“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” When working to create an exceptional guest experience, hoteliers would do well to remember Maya Angelou’s wise words. A seamless holiday full of five-star amenities can be overshadowed by one poor interaction with staff. On the other hand, a well-managed crisis can earn loyalty for life. It’s all about how your guests are left feeling when they walk away.

You’ll have dozens of interactions with a guest throughout their stay. They’re all important, but some are more critical than others. Here’s how to use hotel tech to manage five make-or-break moments you should be prepared for:

Booking

The booking experience is the first make-or-break moment in the customer journey. It sets the tone and expectations for the rest of the stay, so it needs to be convenient and give your guests confidence. Most hotel bookings are made online, so a seamless booking experience on your property’s website is key to creating a good first impression and attracting new and repeat guests. 

When integrated with your property management system (PMS), your online booking engine automatically displays real-time availability and rates on your website, maximizing inventory and preventing overbooking. It should be easy to find with a prominent “book now” button and feature an easy-to-use availability search.

Upon booking, a confirmation message should be immediately displayed, and a confirmation email should be automatically sent, affirming that your customer’s reservation went through.

Customers can make an online booking on mobile too (Apple iOS, Google Android, Windows Phone, and more!), so ensure your online booking engine uses a responsive design that automatically detects and adapts to the user’s device for the best experience.

Personalized booking add-ons can enhance the customer experience while increasing revenue for hoteliers. Create packages and add-ons tailored to various guest segments, such as family-friendly packages, couples’ packages, or business traveler bundles. Add-ons such as in-room extras, spa treatments, or theater tickets can be offered to customers according to the room and/or rate type being booked.  

Focus on understanding your guests (and utilizing guest data!), and follow up with offers you genuinely think they would enjoy.

Check-in/Arrival

For new guests, check-in/arrival is most likely their first in-person interaction with your property. While a warm greeting makes your guests feel welcome, equipping your staff (and guests) with the right technology allows for maximum convenience and efficiency so weary travelers can start relaxing sooner rather than later.

Instead of being tethered to paper-based legacy systems behind a desk, cloud-based hotel tech frees front desk agents to assist guests out and about in the lobby or elsewhere on property, reducing check-in queues. Additionally, cloud technology reduces paper and printing requirements, showing your guests that going green matters as much to you as it does to them. Here are some tech solutions that facilitate seamless guest arrivals:

• Guest self check-in: Automated self check-in can be facilitated through your PMS, or with an integrated third-party self-check-in application. This is how it works: guests receive a pre-arrival email or text message inviting them to complete registration online. Information that is traditionally gathered by front desk staff is entered by the guest prior to arrival, allowing them to simply collect their room key and head straight to their room.

• Mobile keys: A mobile key solution works best when integrated with a PMS to automate the key delivery process. Once a booking is made, a pre-arrival booking confirmation email containing a link to download the mobile key app is sent to the guest. Upon guest check-in, the mobile key platform sends a secure digital key to the guest’s mobile phone.

• An integration between your keycard writer and PMS: Even when using traditional key cards, hotel tech solutions simplify the process of encoding them for faster check-ins. An integration between your PMS and keycard writer allows your PMS to send necessary information directly to the keycard writer, speeding up the process of programming keys upon check-in.
  
• Housekeeping software to ensure room quality: Hotel housekeeping software integrates with the front office to display room status and occupancy in real time, streamlining internal communications to improve the guest experience. In addition to housekeeper cleaning checklists, WebRezPro’s housekeeping report allows staff to add special notes and maintenance alarms to individual units to ensure a high standard of cleanliness and safety for every guest.

• A wireless EMV card reader: Along with being the standard in credit card security, wireless EMV card readers can be carried around by staff so guests can remain comfortably seated rather than waiting in line.

• Electronic signature capture: A PMS with electronic signature capturing capability allows guests to sign receipts and other documents on a tablet screen, making check-in faster and more environmentally friendly by reducing paper waste (and costs!).

Guest Requests

Simple requests made throughout a guest’s stay are key moments that could make or break their experience. Whether it’s asking for a toothbrush to be brought to their room, a taxi to be called, or a reservation to be made at a local restaurant, an expedient response ensures your guests are left feeling cared for. Establish a system for handling these requests and tracking tasks so that your staff never drops the ball and guests are never left feeling frustrated and forgotten.

Today’s guests expect instant and clear communication before, during, and after their stay. Utilizing a guest messaging app provides them with a convenient avenue through which to communicate with your property while providing you with a convenient platform from which to manage those communications. 

Guest messaging solutions can be used to facilitate self check-in/out, allow guests to make special requests and ask questions, streamline inter-staff communications (more on that next), and even provide a digital guidebook with information about your hotel (such as hotel policies and local attractions and events).

Unexpected Issues / Service Resolution

No matter how prepared you and your staff are, problems will arise. Miscommunication may lead to double booking, credit card issues may interrupt check-in, and other unforeseen crises will pop up. The key to navigating these moments and maintaining an excellent guest experience is to address the problem quickly and compassionately with the help of the right technology.

Seamless inter-staff and guest communication is crucial for providing immediate and effective service resolutions. Utilizing a property management system like WebRezPro with an integrated guest messaging application allows staff to connect guest enquiries and requests with the right folio information instantly, for more efficient (and even automatic) responses. 

Simply setting alarms in the PMS also helps to remind staff to follow up on any issues.

Sometimes, you won’t hear about a guest’s unsatisfactory experience until after they’ve checked out. Monitoring guest reviews is important not only for the chance to reach out to unhappy guests but for maintaining your online reputation as well. Use your property management system’s automated email feature to ask every guest for feedback after their stay. Consider integrating your PMS with a reputation management system to generate more positive reviews on your favorite review sites and efficiently manage feedback and your own responses. Don’t forget to use guest feedback to identify areas for improvement in your stay experience and hotel operations. 

Unexpected issues are opportunities to transform a complaint or negative experience into a positive one that leaves guests feeling good about your property at the end of their stay. 

Check-out & Post-stay

Ensure your hotel finishes strong as your guests near the end of their stay. The check-out process isn’t just about saying goodbye to your current guests; it’s about leaving the door open for them to return in the future. Don’t let your guests go on a sour note with a poor check-out experience. Again, technology can aid your staff in providing the best check-out experience, building guest loyalty, and ensuring positive reviews and return visits.

Guest self check-in solutions also allow guests to check out using their mobile devices. Integrated with your PMS, guest messaging software can send guests a link to complete the check-out process online the night before or morning of departure. Guests can review their bills, complete payments, confirm their check-out time, and rate their stay experience. Upon check-out, the guest’s mobile room key is automatically deactivated, and a check-out receipt is sent via email. Self check-out also lets staff know when rooms are vacated in real time, allowing housekeeping to prioritize their schedule more efficiently.

Some guest messaging solutions can use guest satisfaction indicators to choose which guests to request an online review from. To further nurture positive guest relationships, use guest data to personalize post-stay emails with content that will appeal to guests looking to re-book. For example, families with children may appreciate offers for family discounts, events, and activities.

Guest satisfaction is the name of the game in the hospitality industry. Make sure you’re ready for these key moments by using the right hotel tech solutions to help you make (not break) each guest’s experience at your property.

Editor’s note: This post was last updated in July 2024.