Keys to Hotel Success
Today, to succeed in the tourist accommodation sector, a hotel must be able to stand out from the competition. In order to achieve this objective and benefit from a continuous flow of customers. Keys to hotel success or key success factors are: adaptation, differentiation, communication, internal and external commercial actions.
Here are the keys that will make the success of your establishment:
The practice of marketing
The practice of marketing is essential to the development of your business because the commercial action stems from your marketing options. Between the consultant and the hotel client there is a permanent misunderstanding: the hotelier uses a consultant to boost his turnover.
He therefore expects the consultant, after visiting the establishment, studying some accounting documents, and talking to him for a few hours, to propose strong commercial actions which will, in a relatively short time, have a positive effect on the business’ turnover.
But most of the time, the speaker will first propose to carry out a marketing diagnosis to highlight the establishment’s market, its components (supply and demand), the study of its offers with their pricing policy, marketing, etc. before proposing an action plan.
Marketing action
A marketing action can only be effective if it is the result of a reflection and a marketing strategy established beforehand. How do you know what type of target clientele to address a message and its content, and what medium to choose to send it? The determination of one or more targets is a choice that can only be made after having established a reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of the establishment, according to the competition, and on the opportunities and threats identified in the environment.
From a marketing point of view, any action must first be justified in order to be validated and above all to be able to measure its effectiveness afterwards. Therefore, how, without prior reflection, are you going to justify that, leaving to carry out a prospecting action, you go, leaving the hotel, to the right rather than to the left or straight? How are you going to justify that you prospect in one area rather than another, that you contact one company rather than another, etc.? How will you justify the allocated budget? ‘Marketing’ is different from ‘doing business’.
Marketing approach
The marketing approach is different from the sales approach. In the first, it is the customer who is at the center of the analysis, while in the second, it is the product. There is a logical order that cannot be reversed.
Any winning strategy requires having an objective, means, and an action plan. This strategy must be based on four fundamentals, known in marketing as key success factors (see below…). They will serve as a safeguard throughout your process.
Offer exclusive services
The quality of your services is the first thing your client will remember. If his first impression is good, he will not hesitate to come back. Remember to stand out from your competitors by offering unique services and creating a concept that enhances your establishment. Authenticity and exclusivity are what will make the difference in capturing your customers.
You hotel is not right for everyone
The technical characteristics (capacity, category, layout, etc.), commercial (location, prices, proximity to other customers, etc.), psychological (image, positioning, quality guarantee, etc.) of your business are more in line with the needs and expectations of certain customers. than to others.
Communicating and prospecting is about letting the customers who are the best fit for you know that you exist.
Competent and welcoming hotel staff
Staff play a key role in the success of a hotel. The latter must reflect the values of the establishment and demonstrate professionalism, friendliness, discretion and understanding.
It is also important that the staff is always attentive in order to anticipate the needs of the customers while knowing how to resolve and appease any conflictual situations between customer and staff.
Operate modern and efficient management systems
Today, successful hotels are those that use innovative and modern management software. These improve the productivity of the establishment by facilitating the work of the staff, the management of the tasks and the communication between the members of the staff, but also between staff and customer.
Your hotel consultant can also advise you on the best software to use depending on the nature of your offers. Read also: CRM Customer Relationship Management Consultant
Work on your e-reputation
A hotel establishment that wishes to succeed must at all costs work to improve its reputation by maximizing its visibility on the web.
In addition to being present on many sites and social networks, it is imperative to take care of your image; so that your name reflects your seriousness and your professionalism.
Use realistic photos and videos
In the era of digitalization, the photo has become the first pivot to convey messages and attract customers. Highlight the services of your hotel through realistic photos, taken by professionals. Choose the ones that best represent your values and give an attractive image to your hotel.
The key success factors for the hotel and catering industry
The key success factors represent the elements (skills, resources, assets) that ensure the success of a company in a given activity. There are two main methods to highlight them:
1. Market segmentation
Market segmentation and identification of the most attractive segments for the company.
2. Competition
Confrontation with the competition of the strategies adopted (price, offer, positioning and communication). This is called benchmarking or business performance evaluation. Read also: How to do a benchmark? The simple steps to follow like the Pros
The key success factors relating to a marketing approach in the hotel and catering trades are:
1. Adaptation
The company’s offer, after having segmented the market and chosen its target customers, must be adapted to their expectations and needs.
2. Differentiation
The hotelier will seek, in this phase, to propose a different offer from those of its competitors. Not necessarily on the price, but rather in the composition of the offer.
3. Communication
Most hoteliers do not communicate enough with their customers. Communication allows you to make yourself known, to make your offers known, but it also allows you to develop arguments to be chosen and to be preferred to your competitors.
It helps to encourage purchases and is the way to be recognized as a specialist in his profession and to provide the assurance and guarantee of a flawless service.
4. Internal and external commercial action
selling means prospecting, contacting the customer with the various means and supports available. Commercial action, in the service industries, is intimately linked to communication actions. The distribution action, which consists of bringing your offer closer to the chosen targets, can be done directly or with the help of intermediaries.
For customers in the immediate environment, it is necessary to organize prospecting actions. If the external commercial action is essentially an action of conquest, that carried out internally has the objective of building the loyalty of the customers who have already come and are satisfied.
Hotel Consultant a Key Role for Your Business | Unlocking Success
Photo credit: geralt via Pixabay
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