How to measure winning
Profitability and Return on Investment (ROI) are ultimately the measurements for 'winning' in the hotel industry. These financial metrics are the end goals that hoteliers strive for, reflecting the efficiency and effectiveness of executing a hotel's strategy, revenue generation, and efficient operations.
Profitability: Profitability is the ability of a hotel to maximize the flow-through from revenue to profit. A profitable hotel has focused on total revenue generation and optimized its operations to control costs.
Return on Investment (ROI): ROI measures the gain or loss generated on an investment relative to the money invested. It is a powerful indicator of a hotel's financial success, showing how well the invested capital is being used to generate profits. A high ROI means that the hotel covers its operational costs and capital expenditures and provides substantial returns to its investors.
Profitability and ROI are lagging KPIs measuring what happened. Let's look at three leading KPIs that will tell the owners and top management if the hotel is on the right path toward profitability and a high ROI.
Revenue Growth
The most palpable indicator of success in any business is its revenue. Consistent year-over-year revenue growth indicates a hotel's expanding appeal and operational efficiency in the hotel industry. This reflects an increase in the number of guests and indicates a hotel's ability to maximize its profit potential through strategic pricing, upselling, and effective cost management. There are two ways to grow revenue. 1) Attract guests to build the volume and 2) sell more to each guest. Let's look at the details.
Attracting guests
Attracting guests in sufficient volume to ensure profitability involves having attractive facilities, targeting the right guest demographics, and creating compelling guest experiences. Here’s how hotels can approach these elements:
- Enhance Facilities:
- Infrastructure: Ensure the hotel infrastructure is well-maintained, modern, and aligned with the target market's expectations. This can include having updated rooms, versatile meeting spaces, appealing leisure areas like pools or fitness centers, and accessible facilities for guests with disabilities.
- Aesthetics: Invest in the aesthetic appeal of the hotel through thoughtful interior design, landscaping, and art that reflect the local culture or the unique brand of the hotel, making it visually appealing and photographable (important for social media).
- Identify and Cater to the Right Target Group:
- Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to identify the most profitable target demographics. This could be business travelers, families, couples, or specific interest groups like adventure travelers or wellness enthusiasts.
- Tailored Services: Develop services and packages tailored to these groups. For business travelers, this might mean providing meeting rooms and business centers; for families, offering child-friendly amenities and activities.
- Guest Experience:
- Personal Touch: Personalized service can transform a good stay into a memorable experience. This might include personalized greetings, custom room settings, or bespoke itineraries for local experiences.
- Quality of Service: Ensure that all staff, from the front desk to housekeeping, provide excellent service. Training staff to handle various scenarios with grace and efficiency is critical.
- Other Guests: Cultivating the right mix of guests is also essential, as guests often interact with each other, which can affect their overall experience. For instance, a hotel geared towards relaxation and wellness might not mix well with large groups looking for a lively party scene.
- Engagement: Create opportunities for guests to engage with the hotel and its surroundings through events, tours, or local collaborations. This adds value to their stay and creates a community feeling many guests appreciate.
- Compelling Guest Experience:
- Unique Offerings: Provide unique offerings that guests cannot find elsewhere, such as a chef's table dining experience, rooftop cinema nights, or partnerships with local artists and artisans for exclusive workshops.
- Storytelling: Use storytelling to create an emotional connection with the hotel. Share the property's history, stories of staff members, or tales of the local area to engage guests on a deeper level.
- Feedback and Adaptation: Actively seek and swiftly act on guest feedback to continually improve the guest experience.
A hotel can become more attractive to potential guests by focusing on these areas, thereby increasing volume. Remember, the goal is to provide a service that meets expectations and exceeds them, turning first-time guests into loyal patrons who will not only return but also act as brand ambassadors, spreading the word about their positive experiences.
Selling more to each guest
Selling more to each guest, also known as increasing the guest's average spend or the guest's share of wallet, involves having the right mix of facilities, products, and services that guests find valuable enough to purchase beyond their initial booking. Here are strategies for achieving this:
- Diverse and Quality Amenities:
- Ensure that the hotel offers a variety of high-quality amenities that appeal to guests, such as a well-equipped spa, a fitness center with classes, swimming pools, or unique dining experiences.
- Regularly update amenities to keep them fresh and aligned with current trends and guest expectations.
- Compelling Food and Beverage Options:
- Create attractive food and beverage options such as themed dinners, happy hour specials, or local cuisine tasting menus that entice guests to dine in rather than go out.
