Month: May 2018

improve guest experience

5 Ways Hotels Can Improve Guest Experience

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The hotel industry is entirely based on customer service. That’s why it’s called hospitality. Hotel managers and staff need to provide exceptional service 100% of the time, which can seem like a daunting task some days. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated.

As competitive as the marketplace is today, hotels that offer great customer service will thrive. Those who don’t… well, they’ll likely be playing catch up. But here’s the thing: your path to improving guest experience can be done in a myriad of ways that are more subtle than you might think. If you’re in need of ideas to improve the guest experience, here are five ways to get you there.

5 Ways Hotels Can Improve Guest Experience

1. Communicate with guests BEFORE arrival

The guest experience doesn’t start once they arrive at your hotel. It begins far before they even book a reservation through your online marketing efforts. But once they do book, don’t think the work is done. Be sure to communicate with them prior to their arrival. Provide information that will be helpful for them. For example, maybe they’ll be staying during a particular event happening, or you could provide a list of restaurants they might like in the area. This effort is a great opportunity to set a friendly tone, helping your hotel be viewed as resourceful and making the guest feel valued.

2. Upgrade technology

The use of technology is pervasive in our lives. We use it for both personal and professional reasons. For this reason, access to good wifi service is a must-have for guests, especially if your hotel regularly hosts business travelers. (There’s nothing more frustrating than a slow connection!) Mobile check-in is another option that guests like, particularly if they’re returning guests. It provides a fast and convenient way to book a reservation. Staying abreast of trends is essential to success.

3. Install a hotel pantry

A hotel pantry is ideal for providing guests with easy access to food and beverages. The inherent convenience of a pantry helps make your guest’s stay a little better. Add in a pantry management service for quick easy easy delivery, and staff can spend more time focusing on guests.

4. Respond to feedback…quickly

One of the best ways to improve the guest experience is to discover what they want. Ask guests for feedback and act on it. If someone has a complaint about something that can easily be changed or fixed, make it happen. You could even take it a step further and let that person know you’ve made a change based on their suggestion, which is a great way to build trust with your guests and build brand loyalty.

5. Personalize their experience

If you’re using hotel management software, then you have the ability to collect enough data from guests to make their experience at your hotel more personal. Keep track of preferences they have, so when they return (or even during their stay) you can really show you’re listening to them. The more you know about your guests, the better you can tailor their experience.

 

Is An Office Coffee Service Right For Your Business?

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An office coffee service could be the solution you need if you’re looking to increase productivity, improve company culture, or give employee satisfaction a boost. But with all the choices out there, it can be a challenge to decide which service would be a good fit for your office. This guide will help you answer questions like:

  • Who will supply the coffee?
  • What type of coffee equipment should your office use?
  • Which flavors should you order?

As more and more people consider themselves coffee drinkers, it’s time you consider providing quality coffee in your office. Your employees will be thankful, and you’re likely to see an overall improvement in your day-to-day functions of the office.

The Benefits of An Office Coffee Service

When it comes to improving the workplace, coffee might not be the first idea that comes to mind. But study after study shows that coffee has many benefits, health-related ones aside. Here are some areas where coffee can improve your office.

Productivity

Coffee keeps you alert and helps improve mental performance. The caffeine it contains blocks a compound that causes drowsiness call adenosine. This is how coffee drinkers get an extra boost of energy in the morning, and how–during the lulls of the workday–employees can pick up the pace of their work.

Efficiency

How far is the closest coffee shop from your office? Unless you work in one, the answer is too far. Providing coffee in the office helps prevent employees from spending too much time trekking to the nearest Starbucks to get their cup o’ joe.

Office Culture

While you don’t want employees leaving the office for long stretches of time, coffee gives them a reason (and place) to gather for breaks. This might sound counterproductive, but taking short breaks are actually beneficial as they help clear your mind when working on a difficult task or give you an energy boost.

Morale

Low morale in any work environment will stifle productivity. There are a lot of ways to make employees feel valued and appreciated, and providing access to good coffee is one of them.

Different Types of Office Coffee Services

Now that you understand the value of having coffee in the office, which kind of service should you choose? The answer depends on a few factors, such as how many employees are in your office and what preferences they have. Here are some things to consider when searching for an office coffee service.

Coffee Equipment

There are endless options for coffee equipment to choose from, but they fall into one of these four categories:

  • Commercial grade
  • Consumer grade
  • Keurig machine
  • Coffee vending machine

Your particular office (the number of employees, space available, and personal preferences) will largely determine which route you should go.

Flavors

A major benefit of choosing an office coffee service is the variety. From light roast to dark roast, regular to gourmet, you can get virtually any type of coffee delivered right to your office.

So, should you hire an office coffee service? The answer is certainly yes, but it’s important to choose a service that suits your needs. Variety and timely delivery should be paramount in your search.

Avoid these mistakes with your hotel pantry

3 Hotel Pantry Mistakes That Are Costing You Sales

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When managed correctly, a hotel pantry can add significant revenue to your bottom line. Its inherent convenience attracts more guests and leads to more purchases of their favorite snack or beverage, often on a whim.

