Front-desk upselling
Create Date: 19-Apr-2020
The key to maximizing your hotel’s occupancy and raising its bottom line lies in the art of up-selling. Some brilliant tips that will help your front desk staff up sell effectively are:
Make upgrades reasonable with sensible rack rates
A common mistake made by hoteliers is to tempt guests into discount schemes and only present them with the least expensive room types with a rack rate.
Introduce a flat rate for upgrading room types. In doing so, every guest will have the option to upgrade for a reasonable price and the hotel could make additional revenue on room types that may have otherwise been sold at a lower rate.
A simple & direct way is to ask guests whether or not they are aware of the upgrades offered by the hotel. “Were you made aware of our suite options when you booked?” won’t offend anyone and is the perfect upselling ice-breaker.
Never devalue the guest first room selection
If a guest has booked your lowest-tier room, avoid pointing out that it isn’t much to get excited about.
An unhappy guest will never push the button on upgrades . Starting conversation at check-in
by congratulating the guest on their choice of room and informing of any room upgrades to offer will make them question their initial choice without feeling short-changed.
4. Present any room upgrade as an opportunity
The key to successful upselling in any industry lies in the art of presenting customers with opportunities & lure them. “we’re offering a new room service menu for deluxe rooms” is a way the front desk can tempt & lure guests to treat themselves.
5. Seize the early check-in opportunity
If a guest arrives early, the reception staff have an opportunity to upsell. It may feel more appropriate to take the guest’s luggage and ask them to wait at the bar while their room is getting cleaned.
Instead, offer them an upgrade to a room that is already cleaned. If they’re particularly weary and want to let the stresses of the day be away, they will see the value in spending a little more to relax.