Whether you are a hotel or restaurant establishment, it is essential not to neglect the customer experience of your establishment because it influences the emotions and perceptions of your customers at each stage of their stay. Over the past few years, the customer experience has improved significantly. Social networks are taking up more and more space and importance in our lives, everything can happen very quickly, a bad review of your establishment can quickly go viral and change your entire reputation.
What is customer experience?
We could define the customer experience as all of the perceptions and feelings experienced by your customers throughout their journey within your establishment , it is a term which encompasses all the interactions between you and your customer.
The customer experience takes place in several stages, starting before the customer even walks through the doors of your establishment, extending during their stay and continuing after their departure.
It all starts when the customer comes into contact with your establishment, whether through your website, social networks, telephone or online reservation platforms. This is when the very first impression will be formed , the impression of your website, if it is easy to find information on it, by reading reviews or even by calling you directly for information.
These first interactions are very important since they will play a role in the customer’s decision to book with you.
Then, during your client’s stay, they will be able to discover and use the services and facilities available to them . For a restaurant for example, this includes the welcome, the quality of the dishes, the atmosphere of the room, the friendliness of the servers; for a hotel this includes in part the welcome of the reception, the concierge services, the quality, cleanliness and comfort of the rooms.
Every interaction helps shape the overall guest experience , staff play a vital role in creating that welcoming atmosphere and meeting your guests’ needs and expectations.
It’s a mistake to believe that the customer experience ends when your customer leaves. This is not the case, even after their departure it continues , you must remain in contact with the customer through different means such as follow-up emails, satisfaction surveys or by asking them to post a review online.
These interactions are important, they allow you to obtain positive and negative feedback that you can use to make improvements, and this allows you to maintain a relationship with the customer , which can encourage them to return to your establishment and even recommend it.
Why is customer experience important?
Today’s customers are more informed and have higher expectations. They are looking not only for quality products or services, but also for unique and personalized experiences. Customer experience should not be underestimated , as it plays a very important role in customer loyalty and the growth and reputation of your establishment. A good customer experience will influence your profitability.
Indeed, a satisfied customer will be more inclined to come back, if during their first stay with you, the customer had a memorable experience with exceptional service, they will have no reason to turn to another establishment for their next stay .
In the hospitality industry, first impressions often play a decisive role.
If you make customer experience a priority you will be rewarded with loyal customers
- Investing in customer experience is not only limited to satisfying customers in the short term, it is also a lasting strategy for establishing a loyal customer base.
By putting customer experience at the forefront of your concerns, you show that every visitor matters to you. Loyal customers bring continued value to your establishment, they have their habits when they come to you, not only by reserving their room but also by taking advantage of additional services such as the restaurant, the bar, the spa, they will even be more open to test new activities that you offer. Which in another way will help increase your profits.
- Another important aspect of the customer experience is its impact on word of mouth, a customer satisfied with their stay will necessarily tell their loved ones about it and some will even share it on social networks, giving you free publicity. Friends, family, and even people online tend to trust personal recommendations more than advertisements.
As a result, each customer can turn into a potential ambassador for your establishment by helping you attract new customers, without you lifting a finger.
- We live in a world where you can find similar services on every street corner, so standing out becomes essential.
Imagine participating in a race where each establishment competes for customers’ attention. This is where customer experience comes in, by providing exceptional service, attention to detail and creating moments that no one can forget, you will become the destination of choice and outperform all other establishments.
Customers are no longer just looking for a place to sleep or eat, but they are looking for an experience that exceeds their expectations.
By understanding this you raise your level but above all you create strong links with your customers.
- Working in the hospitality sector means being deeply rooted in humanity, you constantly seek to bring the best to your customers , your goal is to do everything to make your customers feel good at every moment of their stay .
To achieve this goal, it is important that employees also feel valued and understand the importance placed on customer experience. If these two aspects are combined then they will be more able to fully invest in their work and provide quality service.
How to improve the customer experience in your establishment?
This question poses a challenge for the hospitality sector
It is a sector that is constantly evolving, as is the case for customers under the influence of technological innovation and changes in consumption habits.
The challenge for this sector is great: offering a personalized customer experience with the aim of retaining customers and maximizing revenue.
Here are some tips that Girault-Pasqué can give you in general:
Understanding customer expectations
To ensure an exceptional customer experience, it is essential to have a deep understanding of your customers’ expectations .
To do this, you must pay attention to their feedback and comments, as well as carefully examine their preferences and behaviors; you can submit questionnaires to them in order to obtain this information.
The better you understand their expectations, the better you will be able to adjust your services to meet their expectations.
Anticipate customer needs
The strategy of anticipating your customers’ needs before they even express them is a way to show them that you care deeply about their comfort and well-being.
This can include reservation reminders, recommendations for places to visit (without offering something they have already done), recommendations for places to dine or highlight your restaurant if you have one, anticipate the preparation of their usual drinks before they even order.
By doing this they will be pleasantly surprised and will feel like they are not just a customer but rather a special guest whose needs are truly taken into account.
