As much as we would like to believe it, but converting the lookers into bookers on the internet is not about offering the lowest rate. Being a part of the lowest rates race is the easiest thing that a hotel can do, but the repercussion of reduced margins is surely going to adversely impact a hotel’s long-term strategy. What is imperative is to provide a distinctive experience as well as an unparalleled service to your guests even before they arrive!
Revenue per available room (also known as RevPAR) is a key index for hoteliers since it’s one of the ‘Key Performance Indicator’ that suggests how weak or strong the hotel’s income is based on their current sales strategy. Moreover, hoteliers must keep in mind that RevPAR does not essentially go up when the numbers of bookings are maximized by lowering the room rates. Too much dependency on the OTAs also lowers the margins thereby diluting your brand by keeping the potential travel planners away from your hotel’s website.
Thus, a differentiation strategy based on your brand, the facilities you provide and your location will entice new guests to your property. If a potential guest visits your website and finds it confusing, there is an immediate action to shift to your competition’s website and even book there. To avoid the loss of a potential guest, following are the 5 fundamental rules that will help hoteliers to get an edge above competitors and ensure maximum occupancy all year round.
Exhibit your hotel properly on website
Displaying your hotel on the website doesn’t only mean posting some pictures or images and write some catchy texts below it. The visual content you post must reflect the value that your hotel has to offer. Even the smallest detail will help to allure your guests. Almost all hotels display a ‘Photo Gallery’ option, but in order to stand out, your pictures should communicate a story to involve your prospective guests. Make sure that your hotel’s page loads right away in just two seconds, because the clients are usually impatient and more so, if they are using a mobile.
Offer attractive promotional deals
You can offer certain promotional deals that are valid only when reserving a room through your website. You can even choose some reputed offline agencies which can book certain packages for you by offering a deal to guests that they will not find elsewhere.
Putting these two efforts will upscale your sales through your channels and even increase the probability of returning customers.
Reward your loyal guests
Nothing works best than creating a sentiment of loyalty within your customers. Run a ‘Reward Redemption Program’ to get more reservations from your frequent guests. Keep the loyalty program module enabled on your hotel reservation software. Surprise your loyal guests sometimes by providing them an exclusive offer of a free additional night stay if they book for certain number of days.
Utilize your funds in specialized channels
It is important that your hotel is ubiquitous on the most relevant distribution channels in your market. An integrated software can help managing these channels fruitfully. Integration shouldn’t be overseen since managing several apps and sources of data can get ineffectual and ultimately costly.
Call-to-action
Once the user finds exactly what he is looking for on your website, he would like to make a purchase decision and thus, it is significant that he is immediately provided with a necessary ‘Call-to-action’ or a ‘Book Now’ button.
A ‘Reservation Button’ must be all the time or most of the times be clearly visible on a mobile or a computer screen. A prominent ‘Call-to-action’ button will help you keep the potential guests engrossed on your website rather than driving them to an OTA page, because once they go away from your website, there are all chances that they lose interest in your property, and ultimately book some other property from somewhere else.
At the end of the day, being non-identical suggests that you are not just executing standard operating procedures but also interested in providing out-of-the-box, pleasant experience to your guests. It lets your guests know that you are actively managing a guest experience that makes your hotel distinctive, especially from the guest point of view, which ultimately rewards both you and your guests!
