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| A Positive and Effective Way to Combat Airbnb by John Smallwood, CEO of Travel Outlook | If you have 60 seconds, I have 300 words that might help at the NOI line. As a hotelier, it’s hard to ignore the meteoric rise of the sharing-economy. Industry leaders like Airbnb offer a tempting proposition: “comforts of home”, and a more intimate, local experience. Travelers are being lured away from hotels and resorts by this seemingly attractive combination of benefits. The
sharing-economy is self-service, and plenty of people (especially millennials)
obviously enjoy this kind of vacation. While it’s nice to become immersed
in a local environment, it can be a lot of work compared to the ease and
safety of staying in a well-run hotel, and eat up valuable time for relaxation.
And isn’t that the reason for a vacation?
In the hands of a good reservations specialist, guests feel instantly welcome. They can be assured that all their cares and concerns will be taken care of, helping them to look forward to a calming, comfortable stay. Importantly, a customer’s specific needs can be learned to enable the hotel to personalize their entire experience. A reservations specialist can tactfully draw out the benefits a hotel has over sharing-economy accommodations: the hotel’s well-trained staff, and added perks such as in-room dining and discounts on organized tours and concierge services. The agent can discover how to help plan a more rewarding getaway for the client. During that first call, guests can be reminded of the main benefit that hotels will always be able to leverage over sharing-economy accommodations: great customer service. More than ever, it’s essential that this message be broadcast cleared and consistently. This is one in a series of short essays by John Smallwood, CEO of Travel Outlook Premium Reservations Call Center about voice reservations, the second most profitable revenue channel. Travel Outlook is a hospitality company that takes voice reservations calls for its clients. For
additional information:
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In
addition to providing great food and enticing activities, by offering superb
service hotels can remind guests how convenient it is to stay in a hotel
rather than to adjust to the uneven and unpredictable lodging provided
by Airbnb. Service is the reason a guest will stay in a hotel rather than
in someone’s spare room, and this should be promoted during the first contact
a guest has with a hotel. This is where a good voice reservations team
really comes into its own.
