How a US Marine Corps Veteran Enhances the Guest Experience
Richard Garcia was once a member of the Marine Corps. He was part of the War on Terror campaign and won multiple awards and medals during that time. After serving in the Marines, Richard was in the US Coast Guard for two years during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Now? He’s the Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage at Remington Hotels, and he’s setting the standard for what the guest experience should be.
“When you provide this (a superior guest experience), you earn the loyalty of guests, you turn loyal guests into advocates, which in turn improves the profitability of your business,” Richard said in his interview with Hotel Operations.
If this quote inspires you as much as it does Modern Innkeeper, then you probably can’t wait to learn more about Richard’s approach to the guest experience.
That’s why we broke down his key points.
Personalize Your Service
“A lot of people think personalizing service means customizing an entire stay. But providing a personal experience can be as simple as using a guest’s name,” Richard said.
See how feasible this is!
Remington Hotels uses a software that tells them which drink a guest takes from the mini bar. The next time that guest stays there, the staff stocks the mini bar with that drink.
The takeaway isn’t for you to get software like Remington Hotels’. Instead, it’s to cater to guests’ wants. If a group of guests is coming for the first time, ask them questions like what their favorite drinks or ice cream flavors are.
And of course, address them by name in their letter.
Shape the Guest Experience Every Chance You Get
Richard’s team has the added pressure of making sure the hotel leaves a good first impression on guests. Every meal they cook can make or break a guest’s stay. His team is aware of this, and it’s why they take their jobs so seriously.
Point being, don’t cut corners.
Your guests pay a good amount of money to stay at your vacation rental and on their travel to get there. If you can afford to do something like invest in better bathroom towels, do it, because you never know who will judge their stay based on their bathroom towels.
Make Sure Your Guests Feel Your Passion
Richard started in the food and beverage business when he was 16 years old. He loved working in the kitchen because he got to hear people cuss and work with fire and knives. As he grew up, he realized the type of work and pace fit his personality.
Remington Hotels’ guest experience reflects his passion, and your vacation rental’s guest experience should reflect yours.
Not bothering to make repairs can tell guests you don’t care enough about their experience. Taking your time to decorate your vacation rental with the right colors, on the other hand, can tell guests you want them to feel right at home.
Showing guests you care, or don’t, significantly impacts their stay.
Commit to the Long Term
“We don’t make that much money on one guest visiting us one time. Creating an environment where that guest wants to return is what drives profitability,” Richard said.
Rising costs can make hosting difficult. However, investing in your guest experience will eventually pay dividends!
Richard’s department, food and beverage, delivers guests what they want in the short term, a nice meal with their family and maybe a couple of drinks, so Remington Hotels’ sales and marketing team has something to sell in the long term.
Following this model, ask yourself what you’re trying to achieve in the long term, and identify what you can do to get there in the short term. Looking at hosting this way could help you keep your vacation rental’s calendar full and receive more repeat bookings.
(Just remember to thank Richard.)
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