- Karin Nisiide
- 26 de June de 2020
An excellent customer service should be the goal of any company. But in the area of hostels, experience and interpersonal interaction is an even higher priority.
Several factors influence the experience of travelers in all sectors, from issues related to structure to personal issues, related to the specific needs of each traveler. However, customer service is the fundamental basis that connects the hostel and the guest. It is the way the professionals communicate that ensures that the traveler feels comfortable and satisfied, it is the service that makes the customer feel that it was worth staying in a property.
Guest satisfaction is important because it guarantees good reviews of your business on the internet, strengthening your brand on the web and consequently attracting more and more travelers to your hostel.
How to improve my service?
It all starts with the preparation and training of employees. The focus should be on humanization and empathy in customer service, regardless of whether it is at the reception or digital. It is not enough just to invest in training for when the guest arrive, and do it poorly in the answers to customers in the pre and after sales, either online or by phone.
Anyone who takes care of the reception of a hostel should be familiar with the young audience and attentive to their needs. Keeping up with new technologies, applying sustainability practices in the hostel’s daily life and keeping the city’s events agenda always up to date are essential attitudes. Knowing how to promote integration between guests, promoting events and tours is important to provide visitors with a unique experience.
To help you in this task, we share some tips that will help you offer a unique service to your guests, always focusing in the loyalty and enchantment of the users, and in addition, more positive results for your business.
First impression remains
This expression defines the receptionist’s work perfectly. After all, users arrive to check-in hungry, tired and, often, stressed, after long hours of flight or bus. Therefore, if the reception is poor, they can change their perception of the establishment and even give up on staying.
This is the ideal time to delight your guest. Work quickly, but be empathetic and find out if the guest is doing well or needs something. Be available to help them so you can improve their stay and make the customer happier.
If they have a bad service at the beginning, spending a long time waiting to be attended or if the receptionist is not friendly, they will start the stay with a negative view of the hostel. This can damage their experience and decrease the tolerance for small flaws.
However, remember that this attitude must be adopted for the entire period of accommodation. The receptionist’s friendliness and proactivity must be something continuous, as the customer experience is a significant part of your business.
Beware of the words used when communicating with guests
The way you give information to your guest is just as important as the information itself.
In customer service, you should pay attention to some expressions, which seem rude and give an image of disorganization or neglect with the guest.
Some examples:
- Instead of saying, “I don’t know”; say: “could you wait a moment while i find this out for you?”
- Instead of saying, “we can’t do this”; say: “let me check the possible solutions to this problem”.
- Instead of saying: “I am not responsible for this area“; say: “just a moment, I will talk to those responsible for this sector to see the most efficient way to solve your issue”.
- Instead of saying: “we don’t have a room“; say: “our rooms are all occupied, but I can help you find a place nearby”.
The professionals’ communication should be focused on guaranteeing the guest that the team is making every effort necessary to offer impeccable service, always assuming a positive and helpful attitude.
Create engagement with guests
The service of a reception or bar is important, but it is not the only thermometer of your guest’s satisfaction. If you really want to offer good service and make travelers feel at home in your establishment, you need to go further, creating actions to engage them.
One way to do this is to provide activities within your property that encourage interaction between travelers, increasing the chances that they will make new friends and connect. For example: collective dinners, small events, beer pong, free classes and workshops for guests, cultural presentations etc.
In addition, encourage employees to interact with customers spontaneously. They should always ask about the guest’s plans during the trip, whether they like the city, etc. Thus, it is possible to discover interesting information that will help to promote a more personalized service.
Always make yourself available to the guest
Make yourself available to the guest at check-in, informing about the opening hours of the services offered by the hostel and indicating that they can always contact the staff to request something or answer any questions.
Offer useful information about the city and the region, even before they ask. Anticipate their needs. Help your client to get to know the city, suggesting tips for restaurants, sights and local activities. You can do this informally through a recommendation during the conversation or with some information pamphlets. For a traveler, any travel tip is welcome.
Invest in technologies that facilitate guest management
The use of technologies focused on the hotel industry facilitate operations and processes within a hostel, professionalizing your business and changing the customer’s perception.
In order to increase the efficiency and productivity of employees, while offering agility in services for the guest, the market has several management systems, focused on the hostel area.
An example of agility in the service is the use of a PMS system with online check in, where the guest can anticipate their check in through a form that they receive by email, ensuring a faster service and greater user satisfaction. .
These small details make the stay even more comfortable and increase user satisfaction. Always be available to solve a problem and make it clear that you will do all in your power to help the guests with their needs.
And you, what do you do to improve your service? Tell us!
