As Maslow’s famous pyramid depicts, safety is one of the most basic human needs. It comes right after physiological needs, such as food, shelter, or rest. The importance of safety in times of COVID-19 has quickly risen, up to the point where travelers are still reluctant to get back on the road, due to not feeling safe and secure.
For hoteliers, this comes as quite the challenge, since ensuring trust in the safety measures taken to preserve guests’ health and wellbeing is harder than ever before. It is crucial for any hospitality worker to acknowledge the great leap of faith that travelers are required to make during these turbulent times when trusting their hotel of choice with their actual physical health. In order for guests to feel safe and protected even while they’re far from home, in an unfamiliar environment, hoteliers need to go the extra mile and enforce stringent safety, sanitation, and social distancing rules.
But how can you know exactly what makes your guests feel safe? Or if your efforts are the right ones to make? The answer can be easily found by looking closely at your guest reviews and feedback. Nowadays, consumers of any type are vocal when it comes to their experiences and purchases. Their impressions are out there, it’s only a matter of paying attention and using that feedback in order to adjust, improve, and better serve the current needs of guests, in order to make them feel safe and provide them with an excellent hotel stay.
This is why we wanted to continue our “What Your Guests Are Saying” series by exploring a few of the most relevant reviews found in our extensive database, on the topic of safety. Here’s what hotel guests from across the globe had to say in 2021:
“I was shocked to see how little attention was being paid to COVIDsafety. Two simple examples were failure to keep lifts sanitized and allowing people to use common facilities like the pool table. Also, the in-room breakfast was inedible and the coffee was much worse than the international roast!!!!!”
“Breakfast on Saturday morning was a nightmare. It took forever and everything was cold. When it was pointed out to the manager, no effort was made to rectify the situation. This was a concern because of food safety. Basic cleanliness, but the foyers were not great. There was a half glass of bubbles sitting on a table in the foyer of our floor the whole time we were there. We are well aware that staffing is an issue but for a flagship hotel we expected better.“
“Professional and friendly check-in process. Attention to safety for guests and staff alike was considered at all times. Beautiful and clean rooms. Room service was delicious, hot, and super quick. Comfortable and huge-sized bed. Loved having a relaxed breakfast and endless hot coffee. Friendly and helpful staff went above and beyond to ensure the best stay possible.”
“The attention given to ensuring safety from COVID was very admirable. Ensuring compliance with mask use was demonstrated on a number of occasions. Well done.”
As we can tell from these guest reviews, safety is closely related to the COVID-19 measures, like sanitation, wearing masks, and even food quality. The fact that, in one case, the management ignored the guests’ complaints, only solidified the negative impression that was already created. At the same time, other guests had a pleasant experience, noticing and appreciating the adherence to safety rules and the care for their and the staff’s wellbeing.
Here are a few tips and tricks on how you can ensure that your guests feel safe during their stay and that your hotel builds the best possible reputation:
Don’t cut any corners when it comes to sanitation means: make sure that your hotel adheres to the most stringent sanitation guidelines and that your guests have everything they need in order to feel like their health is your number one priority.
Don’t forget about your staff: give your employees the same attention and care as you give to your guests. A staff member that doesn’t feel safe has no way to convey a positive message to guests.
Open all the lines of communication in order to address and solve any issues on the spot: little concerns or issues can pop up, regardless of how much effort you put into your safety guidelines. This is completely normal and understandable, especially in such a people-centric business. However, you need to ensure that your staff and your guests have the right means to communicate in a safe and contactless manner, at all times.
Analyze your reviews: the best way to anticipate what your future guests will want and need from their stay is to analyze what past guests have experienced. Pay close attention to the feedback they provide and narrow it down by categories and keywords, in order to understand exactly how safe they felt and what you can do to make things even better in the future.
Please feel free to contact us at any time for additional information or questions!