The pandemic devastated the hotel industry. People were traveling less, so, as a result, business for hotels was down drastically. Now that the world is getting back to normal, hotels have begun to ramp up operations again.
In the wake of that retraction of the industry, providing first-rate customer service has become more important than ever. Leveraging Salesforce for a more customer-driven experience pays dividends. Here is how.
A New Way to Gather Data
Hotels have always gathered data in one way or another. As technology has evolved, so have the methods for collecting customer data. Traditionally, hotels made use of an operations-driven model, meaning everything the hotel knew about the customer was contained in the relevant system.
That model allows hotel employees to track basic information such as email address and phone number. However, data collection has grown in sophistication. The idea of customizing a guest’s experience has become more paramount. As a result, hotel employees have also begun to capture details like amenity preference or whether a guest is staying for business or pleasure, whether they typically travel alone, with family or a romantic partner.
An operations-driven model was concerned with such key performance indicators (KPIs) as booking and room availability. But, because each had its own system, much of that information was siloed. Disparate systems did not communicate with one another to create a unified customer profile. Salesforce can.
The Carrot on a Stick
Funneling all your customer data into a single source empowers hoteliers to give guests a well-tailored experience. The Salesforce platform offers insight into guest sensibilities previously unseen. By cleaning your data — eliminating duplication, ensuring consistent spelling and so forth — hoteliers are poised to ensure that any information entered into a customer profile is actionable.
This means deals or availability of preferred amenities are crafted to the guest’s preferences. Since Salesforce can sync to any external systems it isn’t able to replace, it can send an email or push notifications relevant to the guest.
For instance, if the last time a guest visited your hotel, they requested a room with an ocean view, stayed with their wife and ordered salmon and Champagne to their room, you would be able to entice them with offers in that same ballpark.
Happy Employees, Happy Guests
When all customer data is collated in one place — into a single source of truth, as it were, it allows hotels to operate more efficiently. There is no need for employees to coordinate with one another, because you can choose to give them everything they need to know at their fingertips. Room service has the same information as the front desk. Your onsite restaurant and bar can see the same thing housekeeping sees.
This ensures all employees can do their part to the best of their ability to delight guests. Not only can Salesforce provide a better view of the guest that leaves them catered to at every leg of their stay, but it also allows employees to know their role, reducing stress and fostering a more satisfying workplace — something guests are likely to notice and appreciate.
In a nutshell, Salesforce allows hoteliers to hide the brushstrokes, providing a seamless stay that seems effortless and designed for them — all with less work and less overhead.
About A360
We are a team of technology experts with more than 500 implementations to our credit. We work across clouds, advising clients on different aspects of the hospitality industry. Our motto is to never stop learning, so we're always pushing the boundaries of Salesforce. Contact us: https://www.accelerize360.com/contact
Author
Jim Walker
Chief Commercial Officer