5 Simple Ways to Improve Guest Experience Beyond Design

[Annie Seurer]

Guest experience is one of my favorite STR topics! I co-managed guest experience and feedback at a large fund a learned a lot directly from guests. Before I left, we had an average rating of 4.93 across many markets and channels. I feel it often gets overlooked, but without an outstanding guest experience, your listings may suffer.

Here are a few simple ways to improve guest experience beyond design and an amazing product (which I highly suggest you have!):

🔹 Map Your Touchpoints: Reach out at optimal times, provide pertinent info early, and maintain the right number of touchpoints. Test and refine your communication plan—it pays off!

🔹 Call Your Guests: Yes, call them soon after booking. Introduce yourself & your company, answer questions, and set expectations. People don't like surprises. If you offer extras, plant the seed here!

🔹 Provide an Itinerary: Send a customizable itinerary or a one-pager with top restaurants, sights, and activities. Have extras/ancillary revenue, include them here!

🔹 Respond Quickly: Quick responses on all channels are crucial. Don't miss out by neglecting proper SLAs.

🔹 Get Feedback: Offer a small incentive for 15 minutes of their time post-stay. Guest feedback is gold for your business.

This is a small, non-inclusive list - there is much more you can do to provide a robust, value-driven guest experience. How do you stand out in your communication plan?