But if you don’t see your pantry for what it is–a potential powerhouse of additional income for your hotel–you’re likely to miss out on maximizing profits. You could also risk wasting money and disrupting your guests’ experience, which does not bode well for loyalty, referrals, and ultimately revenue.

Here are three common mistakes we see hotels make with their pantry…

1. Not Providing Enough Variety

Today’s consumer likes options. They don’t want to be limited in what they can do, see, purchase, or experience. And when it comes to your hotel pantry, guests don’t want to be limited in what they can eat or drink; they want the ability to choose from a near-endless array of items. If your pantry’s list of products is too shallow, you can increase the chances of guests simply ignoring the pantry altogether.

To provide variety, consider the three main groups of products:

  • Sweet
  • Salty
  • Healthy

When you purchase products for your pantry, be sure to get several options from each category. That way you can offer a full range of items that appeal to all your guests. It’s also important to consider other factors, such as the season. During the fall, for example, pumpkin spice is a popular flavor and peppermint for the holidays.

2. Not Merchandising Correctly

Let’s say you do have a nice variety of products in your hotel pantry. Are the items placed on the shelves in a logical way? Are they organized by groups to help guests easily find their particular craving?

We understand that you’re a hospitality professional, not a retail wizard. But much of the magic of increasing retail revenue lies in how the merchandise is put on the shelves. Companies like Target and Wal-Mart are successful (at least in part) because of their strategic approach to merchandising.

For your pantry, it’s important to group items appropriately. You don’t want the shelves to look like they were stocked randomly. Keep each category of products grouped together. This makes it more appealing and easier for guests to find what they want. Creating a planogram can help you with this. Additionally, proper merchandising can lead to more impulse buys.

3. Too Many Bare Shelves

How do you feel walking into a store, eager to purchase an item, only to find half the shelves empty? Does it make you feel welcomed? Comfortable? Most likely not. You probably question the management, wondering why or how they could allow their store to look so bare, and the quality of the items themselves.

The same principle applies to your hotel pantry. It’s not a welcoming sight for guests, observing what equates to a mini convenience store with bare shelves. This is why it’s important to take managing your pantry seriously.

The biggest reason, we find, for routinely empty shelves is because hotel staff is strapped for time or had a busy weekend and still has another week before their next bulk order arrives. At Supply Wizards, our platform is designed to connect you to a local supplier in your area that allows for quick deliveries. So when you run out of items, you can replenish your shelves within days (sometimes hours) versus weeks.

Choosing the best snack delivery service

What To Look For In A Quality Snack Delivery Service

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So you’ve been providing free snacks for employees in your office for a while now. And you’ve been going to the store to purchase the products yourself, but you’ve finally had it. Work’s busy and you don’t have the time, energy, or even the desire to do it anymore. Not to mention the complaints you get for not getting the super obscure drink that’s always so hard to find. What can you do?

A snack delivery service is the next logical step. Everything that everyone wants delivered right to your office. It’s a no-brainer. Except…where do you start? How does such a program work? What kind of items can you get? Most importantly, how do you choose the best service? As with any other decision, it takes a little research and planning. Below are six things to look for when choosing a snack delivery service.

6 Signs of Quality Snack Delivery Services

1. Variety

When choosing a service to use, you don’t want to sign up with one that offers half of what you were able to purchase on your own. Be sure to find out what types of products they have. Ask for a product list so you can see if what they offer aligns with the needs and wants of your employees. A company worth using should be able to offer a full range of items to please the many palates in your office.

2. Healthy Products

In that vast variety of yummy goodness full of sugar or salt that a snack delivery service provides should also be healthy items. It’s fine to indulge in a candy bar or bag of chips here and there, but every day? Not so much. Ask if the company you’re considering offers healthier products as well, including yogurt, peanuts, granola bars, or gluten free products.

3. Fast Delivery

For the most part, there will be a natural rhythm to your office’s snacking habits, and orders will be fairly routine. But what happens when there’s a big meeting (including people from outside your office) and suddenly your cabinets are empty? You don’t want to wait too long for the next order. Choose a service that can deliver quickly. At Supply Wizards, our ordering platform connects you with a local vending supplier in your area that can deliver your order within 1-2 days.

4. Lenient Ordering Policy

One of the complaints office managers have about snack delivery is having to order in bulk. This often leads to cases of product having to be stored somewhere. Being able to order by individual items versus by the case is a huge benefit for some offices. This isn’t to say a supplier will make a special trip just to deliver a few items. But once your order reaches a high enough price point, they can replenish your stock for specific items instead of having to order an entire case.

5. Online Ordering

An easy-to-use platform to place an order should always be considered. Aside from making the ordering process easier, online ordering helps in other perhaps more important ways:

  • Keeps orders right
  • Reduces human error
  • Easier to monitor expenses
  • Mobile friendly

6. Flexible

Every business or office operates a little differently from one another. In order to meet the requests of each customer, a good snack delivery service should be able to adapt and react quickly. This flexibility helps personalize your experience in using their service, which further leads to greater satisfaction.