Just like other industries, the accommodation industry is, too, dependant on the economic conditions it is in, despite the rapid growth it enjoys. Most of the time, industries’ growth rates are shaped by the societal and financial conditions of the region where they are located. Nonetheless, the right steps may allow businesses to sustain their growth and attain high profitability rates even at times when environmental conditions hardly look promising.
It is possible to employ your own channels, rather than agents, to increase room sales and attain sales growth with higher profitability regardless of the conditions. When it comes to increasing the sales, however, the first thing that appears in mind is to decrease the prices. The thing is, gaining extra sales through this method may not always serve at your advantage.
Therefore, considering other methods to increase room sales will probably be a better solution. No matter the economic and societal conditions you are affected by, implementing HotelRunner suggestions about this matter will help you boost room sales…
Get to know your customers more closely
If a customer who stayed at your property has been satisfied with everything, there is no reason why this customer will not prefer you for their next vacation. What is more, you do not need to re-promote yourself to this customer – he/she already knows you. For this reason, it is critical that you get to know closely all your guests accommodating at your property as well as their accommodation needs, accommodation periods and expectations.
You can achieve this only through a reliable customer relations management (CRM). Sending a re-invitation e-mail to a former customer, whose details you registered thanks to CRM – with the help of HotelRunner, for instance – may prove an efficient tool in improving your sales directly.
Sales team should only engage in sales
Unfortunately, many facilities today assign their staff with multiple functions. One of the most frequently encountered case, for example, is a front office employee being also tasked with sales duties. However, these two functions are quite different from each other in terms of the approach to and responsibilities against customers. Albeit for the purpose of efficient use of resources, such a preference will usually lead to loss of time and higher costs.
One of the most efficient methods to improve sales is to have your sales staff, who are tasked with such a critical function, engage only in the sales operation, and to provide them with relevant training, if possible. A sales team that allocates their time to their task only, in the field or on phone, will always be at your advantage.
What are the competitors doing right?
Do you know why a customer has chosen your competitor’s property over yours? If you do not, you better find a way to learn it before it is too late, since a guest staying at your competitor is also a potential guest whom you have lost. Examine your competitor’s marketing and sales efforts, investigate if there is any aspect of their facilities that helps improve the sales.
However, do not assume outright – before making a thorough assessment – that everything your competitor is doing positive. Some of the methods they are employing to attract customers may cause them losses, instead of profits. What you should do is examine their efforts and decide whether or not you can benefit from them in developing your own program.
Pay attention to inspections
In the midst of busy day-to-day hassle, it is a common habit to assume everyone is doing their job in the most proper and efficient manner, rather than check all departments one by one. Inspections, however disliked, are of critical importance. They should not be seen as an ‘error-finding’ work, but as an improvement effort to identify what can be done better, which will make it more useful and alleviate the potential discomfort the staff associates with it.
Internet
Today, Internet is the most cost-effective method of making room sales. If you are using a system, like HotelRunner, that features SEO and enables customers to access easily and book online reservations from the Internet, this means you are at least one step ahead of your competitors in this aspect.
If you have not met HotelRunner yet, do not too late to take a look at countless features we offer to help you improve your sales and establish a closer contact with your customers and create your account right now for free…
