Guests Have Far Fewer Staff Interactions, Therefore Each One is That Much More Important! | By Doug Kennedy

First, guests would call directly to book their room, or if they were early adopters of booking online, most called to reconfirm, because they did not yet trust the process. Next, they would call with questions after booking but prior to arrival, such as about amenities and services, and to inquire about transportation options. On the day of travel, they would call for directions. Upon arrival, they would be greeted by a member of the bellstaff and checked-in at the front desk. Once in the room, they might have many conversations by phone regarding wake-up calls, room service, and questions about area businesses and attractions. Upon departure, they would once again engage with a front desk colleague and perhaps banter with the bellperson who hailed a cab for them.

One by one, these opportunities to interact were diminished if not eliminated. Especially at branded hotels, most guests book online and no longer call to reconfirm. They can easily read about pet policies, restaurant hours, and if there is a fitness center. Google Maps has resolved the need for assistance with directions. Wheeled luggage has mostly replaced the need for bell services. Although adoption is still lower than projected, every year more and more guests check in and open their doors by smartphone. Uber Eats and DoorDash have caused many hotels to eliminate or outsource room service, and those that still offer it push guests to order from a TV or app. Wake-up calls went away with mobile phone alarms. Google Reviews and Yelp diminished the need to ask for dining recommendations. Email delivery of receipts all but eliminated check-out and departure conversations. As a final send-off, guests stand alone under the porte-cochere watching a “Pac-Man-like” icon eat up a roadway as they await the arrival of their rideshare.

Now, the above guest experience cycle is in the ideal world, which is one being pushed by tech companies who are eager to automate every touch point, but things do not always go so smoothly.

In the real world of hotel lobbies these days, there are still an awful lot of guest interactions, although never as many “touches” as there once were. Therefore, each and every opportunity to engage with a guest represents an increasingly rare chance to be a memory maker and to truly differentiate your hotel from all the others across the street or down the road.

Now let’s look at what really happens at hotels these days. Sure, many guests book online, but they still sometimes call prior to arrival if they have special requests or needs. The few that still call are usually asking specific questions about room locations, views, amenities, or they have special requests.

Despite massive efforts by some brands to push guests to use smartphone check-in, when I ask front desk associates – even those working at hotels catering to the “road warrior” corporate travel segment - the adoption is still very low. Plus, by the time guests arrive at the hotel in an Uber after a long day of travel, cell phone batteries may be dying. So, check-in is one opportunity for face-to-face engagement that has yet to go away.

Once in-house, many guests still stop by for local dining recommendations, as they have learned the hard way that positive restaurant reviews are not always indicative of a great culinary experience. Although everyone has some version of Maps, some still ask for real-world estimates of travel times that factor in local traffic patterns. The problem is that most front desk staff no longer receive training in these areas. All too often, I hear staff saying things like Hm… I’m not sure, I’ve never eaten at the restaurants around here… or I’m not really familiar with that part of town.

Now when it comes to departure, it does seem like most guests are comfortable with leaving straight from their room, but plenty of travelers still go for the sense of closure one gets when dropping off a key at check-out. This creates an opportunity for a truly fond farewell, versus what is more often heard: How was your stay, good?

So contrary to what tech companies may tell you, and also contrary to what formula-based staffing guidelines might call for, there’s still plenty of human interaction taking place in hotels these days.

But again, the point I’m trying to make is that because we have far fewer interactions, each one of them is that much more important. Therefore, here are some training tips for your next staff meeting.

• Provide frequent room tours to keep front desk staff familiarized with locations, views and other specifics that are relevant to special requests.
• Encourage front desk staff to channel-convert guests who call directly with questions while shopping online at an OTA. Train them to say: Now that I’ve answered your question, are there any dates I can check for you? I can book that for you right now, directly into our system, and notate that request.
• Familiarize staff with local area restaurants, especially the “locals favorites” with unique menus or atmosphere. (Frequent travelers like me get tired of chain restaurants.) While it is good for them to hand out a list, being able to speak personally about a few of them really stands out.
• Train them to respond to frequently asked questions such as estimated travel times to airports, conference centers, business complexes, shopping, and medical / hospital facilities.
• Encourage all staff to greet guests and engage them when passing them in the hallways, when riding on elevators, and to strike up conversations as they are awaiting their rideshare in the lobby. Offer-up conversation starters that go beyond a typical de-personalized phrase such as Hi, how are you?
  • Are you having an excellent stay?
  • What brings you to town?
  • Who’s that traveling with you? (Referring to a young child, elderly person, or pet accompanying the guest you are speaking to.)

When you read articles, blogs, and social posts from technology companies and hotel brand leaders, it is obvious that too many believe you can “out tech” the competition or perhaps win guests over with a shiny new amenity or service. In the end, the competition catches up very quickly. What truly differentiates one hotel to another has not changed since I started my career at a hotel front desk in the 1980s. It’s still the people that make the most difference.