Providing Personalized Service to Increase Hotel Revenue

The hospitality industry has long been trained to adapt a linear process wherein every interaction with a caller or a prospective guest is led down the pathway of “closing the deal”. Some hotel revenue managers refer to this as steps while some call it “tools”. Whatever the case, these programs essentially teach the front liners about how to build rapport, listen, observe, and turn the features of the hotel into benefits.

While it is true that these aspects are critical ingredients to increase GDS and increase hotel sales, it is also true that the hospitality landscape has dramatically changed through the years. Using outdated techniques will no longer work because guests are demanding more. Prospective clients are difficult to please. And the linear process that was used to close the deal previously is now only the first step in the process.

Today, the guests are comparing your hotel against multiple web images and virtual tours while they are on the phone with you at the same time. The information they receive empower them to be better informed and more demanding. Instead of being taken for the “step by step” process of selling, they have specific questions about the accommodation and hotel rate strategy. For example, if guests asked “Can you tell me more about your hotel” in the past, they are now asking questions like “Can you tell me if the deluxe rooms are located at the Eastern part of the hotel?” today.

When accepting today’s sales calls, it is difficult to expect what the first line of the conversation will be. A lot depends on the hotel’s location, rates, and market mix. This is not to say that the linear model should be completely ignored. In fact, every sales person should understand the basic concept of this selling technique. The solution lies in updating sales training programs to help the sales personnel come up with the unique challenges in the market.

Below are some suggestions on how this can be done:

• Hotel revenue managers should encourage sales agents to adapt the linear sales process according to the unique situational need of the caller
• The training personnel should listen to live calls from callers to know what callers actually need. The materials for the sales agents should meet these expectations accordingly
• Sales agents should develop the ability to listen and discover the bigger picture of what the caller needs
• The sales agents should build the caller’s confidence in the hotel to reinforce the company’s brand image