The arrival of TripAdvisor has meant that your hotel’s reputation can be scrutinized at the click of a button. Your very guests are now also your critics and it is up to you to meet their ever-increasing standards.
That is why ensuring that each and every guest is happy and satisfied throughout their stay has to be the number one priority for every hotel owner.
Failure to do so has huge implications, mainly because it’s going to impact that all-important rating. TripAdvisor has raised guest expectations and at the same time provided guests with a platform to share their opinions. These stats really highlight its importance:
Before making a purchase, 96% of travelers consult reviews, and a recent survey survey from TripAdvisor found that the site is visited by 74% of all travelers who later book on a hotel site.
Hotels are becoming increasingly obsessed with TripAdvisor, and rightly so, but what they need to understand is that the platform provides you with a real opportunity to engage with potential customers at a highly influential time in the buying process.
One of the best ways to do this is to get to rethink customer service and to pay more attention to housekeeping.
1.- Getting the basics right
The role of the housekeeping department goes beyond just cleanliness. These are nothing more than basic requirements that we’ve come to expect, no matter how much the room costs.
So it should come as no surprise that cleanliness is the number one factor for making a guest return as well as for potential guests looking for a room.
Rooms are the heart of the hotel because without them there would be no hotel. And this is why housekeeping’s role in delivering guests with a room that matches their expectations has such a big impact on their experience at a hotel.
2.- Going the extra mile
This provides all the reason for your housekeeping department to go the extra mile and deliver on the smaller things that make a big difference. It’s the role of housekeeping to remember the smaller details of the guest’s personal preferences.
Think towel animals, extra coffee or having a fresh bucket of ice upon your arrival. It’s all about creating memorable experiences for guests and this is where housekeeping has such an important role to play.
The memorable experiences are what you look back on and is what inclines guests to leave positive reviews.
3.- The missing ingredient to improving your TripAdvisor rating
Housekeeping is the key component to improving your TripAdvisor rating as it gives you a real opportunity to enhance the guest experience.
By providing the best possible service, guests leave satisfied and present you with the opportunity of attracting more customers through TripAdvisor.
Remember, guests are given three criteria when leaving a review:
• Service
• Location
• Value
Of the three, it’s service which is the easiest to improve. Changing your price is tough and changing your location even tougher.
So, if your housekeeping department can create that much desired "home away from home" experience, full of memorable experiences then your TripAdvisor rating will reap the benefits.