We’ve seen many examples of upselling done badly and they always make us cringe. However, there is a knack to getting it right, and done properly, upselling will increase the value of your business, and make it more viable.
Know your customer. There is no point throwing in a free breakfast if your customer is checking out at night. You need to understand your guests and their needs. Linking back to our workshop on Account Management and Relationship Building, this is where having your finger on the pulse and having a good computer, and doing your research matters.
Successful upselling comes by establishing a rapport and building a relationship with trust. You want clients to enjoy their stay, feel relaxed and even before they check out, know that they will be coming back.
Good CMS. If you have a system where you can recall information swiftly, so much the better. But nothing beats listening. Make sensible suggestions to enhance their stay, and don’t scrimp where you can afford to be generous.
Details. If someone is booking in for a birthday party, or special occasion, you can ask if they would like a bottle of their favourite wine delivered to their room.
Do not be pushy. Customers want to know that buying is their choice not that they are forced into a sale. But you can make it clear, through information available, what is possible to purchase from the front desk e.g bath towels.
Before they even get to the hotel. Polite, clear and friendly emails confirming details, and gently informing them of additional options, and any upgrades that might be available.
Once guests have opened their hotel room door, they are ready to be relaxed and pampered and this is the time when they will be open to opportunities to capitalise on that feeling. They want a memorable experience, and getting it right turns this visit into brand loyalty.
Don’t blow it by being sneaky! Be clear about what items are complimentary and what items are chargeable. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth thinking your bottle of water was free, only to find out it was strategically placed on an open shelf where all items were billable. And in our experience, bottled water in hotel rooms should always be complimentary.
Be clear. The in-room guest information folder should clearly detail everything someone expects from their stay. Through this you can promote in-house offers (room service, dry cleaning etc) as well as where to go in town. Make the wi-fi password easy to find and if you are still charging for it, stop! People expect this as a given.
After sales care. When guests are checking out, be polite and attentive and thank them for choosing you. If you have upcoming deals or offers, you can include this in a follow up email as a way to keep in touch with a loyal customer.
We don’t believe it is hard to get these details right, and it is worth taking a little time. We’ve seen how quickly a hotel can drop out of favour and lose a customer forever, simply by not listening, or not treating them as an individual.