Things to check before reopening your hotel for a new season

Outsourcing expert Alan Ridgell offers some considerations to take into account when reopening a hotel

The hospitality sector has continued to be overloaded with information about Covid-19’s implications for the market and how they will affect future business. How to resume operations and services in a way that takes into account new market realities and ensures their ability to recover as much lost revenue as possible is understandably on hoteliers’ minds at all times.

It can be difficult to ascertain which elements are crucial in being able to regain the trust of guests and make sure that they return with their business, though, given the volume of information that is being disseminated and the seemingly endless list of steps that hoteliers should take in order to reopen.

Key considerations

One of the industries most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic is the hospitality sector. Hotels heavily rely on the physical presence of their customers to generate revenue, which is why the virus had such a negative impact on them compared to other businesses that can operate remotely. Here are some considerations to take into account when reopening your hotel:

  • Safety and service

Extra steps should also be taken to guarantee that visitors feel well taken care of. By putting in place strategies like virtual check-in, paperless payment, and self-service apps,  you can minimize face-to-face contact and protect both staff and visitors.

There are also new technological solutions that can help to solve the problem. In order to facilitate two-way communication between hotel staff and guests before, after, and during their stay, hotels can use guest messaging services. New procedures and policies are better explained to guests both before and during their stay at the hotel. Because guests can use the messaging service to make requests, complain, or seek recommendations rather than gathering at the front desk, it lessens the need for face-to-face interaction.

While new technology will greatly benefit both visitors and staff, it is also necessary to modernize more traditional forms of communication. It will be necessary to update and install a lot of new signboards around the property to inform visitors of the policies and guidelines, such as housekeeping procedures, capacity restrictions, and so forth. Although the in-person experience of your guests is the most valuable, their online experience is also significant. To build trust, you must make sure that your website, social media accounts, and email correspondence inform lookers, and potential guests to develop trust.

  • Cleanliness and housekeeping

The cleanliness and sanitization of a guest’s room as well as the hotel’s public areas will continue to be top priorities for guests. In order for hotels to inspire confidence, these elements must be present. In order to give guests peace of mind and encourage reservations, you must let them know how thoroughly you are cleaning and sanitizing the hotel.

It’s crucial to maintain an up-to-date inventory of supplies like sanitizers, personal protective equipment, and new specialized cleaning equipment. Consider installing sanitizer stations throughout your hotel, make sure high-traffic areas are cleaned more frequently, and make sure air conditioning units are operating properly. All of these things are equally important. It will also be a good idea to replace high-touch items like magazines and pamphlets with virtual guides and digital key cards that guests can use on their smartphones.

  • Repairings

With the rainy season, it’s possible that unoccupied areas of your building have experienced leaks or water entry. If this situation goes unnoticed, it could eventually result in an increase in microbial growth. That’s why it is very crucial to also check the sewer line if it needs repairing before guests start to arrive. To do that a sewer line repair company from Austin can help you in that direction.

Conclusion

Accurate and trustworthy data are the best resource for ensuring the success of the reopening and recovery. You can give yourself the best chance to outperform the competition by choosing better technology today with data-driven decision-making. In the recovery, hoteliers will also need to be adaptable and ready to change with the market. This will necessitate ongoing business performance optimization.

Remember, it’s all about following the right procedures, concentrating on marketing, coming up with innovative ways to draw visitors, and putting effective revenue management into practice. You can identify opportunities and be ready to take advantage of demand rebounds to drive revenue if you have market-leading tech solutions in place to guide you through the recovery. Hotel managers who are capable of taking proactive assured decisions that are supported by data will leave this budgeting and reopening phase with the fundamentals required for success in recovery – and far beyond.

Alan Ridgell

 

Further details:

If interested in learning more, you can contact the author (pictured) via email at alannridgell@gmail.com.

 

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