We have to acknowledge that success amidst a downturn or a pandemic looks different than our normal definition of success. However, there are fundamentals in the definition that don’t change for successful hotel teams. It boils down to adaptability, connection with customers and collaboration as an organization.
Our GitGo team is fully functioning and working in tandem with our hotel partners nationwide to book short-term essential travel. While we continue to focus on long-term opportunities that will bring them a faster recovery, we are witnessing many success stories. Our team compiled four key areas we’ve seen consistently with our most successful hotel team partners.
1. Flexibility
If your doors are still open, flexibility with clients who walk through your doors is key! Businesses who are traveling are doing so with multiple changes from booking to arrival and even while in-house. They are dealing with a lot of adjustments to schedules due to flights, as well as changing business needs. Date extensions, early check-outs, project delays are more typical now than ever. Property teams that can: go with the flow, break their own rules if necessary, and show empathy to the travelers dealing with all of this, are really appreciated and will be remembered long after this is over.
2. Proactive Efforts
Hotels that started their proactive efforts many months ago are better off than those teams just learning how to prospect. We have numerous partners who are reaping the benefits of conversations that started months ago with potential clients. Those potiential clients are now needing rooms for essential travel. Sales professionals who understand that proactive prospecting is not “pitching” have it right.
But, is there business your hotel can benefit from short-term that you can contact now?… Quite possibly, in many markets YES! We know from over a decade of experience, your odds go way up if you’ve been building that relationship over time. And that is precisely the point. Proactive efforts do not turn into immediate business in most cases.
If you haven’t been tackling prospecting effectively prior, there is no better time to start than today! This crisis is shining a huge spotlight on the need to be proactive as the inbound funnel has come to a screeching halt.
3. On-Property Relationships
On-property team members are the unsung heroes within the hotel industry right now. They are working on the front lines, serving the guests that are staying. We are seeing hotel teams go above and beyond to make their guests’ stay as comfortable as possible.
The relationships built during this time will carry into the future. As it goes, when people feel heard and taken care of, they are more likely to engage in conversation, offer feedback, etc. You can use this time to see if they know of anyone else traveling to the area (perhaps you haven’t reached out to them yet).
Anything your team can do to personalize the stay, create more of an at-home atmosphere, or provide hospitality is what our industry is all about! Our partners who’ve had a true culture of hospitality and taking care of their guests are reaping the rewards, getting excellent guest reviews and future business and referrals for many months out.
4. TEAMWORK!
Communication between your Operations, Revenue Management and Sales & Marketing Team is PARAMOUNT right now. Your S&M might be working from home right now. We’ve been involved in some amazing collaboration stories over the past several weeks all due to consistent open communication amongst teams to QUICKLY come together, share facts and make sound decisions on price positioning and messaging to potential clients.
Interested in seeing how a specific hotel partner of ours is implementing these and crushing their numbers too?
#Deliver2020RevenueAnyway #HereToServe
If your team could use strategic brainstorming for your properties, markets, or sales pipeline, we are offering free strategy sessions RIGHT NOW!
