When we enter a 5-star hotel lobby, approach the reception desk and are greeted with a welcome drink, an invitation to take a seat on a small sofa nearby and are told about the concept of the room we chose when booking, we are experiencing the result of preparation, the setting of standards to be followed and the way in which we interact with guests.
At the same time, when we happen not to be greeted at the entrance of a restaurant venue, not to be told about the menu of the day, or not to be proactively offered a glass of wine, ideal with the chosen meal, we are witnessing the pure performance of a job task without valuing the implicit and hidden needs of the guest and the creation of a high level experience.
When staff know the standards, procedures and put them into practice with passion, they are contributing to the development of the Guest and Customer Experience.
What is the Luxury Guest Experience?
The guest and customer experience is the journey that a guest and/or customer takes at each stage of interaction and contact with a hotel and/or company in the world of luxury. This path also represents the set of perceptions and emotions that a guest feels during his or her stay.
The Luxury Guest Experience concept is based on the ability to create an exclusive and memorable environment, where every detail and interaction is taken care of with extreme attention. From the warm welcome to the personalised service, every moment of contact is designed to make the guest feel special and valued.
Who conveys the value of the Guest and Customer Experience?
When a person chooses to stay in a hotel for the first time, the role of the accommodation, in the sense of the building, is important, because it represents the place that will treasure the experiences and emotions that the guest will experience. These emotions, the journey through the establishment, the sensations, the surprises, the positive perceptions are created by every single employee working in the hotel.
It is the people who bring to life what happens around the guests and what actively involves them. At the same time, employees have responsibilities:
- of what guests experience
- of what guests feel emotionally
- of what they remember of their experience
What are the benefits generated by an effective Guest and Customer Experience?
Developing a consistent, straightforward and carefully thought-out guest and customer experience down to the smallest detail is vital, not only to meet the expectations of your guests and customers, but also and above all to generate benefits that are sometimes overlooked in the immediate future. Here are some of the main benefits and advantages:
- greater staff involvement: a working environment that strives for excellence in the guest and customer experience motivates staff to give their best. Each person, in fact, sees the value of their work in guest satisfaction and are more likely to be engaged by providing a high level of service
- constant innovation: in order to maintain a leading-edge luxury experience, people in hotels and luxury environments are motivated to constantly innovate. This may include adopting new technologies, introducing exclusive services and, above all, improving interpersonal aspects with guests
- increased revenue: satisfied guests tend to spend more during their stay, both on additional services and exclusive experiences involving a high level of financial investment.
- positive brand reputation: an excellent guest and customer experience helps build a solid reputation and a brand recognised for quality and attention to detail. This can lead to increased visibility and prestige in the eyes of consumers.
A high value tool: the Guest Experience Manual
As we have seen, defining the guest and customer experience, developing it through specific standards and procedures, and telling all employees about every guest and customer relationship phase is vital. This allows you to create an ecosystem of information that must be shared and known by all the people working within your company and/or hotel.
We put our expertise at the service of hotels and companies in the luxury world in order to draw up a document that gathers and unites all this information: we are talking about the Guest Experience Manual.
Together with Hospite’s team, we will define the needs of your hotel and/or company and together we will design and develop the manual that brings together not only the operational standards and methods of interaction with guests, but also a guideline that unites and collects the elements that shape the identity and corporate culture of your hotel and/or company.