If you are a hotel manager or in charge of sales at a hotel, you may be in a position where despite having several add-ons available to your guests, no one appears to be buying them.
Having years of experience with the hospitality business and worked with numerous different hotels over the past few years, we’ve gathered some useful tips and tricks to help you sell add-ons to guests efficiently.
Upgrade more guests. In just a few words what do they get?
If you can’t describe why the guest should upgrade, then why should they?
Use simple terminology to explain what they would gain from an upgrade e.g. ‘upgrade to a Suite – get a butler, three times more space and a huge luxury bathroom’ – it doesn’t have to be more complicated than that! All the guest needs is that quick knowledge to help them make their decision.
More airport pickups. How long does it take, what’s the cost and why is it easy?
Sharing a little information positions you as an expert and reinforces that it’s going to be simple. Saying ‘let us pick you up from the airport. You’ll be here in 45 minutes in one of our air conditioned Toyota’s for 50 USD.’ – That is reassuring.
Upsell guests onto a faster Wi-Fi service. Make it relatable and get them to think ahead.
This manages expectations and persuades them to upgrade e.g – ‘Keep watching your favourite Netflix show. Just add a super-fast Wi-Fi package onto your room and get 30 MB download rate. Stream your heart out!’.
Alternatively, if the majority of your guests are corporates, ‘Feel secure about your Skype and conference connection by upgrading to our super-fast Wi-Fi package with a 30MB download rate.’
Get more guests to eat breakfast at the hotel. Target your ideal breakfast guest.
Being upfront about your breakfast experience will get more guests who want that taking it. For example two different hotels:
1. ‘Grab and go breakfast. Pick a breakfast bag from healthy, hangover or standard and get your breakfast fix and our choice of take away coffee’.
2. “We believe in enjoying a good breakfast when you travel and that’s why we offer a full English breakfast as well as a continental breakfast option! Come and check out our wide variety of breakfast choice whilst you relax and read the news or catch up on social media tomorrow morning.”
In room wine or champagne. Your guests will want it, they just need to be convinced
When travelling, there is nothing more relaxing than some chilled champagne or a nice glass of wine waiting for you at the room. Sell it as a celebratory drink, a relaxing experience and something to suit everyone during their stay.
Check out how many guests are checking out late now… and paying. Be fair
How much is one hour really worth, or two hours, or three? Is your price and offer connecting with value? Be clear. Telling guests ‘check out at 2PM, get four hours extra for $50. The charge is to cover extending cleaner’s rotas’ tells them the why of your price.
Private parking. Sell it on the safety and trustworthy nature of your option.
Drivers need to be reassured that paying for parking is worthwhile. If you can guarantee your secure parking space whilst you stay and inform of other options, you save them research.
Saying street parking is available but unpredictable. Street is medium busy and providing a Google Maps street link helps them. Show a picture of the private parking side by side the street parking as a comparison.
Extra people staying in the room. Make sure guests know why an extra bed is a good option.
Many guests have issues with extra beds, or perceive them to not be of good quality. Communicate what they are getting and why booking is important. Such as ‘Futon’s that are max 1 year old are bookable. We have 10 available in total. Unregistered guests not paying for a bed are not permitted in the hotel for legal reasons.’
Always ask guests. Some want popular add-on’s. Some don’t. Find out who!
Check with guests when they book – “Would you like to book any of our most popular add-on’s such as breakfast, private parking, or an airport pick up? Some of them are limited to availability”. Make sure you can market and sell add-on’s or extras on your website and in your booking engine easily.
Email guests pre-stay. 1-2 weeks before they arrive is best.
Make sure you can email guests automatically from your software. Find out when the optimum time to contact them about extras is. Industry research suggests it is 1-2 weeks before they arrive as their trip nears.
We hope that you have learnt lots about making the most of selling your hotel add-on’s and that these tips will help you will become the best in your area at up selling hotel rooms! Want any more tips or tricks from us? Get in touch today!
To find out more ways to improve your hotel revenue management and operating profit why not get in touch with us today, we would be delighted to hear from you. Of course we are also on all the usual channels, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ .