Each generation is different than the preceding one. For most of us, there is a big gap between our habits and those of our parents. Besides, such gap has a direct impact on any detail in our lives that can include our travelling and accommodation habits as well as our expectations.
Therefore, every business should be familiar with their guests’ profile and adapt themselves to changes in order to survive in accommodation sector.
For instance, Generation Y, which includes newly-graduated people with no economic independence yet, is becoming increasingly active members of our society. Having different wishes, expectations and goals than those of generation X, these next-generation guests are of course among your visitors, or they will eventually become so.
You should be well prepared for that. What are the expectations of next-generation hotel guests from your hotel? Here are 5 common features of generation Y guests.
1- Restlessness
Their restlessness is the most typical feature of generation Y. They are also known as “do-it-now generation”, so they cannot bother themselves to show patience what they want to come true. Therefore, keeping them waiting at the check-in desk or for room service means losing them.
2- Last minute addiction
Another typical feature of generation Y is taking instant decisions rather than making long term plans. Former generations would probably focus on their August holiday plan earlier in March, whereas new generation makes such a plan in August. You need to adapt yourselves to these habits in order not to miss last minute reservations that will increase more in upcoming years.
3- Appearance is important
For preceding generations, functionality would matter more than visuality. But today it is long gone. The next-generation looks for beauty in anything they see along with functionality. It is time for you to focus on visual aesthetics in all parts of your hotel from general decoration to small details in rooms.
4- Less tolerance for rules
We are sure you have your own rules to manage your property with the best method that works for everyone. Well, generation Y would not like the majority of these rules, something to be noted in advance. They are in favor of flexible applications that can be changed easily rather than strict rules that actually work better to arrange things. Is your pool closed at 12 am as part of hotel rules? You had better brace yourself for future days in case you might have to change it.
5- An ever online and social life
Generation Y is born into a world that is completely immersed in technology and has become a generation with the ability of adaptation to the speed of technology best. They are always online with the help of multiple devices and follow a totally different social life on online world. They are the ones who built review websites, with which many property managers have difficulty in catching up, and they use these websites. Therefore, you have to work hard to catch up with all the opportunities offered by the Internet. To do that, you can actually consult your employees from generation Y.
The Internet has an indispensable role in hotel marketing for the next generation. Online world might be sophisticated and complex for you, but it has practical solutions despite the difficulties it poses. HotelRunner is the best example in this case, in that it provides innumerable features to manage your property and accept direct online reservations. Sign up to HotelRunner for free and make your hotel part of this new era before it is too late.
