As hoteliers, effective communication with guests is paramount to delivering a great guest experience. Effective communication involves different things, but we can split it into two main areas: what are you saying and how you are saying it.

The first part refers to all the messages your brand puts out on its different channels, either website, app, OTAs, social media, WhatsApp, SMS, among others. What topics are you talking about? Are you covering your guests’ needs and delivering value or talking about your brand 24/7?

The second part refers to all the ways you are using to communicate these messages. How are you approaching them? Is your communication consistent with your brand essence? Are you using the right channels? Are you communicating clearly?

If your communication is effective and efficient, it will create a positive first impression, setting the tone for the entire stay.

However, it’s not all smooth sailing. Common challenges in guest communication include language barriers, miscommunication due to cultural differences, and the potential for technical glitches in communication tools.

In this article, we’ll explore an actionable framework to fix your guest communication strategy with ease.

1. Understand your guests

Understanding your guests is the first step towards compelling communication. But what does understanding mean? It implies having clear who your guests are, where they are coming from, what type of guests they are (is it mostly leisure or business? Family stays or romantic ones?), and to what age group the majority of guests belong to.

You can easily get information about your guests by looking into your guest data, which must be stored in your hospitality CRM software. The right software will provide you with easy-to-read reports and data so you can start taking action immediately.

Once you know your guests, you can start segmenting them. This means, grouping them based on their different characteristics, and identifying their unique needs and preferences. This will help you to create tailored messages or adapt your responses.

Personalising your communication can go a long way in creating meaningful connections with your guests. By knowing your guests better, you’ll understand their communication preferences and tailor your messaging accordingly.

If you want to learn more about the different types of guests and segments you can create, read this article: 9 audiences you can create for better hotel marketing campaigns.

2. Choose the right communication channels

When it comes to proactive communication, this means, the messages you send to your guests on your own account, you need to choose the right channels. Whether it’s email or messaging apps, understanding the channel preferences of your guests is vital in improving guest satisfaction.

Furthermore, integrating multiple channels allows your guests to choose their desired method, making the experience seamless and enjoyable. They will be able to say “hey, I preferred to be contacted via SMS instead of email”, and you will be right there to provide a great messaging experience.

3. Craft clear and engaging messages

Crafting clear and engaging messages is another crucial aspect of effective communication. Compelling messaging, written in a friendly and professional tone, helps guests feel understood and valued.

No matter if it is a WhatsApp campaign or your property’s website or social media profile, your messages should be clear and consistent. Highlighting the essential benefits and conveying information in a concise manner also helps guests to quickly digest relevant information.

Remember: highlight benefits according to the different groups you target. Family stays won’t be interested in the same benefits as bleisure or business stays.

4. Be responsive and timely

There is nothing worse than waiting hours to get a simple answer. Don’t make your guests go through that situation. Being responsive and timely is of utmost importance in communication.

Use technology to help you on this matter. For example, Bookboost’s Unified Inbox allows you to create a chatbot that can take over once the reservations or front desk team is not available. In this way, even if a guest sends a message at 3AM, they will receive a prompt response.

On the other hand, the more control you have over your communication channels, the better. If you gather all your accounts into one platform, you will help your team get rid of other tools and answer every message quickly using one single overview.

5. Deliver relevant and valuable information

Review your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and ask yourself if any other information can be missing and would help your guests have it.

The same goes for your campaigns. Providing relevant and valuable information through your communication can help you establish a deeper connection with your guests. Sharing helpful tips, making personalised offers and promotions, and keeping guests informed about any updates or changes can lead to loyal and satisfied guests.

Learn more about how to craft your pre-stay communication in this article: 8 pre-stay communication ideas to increase guest satisfaction

6. Handle difficult situations

Handling difficult situations is challenging, but it’s essential to maintaining good guest relationships. Dealing with guest complaints and negative feedback in a professional and prompt manner can help turn negative experiences into positive ones. Addressing issues head-on and effectively can demonstrate to your guests that their satisfaction is a top priority.

This is a very important aspect of your communication and all your team should be trained in this area.

7.  Be consistent in improving your communication

Finally, continuous improvement is vital to staying ahead of the curve in guest communication. Collecting feedback from your guests, analysing communication metrics, and implementing changes based on learned insights and trends will keep your communication strategies relevant and effective.

Read more about how to increase your guest engagement in this article

In a nutshell

Effective guest communication is undeniably the cornerstone of a delightful guest experience in the world of hospitality. Clear, friendly, and tailored communication not only sets the stage for a positive guest encounter but also fosters a sense of value and satisfaction among guests.

Understanding guests, channel selection, message crafting, responsiveness, information delivery, conflict resolution, and continuous improvement, serves as a roadmap for hoteliers and property managers to elevate their guest communication strategies.

By putting these principles into practice, your guest journey will be marked by meaningful connections, memorable experiences, and a desire to return leading to the long-term success of your hotel.

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