Does your hotel establishment cater to the new generation? How do you present a unique opportunity for Millennials to feel welcomed at your establishment but still remain traditional enough for other generations to also feel accepted and comfortable?
The Millennial generation is the largest growing customer segment within the hospitality industry, it is said that by 2025, Millennials will consist of 50% of all travellers. This Gen Y, or Millennial Generation, consists of those born in the early 1980s- to the early 2000s. They are an important and diverse generation due to their unique relationship to technology, high education, and their willingness to seek out the information they need. They thrive for an environment that provides a unique experience through engagement and interaction. It is said that this is the generation that will continue to shape the economy for decades to come due to their buying power and desire for travel.
So let’s keep this generation in the good books by finding out unique ways to make our own establishments more Millennial friendly. By providing key elements that are Millennial friendly to your hotel, you can be sure that you remain relevant to the generation that is always one step-ahead, and seek their ‘wow’ of approval.
Be technology friendly
The Millennial generation is the only generation entering career level that has been consumed by technology for most of their lives. They are the first generation to have technology during their impressionable stages of growing up. ‘Facebooking’ and ‘Googling’ are natural things to this generation that depends on technology to problem solve and entertain themselves. It’s not only this generation that is consumed by technology, but the world is becoming more technology efficient to a point of digitizing, mobilizing and creating self sufficient users is now the norm.
So don’t be afraid of the new changes, rather embrace them for the sake of your facility and for customer’s sake. Technology can dramatically enhance guests’ experience, transform wait lines and be plain right fun.
Provide Technology Check-ins:
Customer service is a huge aspect of the hospitality industry, and the customer service desk is highly important in creating those first impressions with customers. This is an opportunity for guests to feel welcomed, feel a sense of relief and relaxation before they engage with the rest of your facility.
Utilizing technology to do things that have previously been done manually is the new way of doing things. There is either a technology shortcut or “an App for that”… hotels around the world are engaging in this trend that has become a domino effect of the technological world: today we have the option of self-serve at a countless number of facilities including movie theatres, airport check-in, grocery stores, and now hotels, and there are Apps for eating out, nearby shopping and entertainment.
87% of Millennials use 2-3 tech devices once a day… So they know what they are doing. Join the trend and add mobile check-ins, a new trend that allows the Millennial generation to ‘self-serve’ themselves for convenience purposes. Remember this option should not take away from the purpose of a customer service desk, and a customer service representative should remain readily available if needed, to avoid frustrations and questions that may evolve.
Start simple
Try providing e-tablets or iPads for a seamless, touch screen experience for guest check-in. This will allow you to evaluate quickly how well perceived this new option is for guests visiting your hotel, this simple yet user friendly technology is nothing new, however the experience it provides guests will be a refreshing and ‘new’ feeling.
Geolocation Options
The Millennial generation are fans of social media and use it to share their experiences. In fact, 62% of Millennials say that if a brand engages with them on social media, then they are more likely to become a loyal customer. Fuel positive interactions by providing Millennial guests the opportunity to ‘check-in’ on Facebook. The Check-in trend has crowded the Facebook community with people sharing their where abouts, particularly when they are traveling somewhere new.
Entice customers to get online and share their visit to your hotel for an added discount or for their chance to have access to an exclusive special of the night. That way it is a win-win for both the customer and your hotel. Remember your hotel should already have a social media strategy in place, as an excellent way to engage with customers and attract more leads. However by encouraging visitors to engage within social media while paying a visit, offers an excellent opportunity for your business to build strong customer relations and attract more leads through their audience and referrals.
What it comes down to
Whether you are new to the technology trend, or have traditional views of what a hotel check-in consists of, adapting your hotel establishment to accommodate the savvy Millennial generation will benefit your business. Start simple and you will see the positive reactions and reviews you are now receiving, perhaps even those who hesitant of using technology will like what they see. Remember it comes down to customer service, and when in doubt about your current customer service we are here to help. To get a true sense of how your customer service experience is ranking, invest in an audit to measure your current guest experience and learn exactly which aspects of your service need to be addressed.
