In today’s fast-paced world, efficient communication is vital for any successful business. With the rise of messaging apps, one platform has emerged as a game-changer in the hotel and resorts industry: Whats App. Not only does Whats App allow businesses to stay connected with guests, but with the right automation strategies, it also streamlines operations, enhances customer experience, and boosts revenue. In this blog, we will explore the benefits and best practices and power of Whats App automation in the hotel and resorts business.
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”……..ARISTOTLE
By the dictionary definition -feelings of joy and pleasure mingled together”. A feeling of happiness is more than just an experience of joy or pleasure. It is a state of mind where the individual feels that “life is good”.
Most of us have been taught to believe that happiness is linked to our accomplishments. We think, “I’ll be happy when I get married” or “I’ll be more satisfied at work when I get a promotion.” We are convinced we’ll find joy buy that luxury car. The truth is that we can create a feeling of happiness right now, regardless of our circumstances.
PERSONAL development is a lifelong process. Realising the personal potential is up to the individual; remember one can define the capacity of himself at his own. It is a way for people to assess their skills and qualities, consider their aims in life and set goals in order to realise and maximise their potential. Personal development consists of activities that develop a person’s capabilities and potential, build human capital, facilitate employability, and enhance quality of life and the realization of dreams and aspirations. Personal development may take place over the course of an individual’s entire lifespan
Understanding the personal development traits, we need to break this entire subject in three aspects
Physical | Mental-Spiritual |Professional |
PHYSICAL Development in simpler terms is development of the physical personality, the way you physically present yourself to the world, language command, social etiquettes, mannerism, your outfits, grooming and dressing style. All these things do matter when you are presenting yourself to the world , the trust someone gathers over you is from the first impression of the physical personality, once this is taken care of the transaction or the responsibility would then come over next. It is easy to work on the physical development, some basics things taken care can make wonders. Self-confidence is the belief in your abilities, actions and decisions. If you have confidence in yourself, you might be more likely to pursue ambitious goals, try new things and believe you can succeed
Brand is not just a business identity but itself is a business, it the most important asset a business possesses. Brand provides key communiqué of the business, it not only critically differentiate with the market competition but also shapes the internal work culture of the business. It’s one of the most important and valuable virtual asset of the company.
Lets first understand the BRAND DNA ,where did this idea came in from ,in this era of globalization the individualism was born ,in simplified words this individualism gave birth to fragmentation of our personal and social identities and this encouraged self identity as it is truly said you are what you buy and use. Symbolic experiences are increasing in demand thus increasing the demand of the commodities they represent. The brand is primary connection of communication between manufacturer and the consumer and has changed the focus of sales directed to the consumer.
PEOPLE here are referred to a broad term of our peers , colleagues who work around with us in any organization .They eventually form inner circle and define the behavior of the organization and off course we are also one of them. Knowing how to manage people around you with their ambitions is a key to success.
There are a lot of courses and literature available on this topic but what is important is its application as there is no defined process but it’s a trait every individual has to develop in his/her routine behavior, it’s a habit to be formed. Small soft skills and good habits such as wearing a smile and nod of acknowledgement also help to win confidence of people around you. Irrespective of the position you are labeled as, your peoples management plays an important role. Here we list some techniques which would assist you in sharpening your people’s management skills
Be a good LISTNER – that’s absolutely a first basic principle, reminding you of the basic listening skills of paying attention, do not interrupt; maintaining eye contact, acknowledgement nods etc. The key to listening well include keeping an open mind and not jumping to conclusions before or during conversations .This means you can’t assume what the speaker is thinking, what their problem is, or what the solution to their problem is – you have to let go of your preconceived notions, and you need to ask them. Even if they think the cause of a problem is obvious, a great manager listens with the intent of understanding as much about the situation as possible; don’t just barge in with a possible solution assuming you know all the answers well.
GET ENGAGED in conversation and communicate well
Effective people management involves understanding the people who make up the organization – their personalities, motivations as well as their personal and career goals. Empathy, active listening, and a people-first approach lead to a deeper mutual understanding of individuals and collectives. It is important to understand that people are different and have different traits and skill predispositions. Communicate well enough to maintain the dialogue , there are hidden surprises in each communiqué enabling for better solutions
BUILD TRUST AND KEEP APPRECIATING
Our engagement in the conversation and empathy shown towards the speaker builds levels of trust which later converts to loyalty towards a person or organization as the scenario may be. Appreciating the work and giving public acknowledgement is the highest motivator for the person ,so ensure you are up to it.
