It's the little moments that matter! Get inspired by… auto mechanics?
They’re all around us, both online and offline. Small moments that make up the big “guest experience.” They cost almost nothing, but they can guide a guest exactly where you need them to go—for example, to the spa or to make a repeat reservation. Get inspired by simple tips on how to surprise a guest, and find out why hoteliers should learn marketing from car mechanics, for example.
What are micro-moments?
Small, brief, yet extremely powerful moments that make up a great “guest experience.” They happen both online and offline. They’re everywhere—you just need to seize them. They’re so powerful that they can turn a standard stay into a unique one. They’re full of emotion and can guide the guest exactly where you want them to go. So what can you do? Don’t worry—it doesn’t involve anything expensive, and most of these things cost nothing at all. Just a little effort and a knack for great service (unfortunately, that’s the stumbling block we often lack).
- Greet the guest by name. Yes, it might seem “creepy,” but maybe not—so give it a try! With regular guests, it’s practically a must, isn’t it?
- Write a personal welcome note in the apartment. All you need is a piece of letterhead and a pen (you’ll find plenty of those in conference rooms). And a nice font.
- Help with luggage, an invitation for coffee, a smile. Anything that costs nothing and your staff can do to make the guest feel “pampered.”
- Give guests space to enjoy the hotel and its surroundings. Offer them a place to relax. After all, that’s why they’re staying with you.
- A welcome drink? Sure, why not?
Why bother with these things, anyway?
Micro-moments make for happy guests. They encourage guests to enjoy (and pay for) something. Maybe an hour in the sauna because they want to relax. Or coffee on the terrace because they want their 5 minutes of peace. Micro-moments lead to good or great reviews, higher revenue, and happier guests. And, in fact, happier employees and owners, too. Guest expectations are constantly rising, but thanks to technology, it’s possible not only to capture these micro-moments but also to share them across the internet. Let them work for you. However, with higher expectations, it’s easier to surprise a guest—perhaps by doing everything perfectly and even smiling at them.
Why look to a car mechanic for inspiration?
It sounds strange—the idea of a car mechanic providing better service than hotel staff. But this is the new reality, because it doesn’t matter where you work. The core of the product—that is, meeting a need—is readily available to everyone. What sets you apart from the competition are the extra steps you take. Do them better, do more, and do them more efficiently than your competitors. Or simply do them. Would you like to turn 0.25 Kč into 5,000 Kč? Everyone would want that. All you need is nine digits (i.e., a phone number). The first amount shows how much a single well-targeted text message could cost you. And the 5,000 Kč is the price you’ll pay for a complete pre-emissions and vehicle inspection. Maybe everything is fine; maybe everything is as it should be—but without passing the technical inspection, the car won’t run, after all.
And what should you write in that text message? “Your vehicle inspection is coming up soon. Schedule an inspection for your car to make sure everything is in order!”
That’s all it takes! Don’t forget that it’s the little things that make people happy. Yet their impact is huge.