ROAD TO RECOVERY
ROAD TO RECOVERY
Here are some actionable recommendations and steps to be taken now, to
proactively begin the road to recovery,
Right Time: Keep a close eye on your Hotel’s revenue budget
and forecast and keep realistic goals for the next 3, 6, and 12 months with a
Business continuity plan. Predictions
of speed to market-recovery should not be overly pessimistic, but realistic in
the brief term, middle term and long term corresponding with sales strategy
change. A well-guided forecasting and dynamic-pricing solution can help to
integrate hotel operations and back-office management with your sales and
marketing and revenue management teams.
Hotel sales teams and channel managers should also dedicate efforts to maintain good communication with their respective corporate clients and distribution partners. The team should stay connected with clients not only to show concern for their well-being but also to keep up with their travel and reservation policy updates.
In that way, after the epidemic, you may expect a prompt improvement of the hotel performance and shortened duration of the recovery period.
Right Customer: Focus on consumer behavior patterns. Marketing teams with the staffing should spend their time and efforts on analyzing and forecasting future commercial trends, market segmentation, and customer profile changes after the crisis are over.
Hotels analyze their competition intensely. Later, they should supplement competitive analysis with deeper study, insight, and research into the needs, expectations, and the satisfaction of their guests.
Right Product: After the recovery period, the market
segmentation will have seen significant change, and hotel management needs to
make adjustments accordingly. Optimize your market segmentation and grasp the
most valuable customers to secure and reclaim competitive strength.
From a financial perspective, hoteliers need to consider not only business-as-usual revenue streams from hotel operations but also develop diversified products, such as food delivery, professional laundry services, limousine services, to drive profitability through alternative revenue sources.
Right Price: Focus on your competitive set and market trends to make adjustments to your pricing strategy, and monitor your competitors’ reactions, such as whether or not they remain open.
Do not drop rates or give heavy discounting rather add value to price by adding extra services like complimentary Laundry service, complimentary airport transfer.
Right Policies: To build confidence amongst the clients, be flexible while designing the Cancellation policies, Flexible Credit Note Policy for Cancellation/ Postponements. Review Credit limit granted to companies/travel agencies–(if required to re-visit the contract). You want revenue, but also cash flow, hence suggests insisting on direct payment as much as practicable.
Right Process: Develop & implement a process for disinfecting guestrooms to
ensure higher hygiene levels. A brief on Cleanliness and disinfectant policies
& procedures across the hotel on arrival to build confidence.
Ensure compliance with government
orders, guidelines & health advisories on the COVID -19, Ensuring good
personal hygiene of employees.
Booking Experience
- We should give more emphasis on Hygiene and cleanliness practices at the hotel, try to include in call script.
- Express Check-in should be promoted by taking the required details during booking to avoid guests waiting at the reception/lobby.
- Express Checkout facility to be informed and facilitated.
Welcome Experience
- Instead of Garland and Cold Towels - a sanitizer shot for the Guest’s hands will be the best welcome to the Hotel.
- Hot drinking water/a flask of warm water in the guest room will be better than a cold welcome drink.
- Encourage Guests to use Hotel cars for airport transfers – you may also go for discounted rates to facilitate purchases.
- Consider gradually opening of Restaurants, extended hours for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner timings as per need, the Odd-Even rule can be considered.
- Avoid buffet meals – any case the house count during the PoC will likely be small.
- Room Service should be promoted with better deals, necessary precautions to be taken while accessing the Guest room/Guest area.
Public Areas
- Strictly evaluate which common facilities should be operated and how these are to be maintained and controlled–considering this for a limited period even after the government relaxes norms. Particularly for Pools, Gym, Kid play area – Implement social distancing measures for guests.
- Set your norms to guest flow and hygiene for the banquet events – if the Authorities gradually allow larger groups of people to gather, exercise due caution.
- Hygiene Safety precautions to be displayed in the Public Area, Restaurants, and Restrooms.
Administrative
- Ensure Compliance to government orders, guidelines & health advisories on the COVID -19
- Ensuring good personal hygiene of employees
- Minimize cash handling, set norms to sanitize currency notes.
- Insist on credit card payments as much as possible. Consider Sanitizing the EDC machine at regular intervals.
- Review housekeeping staffing considering the additional time requirements and train to clean rooms to a higher health standard and more elaborate process.
We'll be updating you regularly about our ongoing work to support you as the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold.
Stay informed
Leave a Comment