Go Over the Top: How to Pull Ahead of Your Competitors in Hotel Businesses
Do you ever see how much exciting it is when something new comes up and we are curious about it? You see, everyone is super excited to try new hype Boba drinks that people are crazy about they would stand in between the crowds of people, queueing for hours to have a taste of it. Another crazy fact is that there will be new Boba drinks coming in the future. Well, I admit, I am tempted too, but that’s not the point of this article. The point from that analogy of the hype of those tapioca pearl drinks is the fact that there will always be competitors coming your way if you are in the business world; whether you like it or not. Specifically, hotel business is one of the business types that will keep coming in the future. As a person who provides content marketing services for business owners, I get asked a lot about whether or not hotel business is worth the try. I would often answer; “It depends on how much you are serious about setting up a new hotel business.” Why? That’s because a business is not something stagnant that just goes with the flow. No, it doesn’t work that way, especially when it comes to hotel businesses. The higher the quality of a hotel, the tighter the competition will be. So, how do you pull ahead of your competitors in your hotel business? Keep reading this article to find out!
Be attentive to your guests
Two days ago I went on a staycation with my best friends. Since it was only for a day, we decided to choose a 3-star hotel that was very cheap. When we got there, we were quite (but not quite really) surprised to find the hotel’s parking lot full of expensive cars. I was like, “Why do rich people come here? Wouldn’t they prefer a 5-star hotel instead of the ordinary one?” At that time, I did not think much about it, until I really spent the night there. First, when we got out of the car, there were two persons dressed in a casual outfit. I had no idea if they were parking attendants or they were bell boys, but as soon as we got out of the car, they immediately helped us carry our bags and belongings. The people, who work there, were really nice and very attentive to our needs. When we were ready to leave the hotel after the check-out, the same two persons in the parking lot helped us enthusiastically. One of them helped us carry our bags and the other opened the door of the car for us. Simply put, we were treated like Queens even though we didn’t dress like rich people; we were treated equally and it was the best treatment during our stay. From this story, you can learn that no matter how prestigious your hotel is; your guests are still the king. If you treat them poorly, they will come home with disappointment, when that happens, they will talk to their friends and their friends will talk to the other friends and soon it will damage your reputation. Listen to your guests and help them sincerely. That way, you can create unforgettable moments for your guests during their stay and it may boost their mood to return for another staycation next time.
Monitor your competitors
I know it sounds silly, but this is your quest; to be better than your competitors. The first step before really pulling ahead of your competitors is to watch your competitors’ next move. I’m not saying you should copy their move. This is what I mean; watch their move and create an even better move. I know it sounds easier said than done, but let me tell you this; if they can pull something crazy for the sake of marketing, I bet you can do something crazier.
Always check on your website
This is another important part; a hotel must have a website. A website lets your audience know that your hotel still exists and can provide better information without them having to constantly come to your hotel in person for inquiries. However, even though you already have a website, it doesn’t stop there – a website is never done. It needs updates frequently in specific areas. Therefore, if you have a website for your hotel, make sure you monitor the progress of your website and see if there are updates needed to be done. Also, make sure the booking process on your website is running smoothly as well.
Grow your employees’ mindset and skills
Learning and improving skills may be based on personal choice, but you can make it compulsory for you and your employees. In fact, we never stop growing as long as we don’t stop learning, because life is not only about formal education. You can grow your mindset, your skills and your capabilities through learning more. Arrange important but fun activities and workshops for your employees occasionally. That way, you can boost your employees’ skills and mindset and they can be the best employees that work more professionally.
There are actually many ways you can pull to be better than your competitors, but these are the important points:
- Be sincere and attentive to your guests
- Always provide something new to attract people’s curiosity
- Keep up with the trends and season. For example, October is that time of the year where almost everything is in Halloween mode. Create content or maybe hotel decoration that represents Halloween
- Always do things better with great and passionate enthusiasm
When you understand the points above, you are on the right path and we believe that you can do it.