There’s no doubt that a guest’s first impressions can make or break the way they feel about your hostel. Here are some ideas from the hotel industry on how to make them positive.
Checking In? Hidden Ways Hotels Court Guests Faster
Hotels are amping up their efforts to make a good first impression.
The goal: Dazzle guests during the first, crucial 15 minutes of their stay—or at least avoid annoying them.
Some of their suggestions:
Some hotels train front-desk employees to glean information during check-in chitchat that they can later use to impress guests. (Sending complimentary cups of tea to people who say they have a cold, perhaps.)
Others are prettying up lobbies—and even driveways—to enhance views and make them easier to navigate. Some lavish welcome goodies on kids and pets. And at least one brand… has hired a body-language expert to train employees how to read travelers' moods to help figure out the best greeting approach.
Other tactics mentioned in the article:
Have you seen any creative tactics from hostels that go out of their way to make a positive first impression?
12 years
A small gift doesn't mean much to me. In one of the best hostels I've ever stayed, a minute after I checked in, the staff immediately introduced me to another guest who came from my country. And once I put the luggage into my room and got back to the common area, not just one but all staff called me by my name. They warmly greeted at me and talked to me like an old friend. I had an illusion of being a "special guest" and it wonderfully fulfilled my damned ego.
12 years
What I've found is that it is all about being genuine. If you don't really want to meet guests, hear their stories, and take care of them during their stay then they will know it. But on the other hand if that is actually something that you want to do and enjoy, it will come through in unique ways every day with every guest that comes through your doors. I'm not sure that there are any formulas when it comes to people and I actually hope that there aren't. If you treat each guest like you would want to be treated as a traveler in a new place, they will love their experience and you'll have a new friend that is roaming the world.
12 years
You are absolutely right IndyHostel! Backpackers tend to develop a bit of a sixth sense about the people around them, much like hostel workers do. It's important since they spend long periods of time on the road and constantly meet new people. They have to sort out the good from the bad, and if a hostel receptionist comes at them with a formulaic approach to friendship they are going to spot the insincerity right away. On the other hand, something like what Zomac mentioned above is a simple, honest, and effective method to make a good first impression. You pointed out the key though: you have to genuinely want to get to know them.
That said, even on your most antisocial off-day, offering someone a fresh baked cookie or a hot cup of tea when they walk in the door can do wonders for their first impression of your hostel.
12 years
Good points Rucksack. There's something to be said for doing the little things like that even when you're current mental state doesn't want to.
Good discussion!
12 years
I used to work in a beach resort where each guest was welcomed with a glass of lemonade and a cold washcloth to wipe the travel grime from their faces. It involved quite a bit of preparation and two refrigerators to make sure that everything was ready when they arrived, but the guests really liked it.
8 years
I'm at a hostel with a few reviews about nobody answering the door for paid-in-full reservations over the years. So, I have guests arriving sometimes who have read the scary reviews, but trusted me with their credit card digits after a fun phone conversation.
It's a simple, obvious thing, but I do my best to greet them with a big Welcome to the Hostel! You must be first name, or an open-ended, I'm so glad you're here... do I have a reservation for you?
My happiest moment, 48 hours back, was hearing the bus beeping while backing up to park across the street, and opening the front door to wave at Thomas, the college student I'd worked out a spur-of-the-moment deal with for 40 people, two nights.
It took an hour to get them checked in, oriented, assigned to rooms and re-gathered for a planning session in our big attic room. It was so sweet that they were open to me being in the mix, able to add a couple words here and there, grabbing the opportunity at the 10-minute point to spell out a couple of house rules and let them know how excited we were to have them.
--Bose
Related Pages
Log in to join discussion