A Hotel practice that has to stop
June 8th, 2009It is industry practice to give the worst room to walk in guests. (Travel tip: never accept the first room they offer).
Sure there are many reasons behind it but to be honest I don’t really care.
If you have a walk in and rooms are available – give them the best damn room you can. Hell if the best room is empty. Upgrade them!
You need to obsess about each and every visitor. They may only visit once but for every person they tell about their trip or provide tips to a friend heading the same way, you want them to recommend you over and over again. If you impress them you might get decades of referrals – what better way to build a solid business.
Makes complete sense to me.
Tags: backpackers, customer service, hotels, obsess
This entry was posted on Monday, June 8th, 2009 at 6:03 pm. 
June 8th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Good experiences compound over time… I’m all for that, but maybe giving the best room, or upgrading a room isn’t the best strategy because it might lead to changing long term behaviours (look at how last minute travel sites like Wotif have trained people to book at the last minute – a nightmare for hotel room ans staff management).
Probably a better strategy would just to not have worst rooms. Sure due to the shape of buildings, some rooms might not have a great view etc, but I’m sure there are ways to make sure that everyone has a great experience.
What was wrong with your room that made it a worst room compared to the others?
June 8th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
I would agree – make all the rooms as good as one another. Don’t have rubbish rooms. Unfortunately that advice is no good if you already have a hotel!
However for those that do have rooms relatively the same (maybe just a better view) put them in the nicer room. Why would you have a nicer room empty when it could be full?
June 16th, 2009 at 1:36 am
I’m still waiting for some hotel operator to replicate the story told in the E-myth Revisited. Since the book was published over a decade ago and basically gave step-by-step instructions for an incredible hotel experience I’m not sure why more aren’t like it…
But then I guess reading the book is very different from taking action on the book.
Nice blog Ben… keep up the good work.
Craig