- Offer room service with an appealing menu encouraging guests to order in conveniently.
- Retail and Merchandise:
- Sell hotel-branded merchandise or curated local products that guests can take home as souvenirs, such as spa products, local crafts, or gourmet food items.
- Consider partnerships with local artisans or brands that can offer exclusive products to your guests.
- Personalized Services:
- Offer personalized services like in-room massages, personal training sessions, or private tours that can be booked for an additional fee.
- Use guest data and preferences to suggest and upsell personalized services throughout their stay.
- Events and Activities:
- Organize events and activities for which guests can sign up, such as cooking classes, wine tastings, cultural events, or live entertainment.
- Create partnerships with local attractions and offer guests exclusive experiences or priority access for an additional charge.
- Packages and Upgrades:
- Bundle services and amenities into packages offering guests better value while increasing spending, like a room upgrade with a spa package.
- Encourage guests to upgrade their rooms by showcasing the benefits of higher-tier rooms or suites.
- Leverage Technology:
- Implement a mobile app or in-room technology that makes it easy for guests to discover and purchase additional services and amenities.
- Use technology to send timely offers and promotions based on guest behavior and preferences.
- Loyalty Programs:
- Develop a loyalty program that rewards guests for additional spending with points that can be redeemed for services, upgrades, or free nights.
- Provide tiered benefits encouraging guests to reach higher spending levels for exclusive rewards.
- Effective Communication:
- Train staff to inform guests about all available services and amenities and how they can enhance the guest's stay.
- Place tasteful and strategically located signage and information around the hotel to raise awareness of offerings.
By focusing on these strategies, hotels can increase the average spend per guest and enhance the overall guest experience, leading to higher satisfaction and the potential for repeat business. It’s about creating value that guests perceive as worthy of their investment, thereby increasing revenue for the hotel.
Market Share
To win in the hotel industry also means to capture and expand one's market share. This involves attracting more guests and penetrating specific segments or locales where the brand can become a leading name. Whether dominating a niche market or becoming the preferred choice in a metropolitan area, increasing market share is a significant victory. Market share is measured as Revenue Generation Index (RGI), which is calculated by dividing the hotel's RevPAR by the average RevPAR of its compset. An RGI greater than 100 indicates that the hotel is capturing a greater-than-average market share. To increase RGI, a hotel must focus on attracting more guests and commanding premium rates compared to its competitors. Here are a few ideas.
- Implement Dynamic Pricing and Value:
- Use revenue management to adjust rates based on demand and position the hotel as offering premium value, allowing the hotel to command higher rates.
- Enhance Service Quality:
- The hotel can justify premium pricing and attract more guests seeking quality experiences by providing superior services and amenities.
- Boost Online Visibility for Direct Bookings:
- A robust online presence will attract more guests by highlighting the hotel's unique offerings, which can warrant a higher price point.
- Develop Distinct Branding:
- Strong branding can create a perception of higher value, which attracts guests and supports the ability to charge premium rates.
- Maximize Positive Guest Reviews:
- Outstanding reviews can make a hotel more popular and allow it to stand out, increasing its ability to charge more than its competitors.
- Deliver Exceptional Guest Experiences:
- Unique and personalized experiences can make the hotel a preferred choice, thus driving higher occupancy and the capacity to charge premium rates.
- Carve Out Niche Markets:
- Specialize in niche markets where the hotel can become the go-to option, justifying a higher price due to specialized offerings.
- Utilize a Broad Range of Distribution Channels:
- Expanding the hotel's reach can increase its popularity and occupancy, supporting premium pricing strategies.
- Employ Targeted Sales and CRM:
- Effective sales strategies and customer relationship management can increase repeat and new business, allowing for higher rates due to perceived value.
- Engage in Community and Sustainable Practices:
- A reputation for community engagement and sustainability can make the hotel more attractive, especially to guests who value these practices and are willing to pay more.
By integrating these strategies to increase popularity and justify premium rates, a hotel can effectively raise its RGI, capturing a larger market share and enhancing its position within its competitive set.
Guest Satisfaction
The heart of the hotel industry beats with the rhythm of guest satisfaction. Metrics derived from customer satisfaction surveys and online reviews are invaluable barometers of how well a hotel meets and exceeds guest expectations. High satisfaction ratings often correlate with repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals, gold in the hospitality sector. Increasing guest satisfaction is pivotal to a hotel's success, and this involves carefully crafting and executing a guest journey that considers every touchpoint. Here are the actions a hotel needs to take to enhance guest satisfaction:
- Map the Guest Journey:
- Clearly define every stage of the guest journey, from pre-booking to post-departure.
