UNIT 2: DEALING WITH

CUSTOMER
WHAT ARE THE STAGES IN THE GUEST
LIFE CYCLE?

•RESEARCH
•BOOKING
•PRE-ARRIVAL
•ARRIVAL
•OCCUPANCY
•CHECKOUT / DEPARTURE
•POST-STAY
GUEST CYCLE
•RESEARCH
RESEARCH THIS IS WHERE
MARKETING RESOURCES ARE
DEVOTED TO ATTRACTING
POTENTIAL GUESTS TO FIND AND
DO RESEARCH ON YOUR
PROPERTY. CHANNELS TO
ATTRACT THEM INCLUDE:

•SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

•ORGANIC SEARCH ENGINE
TRAFFIC
•DIRECTORIES AND REFERRAL
SITES
 •BOOKING
THIS PART IS STRAIGHT FORWARD, BUT IT’S
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STAGES.
MAKE SURE THAT GUESTS GET THE
INFORMATION THEY NEED TO BE
COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR DECISION TO
BOOK WITH YOU. LOOK AT YOUR BOOKING
ENGINE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND ENSURE THAT
THERE IS LITTLE TO NO FRICTION FOR
POTENTIAL GUESTS WHEN BOOKING.
IF THERE IS, YOU INCREASE THE
LIKELIHOOD OF THEM GOING ELSEWHERE.
THE COST OF SWITCHING PROPERTIES IS
MUCH LOWER FOR GUESTS NOW THAN IT IS
WHEN THEY STEP FOOT ON YOUR
PROPERTY, SO BE READY TO KEEP FLIGHTY
PEOPLE FROM MAKING A DECISION YOU
DON’T WANT. FOR EXAMPLE, OVERLY
•BOOKING
WHAT TO COMMUNICATE TO
GUESTS IMMEDIATELY AFTER
BOOKING?

•INVOICE
•CONTACT INFORMATION
•CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT
DATES
 •PRE-
ARRIVAL
PRE-ARRIVAL SOME PEOPLE GLOSS OVER THIS STAGE, BUT THEY SHOULDN’T! THIS IS
OFTEN THE PERIOD IN WHICH GUESTS GET BUYER’S REMORSE OR GET NERVOUS THEY
MADE THE WRONG DECISION. REACHING OUT TO GUESTS IN THIS PERIOD IS A GREAT TIME
TO REASSURE THEM OF NOMINAL CHARGES ON A BOOKING MODIFICATION. BE SURE TO
DO THIS ABOUT 3 DAYS BEFORE THEIR ARRIVAL.

THIS STAGE IS ALSO A GREAT TIME TO

SHARE THE TOP THINGS TO ENJOY DURING
THEIR VISIT WITH YOU LIKE:

•AMENITIES
•ATTRACTIONS
•ACTIVITIES
 •ARRIVAL
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING. IF GUESTS HAVEN’T HEARD FROM YOU SINCE THEY
BOOKED, THIS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
IF THEY HEARD FROM YOU BETWEEN BOOKING AND NOW, THIS IS STILL NOT THE PLACE
TO DROP THE BALL! GUEST-FACING STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD DO THE FOLLOWING:

•REGISTER THE GUEST

•COLLECT METHOD OF PAYMENT
•ASSIGN GUESTS TO THEIR ACCOMMODATION
•DIRECT THE GUEST TO THEIR ACCOMMODATION
 •ARRIVAL
THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE A
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. SOME INNS MAKE A POINT OF TAKING
EACH GUEST ON A TOUR OF THEIR PROPERTY AND AMENITIES
BEFORE LEADING THEM TO THEIR ROOM.
BEING ATTENTIVE TO GUESTS WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE IS
IMPORTANT. JUST LIKE THE PRE-ARRIVAL STAGE, MAKING THE
GUEST FEEL WELCOMED AND WELL-INFORMED RIGHT BEFORE
THEY CHECK-IN CAN MAKE THEM FEEL VALUED. BESIDES, THIS
CAN ALSO HELP CREATE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOUR
LODGING BUSINESS AND ITS SERVICES.
 •OCCUPANCY
OCCUPANCY IS THE PERIOD IN WHICH THE GUEST IS STAYING IN
THEIR ACCOMMODATION. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE ABOUT THE
GUEST EXPERIENCE. THE SERVICE YOU PROVIDE IS THE ONLY
THING THAT CAN ENSURE THAT GUESTS WILL COME BACK FOR
A SECOND OR THIRD VISIT. GUESTS WILL BE MORE RECEPTIVE
TO ANY CROSS-SELLING AND UPSELL OFFERS WHILE ON THE
PROPERTY. ANYTHING YOU CAN OFFER GUESTS THAT WILL
ENHANCE THEIR STAY IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE. THIS STAGE
ALSO OPENS COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF CONCIERGE SERVICES.
 •CHECKOUT / DEPARTURE
THE CHECKOUT PROCESS, LIKE
EVERY OTHER STAGE, NEEDS TO BE
SEAMLESS AND OPTIMIZED TO
ELIMINATE FRUSTRATIONS ON THE
PART OF THE GUEST. THIS IS
TYPICALLY WHEN YOU COLLECT
GUEST FEEDBACK AND USE IT TO
IMPROVE OPERATIONS. NO HIDDEN
FEES AND NO SURPRISE PAPERWORK
WILL HELP COMPLETE THE GUEST’S
POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.
•POST-STAY
ONCE THE GUEST HAS LEFT YOUR PROPERTY, YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM IS JUST BEGINNING. YOU WANT TO
ENTICE THOSE GUESTS TO COME BACK, GIVE REFERRALS, OR
EVEN JUST BUY FROM THE GIFT SHOP. NOW YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO MONITOR THEM AT ANY STAGE IN THE GUEST LIFE CYCLE!
THIS IS WHERE YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY COMES BACK
INTO PLAY. USE THE INFORMATION THEY USED TO BOOK IN
ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF
THEIR MIND WHEN IT COMES TIME TO BOOK ANOTHER
VACATION. DEVELOPING AN ACTIONABLE EMAIL MARKETING
CAMPAIGN, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A NECESSITY.