Guest comment: Hoteliers: How much business are you losing?
Guest Comment by destination management consultant, Ken Male
Ever tried ringing your own establishment to find out how you respond to potential business?
When you are spending all that money promoting your business you ought to look at what happens when the phone rings.
I recently was trying to place a booking for 4 nights for 20 doubles / twins for next year.
I phoned two different hotels. In both hotels the correct person to speak to wasn’t there. I left a message asking them to call me back and they didn’t. On one occasion I was waiting for four days for my quote.
Although I have highlighted a specific case the problem is widespread. Go on; try your business. It seems many hotels think the best place to start a new employee is to be the first client contact for their establishment. How many times do they need to be told the importance of first impressions?
Why not look again at what you are spending on marketing and promotion; internet sites, expensive brochures advertising, and then examine how much of this is wasted by losing the enquiry when it is made, through lack of attention?
And what about you tour operators……..am I exaggerating, or do you give up on some hotels because life is too short to put so much effort into giving them business?
Comment by Ken Male
Ginny McGrath
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