CONFRONT but BEING POSITIVE
People who work around with us are from diversity of culture ,generation thought and the way they perceive things, the difference of opinion could be active , covert or passive so confront what is wrong but in a positive manner, making them understand shows the maturity levels of the person handling them. We do not need a temporary solution but a lasting one. Remember such conflict when emerged the solutions can lead to resentment or negativity or strengthen the team.
A customer talking about their experience with you is worth ten times that which you write or say about yourself
GUEST DELIGHT or CUSTOMER SATISFACTION can be simply understood with the fact that “Every satisfied guest is one next step towards building greater business” , this is universal truth not only for hospitality but for every business. This article will discuss the importance of guest delight in building resultant revenues and methodology toward achieving it.
,Well explained in simple words, Customer delight is about engaging your guest at an emotional level and appealing to their higher-order needs. After all, wouldn’t you rather have an excited customer as opposed to ambivalent one? Guest delight is winning the emotions of the guests in service transaction through pleasant attitude, professional approach and complete product. Creating that feeling of “someone special” or most important person in the world for the guest. Moving from customer satisfaction to delight requires a change of approach, as well as a change in both thinking and behavior. As we mutually strive to design and execute better guest experiences, these five guidelines will do more than satisfy your guest, they will create a truly delightful hotel stay.
FRIENDLIER APPROACH –Friendly employees leave an impression on the guest’s mind. The studies reveal that many guests used words such as “charisma,” “friendly”and“pleasant attitude” to describe their interactions with service workers. It is always a pleasure for every one of us to be acknowledged by our surnames or first names, it gives the special feeling of acknowledgement. Mandate your team to address the guest by Surnames with Proper salutations; we are all supported by technology at every service call point all it takes is a little effort of open PMS window before answering any guest call. Add those magic words creating WOW factor by end of every transaction like –wish you a great day ahead , have a great tour, Bon appétit etc.
PRODUCT FULLFILLMENT -After reading many guest feedbacks , it is apparent that guests appreciate professionalism and mastery of essential duties. notes that “events were well planned,” recalled being “impressed by the quality of people” in the hotel, and commented on the staff’s “attention to detail.” Developing expertise in a profession can be challenging in a high turnover environment such as the hotel industry, but proper training, adherence to quality standards, and demeanor can make this goal possible. Training need to be focused on CSIP [continuous service improvement approach]
ESTABLISH REACH WITH EVERY GUEST-REACH your guest during their stay , while passing through public areas , or during IN room dinning transaction , or any other service ,interact with 2QA [2 question approach] –interestingly this 2 question approach was highly successful when applied in my hotels , every staff is mandated to interact at least 4 guests
Q1-salutation, followed by how was your day or hope the room is to your expectations.
Q2 is there anything I could do for you
Any suggestion of service lapse, called by the guest can be easily attended before the check out. Irrespective of department the staff can pass on feedback to GRM to attend.
TRAIN YOUR TEAM: Hiring people who are naturally friendly is a smoother path to attain this goal. Furthermore, creating a work environment that stirs such reactions is another necessary step. Share the guest feedback index with your team, elaborate on negative feedbacks or the normal feedbacks and discuss where we went wrong, what could have been done to avoid it and all other rectification permutations. Create the atmosphere of challenge by comparing the best period to the worst index figures. Initiate staff incentives if your costs could allow. Motivate the team to higher ground. Some hotels even slide share the feedbacks from various sites of the competitors to understand their positives and fulfillment levels.
TURN PROBLEMS IN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN GUEST– I view service recovery as a process of neutralizing negative guest attitudes and emotions. However, not only can we neutralize emotions, but by virtue of our recovery efforts, we can create delight. Remember offering HI tea or a room night with compliments is way too low cost to hotel than the cost incurred in getting every new guest IN, numerous feedbacks highlighted guest’s positive reflections regarding hotel staff who went out of their way to solve problems. To attain this, it is necessary that the staff pay attention to opportunities to help the guest, especially those in which there’s no service failure, but the guest still faces a challenge.
Well summarizing the above , we can conclude to the fact that speaking to guests during their stay with the hotel not only builds chances of recoveries but also project a friendlier hotel staff , no matter what the situation is , a warm smile ,pleasant tone and empathic approach towards our guests can win them forever.
