A hotel room that used to cost around $500 a night will now charge only $250 or less. It also comes with complimentary breakfast and a coupon for lunch or dinner. They’re throwing in a free cot, too, for your toddler. Before, you’ll have to pay an extra $25 for that cot. There are so many great deals that hotels offer these days that it’s hard not to book the rooms even with the threat of Covid-19.
But the hotel rooms are still empty. At least, most of the rooms are empty these days. Even with smart marketing and advertising tactics, hotels continue to be problematic for the economy. With no guests and no events to host, where do hotels stand now?
Some smaller hotels have decided to close down. Whether temporary or permanent, that remains to be seen. Other bigger hotels are trying to come up with all sorts of marketing strategies to get customers to believe that it is safe to stay with them. So, what exactly can these hotels do? How are they supposed to convince people?
Publicize How You’re Sanitizing the Rooms and Common Areas
Is it really so hard to make a video of your staff cleaning and sanitizing the rooms? Can’t you show your customers that you invested in air purifying devices for every room in the hotel? Sometimes, it’s not just what you’re doing, but whether you’re letting customers see what you are doing. Who would be impressed by your sanitation techniques if no one knows about it? Show them that you bought bulk rags to clean every nook and cranny of the rooms.
You have to show off. One way of doing that is to talk about what you are doing through a corporate video. Upload that on your social media so your target market will have an idea of what sanitation process the rooms undergo before occupancy. This will help drive the message across: you are safe here.
Keep Your Staff Informed and Well-equipped
Don’t let your hotel staff recycle their face masks or not wear the right protective gear. Your employees are the face of your brand. If your guests see them wearing proper face masks and protective gear, they will feel safer. They know that you are taking care of your staff, so they don’t transmit the virus to the guests.
Your staff has to stay informed. This means that you have to create an internal communication system where the group can share proper handwashing and sanitation tips. Train them regularly, too. Every day, there is new data about Covid-19. Every day, there is a chance that something you discovered in the data will help your staff protect themselves.
Post Signs Around Your Hotel
Do not forget to put signs and posters around your hotel. It’s a bit depressing to see the signs next to a famous painting in your reception area, but these are life-saving signs. Someone who sees these signs will have made the right decision afterward. That is the right kind of impact.
Signs that you should post in the private rooms are the scheduled cleaning of the rooms and corridors, instructions for proper handwashing, a suggestion not to use the “Do Not Disturb” sign when you are not in the room, and a reminder to request for hand sanitizer and soap. In public areas in the hotel, put signs up about handwashing, social distancing, and the wearing of masks. Remind your staff with similar instructions in the back office.
Give Hygiene Kits to Guests
One of the ways you can gain the confidence of your guests is to give them hygiene kits the moment they arrive. The hygiene kits should have hand sanitizer, hand wipes, disposable masks, gloves, aprons, and even a hairnet. These kits intend to both be a reminder and a care package. This shows your guests that you are thinking about their health and safety when they stay with you. At the same time, it’s also a reminder not to forget to wear masks and sanitize their hands while on your hotel premises.
There are a lot of changes in the hospitality industry. These changes are imminent if the hotels want to survive the impact of the pandemic on the economy. The guests are not confident yet to start booking hotels. Though they are going out and even eating out, hotels are an entirely different thing. But little by little, they will begin to want to stay in your hotel, especially if they see the safety measures you have taken.
