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Every hospitality worker knows that the guests are always top priority. They are the cornerstone of your business, and they can make or break you. Alright, maybe not one individual guest (unless they’re a super-important one). But overall, taking care of the experience guests have with your service is one of the surefire paths to success. This involves everything we can think of as CX or Customer Experience. Your client gets an impression every time they interact with your organization, including websites, phone lines, in-person service, and the service itself. The goal is to be able to anticipate their needs and to commit to always listening and improving. It’s important to note that we are never alone in this endeavor. This can be interpreted in many ways, but today we will focus on technology. Modern technology, and specifically software, as we know, grows exponentially, and there are always new and improved options that seem to be catered specifically for you. Here we will talk about what some of these options are, why you should seriously look into them, and why they could make sense for your business and guests.
Chatbots are a widely used tool that facilitates customer service interactions and provides readily available solutions almost instantly. What would traditionally be a staff training module is replaced by programming and can be forever optimized in the face of unexpected obstacles. Having this option available for your guests can cut down on frustration since response times are infinitely more reliable and staff shortage is never an issue. Of course, AI will never relieve you of every customer’s particular issue, but it will be able to significantly streamline this process so that commonly asked questions are taken care of, and your team can focus on solving more complicated issues.
Being able to keep track of everything going on inside your establishment is no simple feat. Luckily, you can integrate a data analytics suite into your manager’s dashboard so that you can visualize feedback as well as trends in your guests' choices and experiences altogether. With this information neatly compiled, you can assess what needs improving and get a better grasp on who your customers are and what they expect from your services.
Surveys are a great way to get feedback from users. They can provide an easy-to-navigate list of options and empty text boxes so they can go into as much detail as desired. Everyone loves a good online quiz, and surveys aren’t too far off from that. Additionally, it makes your guests feel seen and heard, gives them adequate space to voice opinions, and lets them know that you are actively interested in improving their experience.
Everyone uses email. Everyone. So at this point, it is expected that when purchasing a service, you will receive the proper information in your inbox. This means payment confirmation, event reminders, and any other relevant news or details. This absolutely does not include promotions that are quickly filtered to spam. Of course, you should also offer the option for text message outreach, which some people are more inclined to pay attention to. Make sure to follow up if necessary.
Whether it be tables, appointments, rooms, or anything else, having dedicated and integrated software for booking is essential in this day and age. This can cut down wait times, avoid double-booking, and generally make the whole process easier for everyone. You can sync and share calendars, create reminders, provide easy-to-use payment methods, and more.
If you’re already convinced that you shouldn’t be falling behind on all of the options modern technology has to offer businesses today, you can look into all-in-one digital CX platforms. There are various options to choose from, and you can integrate all of the features we have mentioned here and even more. If you’re up to it, you could even program your own platform and interfaces, totally customized and customizable to your needs. These are the more commonly used software options specifically curated to enhance the guest experience. But really, the sky's the limit. Of course, taking advantage of already tried and true, commonly available technology is a no-brainer. But when brainstorming ways to make your guests happier, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Everyone likes to have their needs anticipated, and software innovations aren’t created in a vacuum. And you might not have to be a mastermind or a tech-wiz to create a fully customer-friendly, recognizable CX experience that sets you apart from competitors. Different services and businesses will respond to their own unique sets of issues and demands. It’s important not to lose sight of this and to always stay committed to your guests first.
