overview of the functions. We ensure that all installations are soundless and that the light in buttons and thermostats only activates when the user is standing in front of them. This allows for a good night’s sleep without annoying sound or light.
Interested in discovering ways to enhance customer satisfaction in your hotel business?