- Understand guests' emotional and physical needs at each stage and design interactions to meet these needs.
- Optimize the Booking Experience:
- Ensure the booking process is user-friendly, transparent, and provides all necessary information.
- Offer personalized options during booking, allowing guests to tailor their stay.
- Personalize Pre-Arrival Communication:
- Send pre-arrival emails or messages that welcome guests and provide helpful information about their stay, including check-in processes and amenities.
- Allow guests to check in online or via an app to streamline the process upon arrival.
- Streamline the Check-In Process:
- Train front desk staff to be welcoming, efficient, and ready to handle special requests.
- Implement self-check-in kiosks or mobile check-in options to reduce wait times.
- Enhance In-Stay Experience:
- Provide high-quality room amenities and ensure that everything is in perfect working order.
- Offer a variety of on-site facilities and services that cater to the target audience's interests.
- Maintain high levels of cleanliness and safety throughout the hotel.
- Train Staff for Exceptional Service:
- Ensure all staff are trained in customer service excellence, proactive problem-solving, and knowledgeable about the hotel and local area.
- Empower employees to make decisions that can immediately improve guest satisfaction.
- Utilize Feedback Mechanisms:
- Implement real-time feedback mechanisms, like in-app surveys or digital kiosks, to gauge guest satisfaction during the stay.
- Act promptly on feedback to resolve any issues before they impact the guest experience.
- Personalize Guest Interactions:
- Use guest data to personalize interactions, from addressing guests by name to remembering their preferences for future stays.
- Create surprise and delight moments based on guest preferences, such as complimentary upgrades or amenities.
- Engage with Guests Post-Departure:
- Send follow-up communications thanking guests for their stay and inviting them to provide feedback.
- Offer loyalty program enrollment or incentives for future stays.
- Continuously Improve the Guest Experience:
- Regularly review guest feedback and journey mapping to identify areas for improvement.
- Stay abreast of industry trends and evolving guest expectations to refine the guest journey continuously.
- Invest in Staff Training and Development:
- Continuously train staff to deliver outstanding service and to be adaptable to new trends and technologies that can enhance the guest experience.
- Embrace Technology for Efficiency and Personalization:
- Use technology to streamline processes and gather data for personalization, from AI-powered recommendations to chatbots for instant guest service.
- Create a Responsive Problem-Resolution Process:
- Develop a system for quickly and effectively resolving guest issues, ensuring that complaints are addressed swiftly and to the guest's satisfaction.
A hotel can significantly improve guest satisfaction by focusing on these actions, turning average stays into memorable experiences that guests are eager to repeat and share with others. It's important to remember that guest satisfaction is not a static target but an evolving one, requiring ongoing attention and adaptation to the changing needs and expectations of the primary target audience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the journey to 'winning' in the hotel industry is as intricate as it is rewarding, requiring a delicate balance between guest satisfaction and intelligent financial management. We have traversed the landscape of profitability and ROI, understanding them not as mere end goals but as crucial indicators of a hotel's success. By dissecting the various strategies to enhance revenue growth—whether through attracting a higher volume of guests or increasing the average spend per guest—we've laid out a roadmap for hotels to augment their financial performance.
As quantified by RGI, market share emerges as a pivotal battleground where hotels must capture and captivate. Implementing dynamic pricing, bolstering service quality, and carving niche markets are a testament to the innovative spirit necessary to excel in this competitive arena. Furthermore, the perpetual refinement of the guest journey—from the first click on the booking page to the last farewell—remains at the heart of the hospitality experience.
Guest satisfaction, a mosaic of countless interactions and thoughtful services, is the pulse that keeps a hotel vibrant and alive in the collective memory of its guests. It's the thread that weaves through every initiative, every service enhancement, and every moment of engagement. For hoteliers, the path to success is paved with the continuous evolution of this guest journey, staying attuned to the needs and expectations of travelers who seek not just a place to stay but an experience to remember.
Hoteliers can succeed by embracing effective strategies and fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. Winning in the hotel industry requires a combination of exceptional guest experiences, operational finesse, and strong financial outcomes. By anticipating the future needs of their guests and building a legacy of success, hoteliers can establish a synergy of all these elements.