As everything we thought we knew shifts to online while COVID-19 spreads around the globe, your hotel guests need you to keep showing up, serve and lead. Everyone is trying to make sense of the world and over the next couple of weeks or months, we will all need to get ready to trade in kindness. Guest messaging tools offer the perfect solution to stay in touch.
While self-isolating at home, it’s comforting to hear from the people and places that we know and love. In fact, this is probably the biggest opportunity for online communications since the beginning of the digital era. Using messaging tools to regularly communicate with the guests that have been frequenting your establishment recently can put them at ease and help to manage stress levels as well as mental health. After all, a big part of hospitality is about making people feel good, rather than simply getting them out of pocket.
There is no better time than a crisis to stand up for what you believe in as a brand and show how much you value your regular guests, whether they are spending money or not. Be present in your communications now while your staff has more time on their hands to use online guest messaging technology. Open up and show that you are dealing with the same reality as everyone else and that you are taking your role within our society seriously. The hospitality industry adds enchantment and meaning to life that far surpasses what it is worth in profit. Put your values in focus now with a steady flow of online guest messaging and information that builds trust.
There are many technology tools that can give you the opportunity to personalize your communications and make guests feel recognized and seen during this downtime, even when they are temporarily tucked away from the public eye and may be facing many challenges. They allow you to build strong relationships during a time where people are all holding their breath and watching who keeps on checking in and who falls off the radar when times are tough. Right now is a key moment to reevaluate our priorities and spend our time doing the things that are really important. For us as human beings, a lot of this revolves around staying connected in ways that will set us up for a more heartfelt and meaningful future.
The one thing we do know is that the current situation is temporary. Sooner or later the economy will bounce back and life will take on a more stable pace once again. The hospitality industry is poised to come back stronger than ever, as people realize how much this small freedom means in terms of business and personal fulfillment. Sometimes it takes losing something to fully understand how it underscores our existence.
Take the time to build loyalty now. Keep reaching out to people, stay top of mind and reap the rewards once the industry is back in the game and for years to come. While you’re at it, why not keep people entertained as well? Share a link to your webcam so that people can keep watching their favorite sunset view from the comfort of their armchair, or send them a recipe from the chef to try at home.
There are many ways to bring the vacation feeling into past (and future) guests’ homes. All you need is a spark and a little imagination. Let’s all take a moment to think about what we can do to keep sharing beautiful experiences online and set our sights on what really moves the people we want to keep coming back again and again when the crisis lifts.
