While there have been many hotel industry articles about how to turn guests into “brand ambassadors,” large hospitality providers may want to consider ways to ensure that all staff also play this vital role.
In other words, to transform guests into loyal advocates, the foundation needs to be in place – with every staff member on a property at the hotel first. One way to achieve this is by making loyalty programs truly about loyalty.
As we highlighted before, the core focus in the hospitality arena should be about fostering relationships with guests. Hotel guests want to have an emotional connection with their preferred hotel brands.
This concept is critical for developing high-level strategies for building loyalty. And this goes beyond what many highlight about the value of education and hotel loyalty programs. A guest should have an experience that feels completely personalized, which can increase chances that they will sign up and take advantage of the actual loyalty programs.
In a recent Marketplace interview, Arne Sorenson, CEO of Marriott International, discussed the importance of providing guest experiences. “We’re delivering experiences which people can count on and where they want to come back to us and have those experiences,” said Sorenson. This includes catering to guests’ needs both on- and off-property.
By focusing on providing these experiences, as well as pushing for all staff members to be brand ambassadors, it is possible to achieve the highest level of loyalty – where the guests themselves actively advocate on behalf of your brand.