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Let’s set the scene — a guest walks into your hotel restaurant and approaches the hostess stand in hopes of booking a last-minute reservation for that night’s dinner service. Depending on the hospitality management you’re putting to use, things may end up going one of two ways. Scenario 1: Your front-of-house staff regrettably informs the guest that there is a two-hour wait for the next available table. The guest submits their name, phone number and party information to be added to the waitlist and heads to the back of the line.orScenario 2: Your hostess searches the guest’s name in your restaurant CRM and is notified that the person is a long-time customer who frequents the hotel above. A table is made available in an exclusive part of the restaurant where the guest and their entire party are greeted with a personalized wine list based on their last visit. Believe it or not, making the second scenario a reality isn’t as hard as you may think. Every customer wants to be treated like a VIP, and using customer-centric data to create unique experiences is the way to do just that. But it starts with getting to know your customers. Rather than relying on paper-based reservation books or spreadsheets of customer profiles, allow reservation, seating and guest management platforms to do the heavy lifting. Making digital hospitality management countWith a tech-driven hospitality management platform, you can capture previously unavailable guest data like:Birthdays and other special occasions like anniversaries celebrated at the hotel restaurant
Itemized lists detailing what kinds of drinks and how much a customer spent at the rooftop bar
Special requests submitted by customers to the concierge desk, such as securing tickets to a particular show or event
Use this type of guest data to personalize experiences in new ways. Imagine being able to capture a guest’s wine preference and during their next visit, you surprise them with a complimentary bottle of Merlot. This high level of personalization drives brand loyalty and creates the types of services customers will pay a premium for. Here’s what Americans feel would make their dining experience stand out:
Providing customers with a memorable experience starts with getting to know them and making first-time guests feel like old friends. With the right hospitality management platform integrated throughout your brand’s entire portfolio, you can deliver highly personalized experiences that deepen the guest relationship. For more research and data around the power of personalization, check out our report, “Turning a Meal into an Experience“.