Create personalized experiences
In order to stand out and retain your customers, it is important to create personalized experiences.
Personalize your services and offers by taking into account the specific needs of each customer, whether by suggesting dishes adapted to their tastes or by organizing special events to celebrate important moments in their lives.
By providing a personal touch and showing that you genuinely care about each customer, you build loyalty and encourage them to return.
We will look at some advice specific to restaurants:
Restaurants
Eating a good dish is not enough for a customer to come back to your restaurant, even if your food is delicious, they will not come back if the quality of service provided is disappointing. Obviously the quality of your dishes is an essential element for customer satisfaction, but the service provided is just as important.
Here are some specific tips we can give you for your restaurant
Home
The first thing the customer will remember about your restaurant is the way they were welcomed, the quality of the dish will come next. It is therefore very important for you that the customer’s welcome takes place in the best possible conditions, because the impression they get from this welcome will be decisive for the rest of the service.
As soon as they arrive, welcome them warmly and do not keep them waiting, directly offer to sit at their table, lead them and invite them to sit down, keep a smile throughout the service.
It is important to be able to quickly seat customers at their table, if this is not possible, make sure you have a dedicated waiting area , where they can sit instead of standing in the entrance, which might annoy them.
Providing this space shows them that you care about their well-being, do not hesitate to offer them a drink or a small appetizer to reinforce this feeling of kindness.
Offer a diverse menu
In today’s society, many people choose to follow a specific diet , whether vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free diet, or for various reasons such as health, religion, or personal preference.
It is therefore very important for you to adapt to these diets and offer a menu covering all of these diversities, the more options you have that meet different diets the more customers will feel understood within your establishment and will be satisfied.
This is not something that is yet very widespread and the sooner you implement it, the sooner you will be able to stand out from the competition and therefore retain a more diverse customer base.
Manage waiting in the room
Waiting can be inevitable in a restaurant, whether upon arrival of the customer if he or she has not reserved, during the meal between courses or when taking an order.
To avoid this wait as much as possible, as we said above, reserve a space where customers can wait for a table to become available, or create a waiting list for those who have not reserved which will allow them to to go for a walk while waiting to be notified by SMS that a table becomes available.
To reduce waiting time in the dining room, favor taking orders online which will be sent directly to the kitchen to avoid waiters having to go back and forth, also favor online reservation tools to avoid your phone being constantly busy. ring, opt for digitalization of the payment method via a QR code which will free up space at the checkout.
The less the customer waits, the more satisfied they will be with their experience and will want to return to your establishment.
Customer service and interaction
To maintain customer loyalty and effectively deal with feedback or negative reviews, it is essential to provide a tailor-made and attentive service. Ensure your team is trained to deliver an exceptional customer experience, paying attention to the unique needs of each customer. If you receive negative feedback, take the time to listen carefully to the customer’s concerns. Then suggest appropriate solutions to resolve these issues and make sure you make him feel heard and appreciated.
We will look at some advice specific to hotels:
Hotels
Use hotel management software
A well-known software is the PMS (Property Management System), it helps you manage your establishment efficiently , it optimizes daily operations and can help you automate many aspects of the general management of your hotel.
By improving the efficiency of some of your operations you can increase your customer satisfaction.
For example, you can use it to manage your reservations (it will allow you to know your customers better), to manage check in and check out, to optimize your services, for room management and even for billing (it will save you time by making it easier to manage different payment methods (it calculates automatically).
The PMS offers are very wide, you must find the one that best suits your establishment, it is important that you decide on the modules that will be most useful to you, those that will really save you time.
By using hotel management software you will be able to offer faster and more efficient service, which will have a positive impact on the customer experience.
Create a unique environment
The decoration of your hotel is an important aspect of your customer’s experience, it creates the atmosphere. The way you arrange your establishment will influence the customer experience.
A carefully designed environment can immerse customers in another world and give them a sense of comfort. You must pay great attention to details , in the choice of your furniture, their quality, the materials…
Common spaces must promote conviviality while providing tranquility, the rooms must be havens of peace where the guest will feel transported far from their daily life.
Each of your spaces must reflect the identity of your hotel and adapt to the expectations of your customers, thus creating a unique experience.
Loyalty programs
Offering a loyalty program to your customer is an essential asset in your relationships, you reward them for their loyalty and you anticipate future reservations from them.
These programs are important because they add value to the customer , which improves their feelings and therefore their experience.
A loyalty program could work in the form of points that could be exchanged for additional free services, upgrades, discounts on room rates.
These rewards act as additional motivating factors in the customer’s choice when booking at your establishment.
Feedback
In order for you to constantly improve your hotel’s customer experience, it is imperative that you establish a feedback loop. Customer feedback on their experience with you is of great value because it helps determine what was appreciated and what can be improved .
You must allow customers to share their opinions through satisfaction surveys and online platforms in order to have an in-depth understanding of their perception of your services. Negative comments must be taken into account and used to resolve problems, while positive reviews help strengthen marketing actions and attract new customers.
By taking the time to respond to all reviews, you show that you care about your customers’ opinions and this will build trust .