Meanwhile, guests also benefit from a clear policy because they know what they need to do to arrange a late check-in. The provision of late check-in options can make it more likely that certain guests will choose your hotel. It can enhance guest satisfaction by ensuring they are able to arrive at a time that matches their travel plans. Video: What Is A Hotel Check-In Time? 8 Best Practices for Managing Late Check-Ins in a Hotel In the sections that follow, you can read some key strategies and best practices for a late check-in hotel service.
Prioritize Clear Communication With Guests
You should prioritize clear communication with guests about your late check-in hotel services. Be transparent about what your check-in times are, how late check-ins work, and how guests can request a late check-in. Clear communication with guests is important because it helps to manage expectations. When guests know what they need to do, they can enjoy a pleasant arrival experience, free from unnecessary frustrations. Include check-in information in confirmation emails, pre-arrival emails and hotel marketing content. Try to make sure there is no real room for confusion and you will make life easier for guests and your hotel employees.
Create and Provide a 24/7 Check-In Process
One of the best ways to run a hotel with late check-in is to create a 27/7 check-in process. This will allow guests to arrive at any time and still claim their reserved room in your hotel. A 24/7 late check-in hotel service will appeal to a large number of guests and may make them choose your hotel over a rival. It is quickly emerging as one of denmark email list the biggest competitive differentiators in the hotel industry. There are a range of possible options here, including having staff at the front desk 24/7, using mobile check-ins, offering keyless entry systems, or providing self-service kiosks in the reception area. Video: Hotel check-in & check-out procedure
Invest in High-Quality Training and Coaching
A late check-in hotel service relies on the quality of front desk staff, so training is essential. Focus on preparing staff to check new arrivals in efficiently and deal with the most common issues that may arise. Training is vital because staff need to fully understand your late check-in policies and procedures. They also need to know how to contend with late arrivals and some of the challenges they may present. It may also be necessary to teach staff how to resolve issues related to self-check-in technology.
Assign Hotel Rooms Using a Flexible Process
Late check-in in a hotel often requires an element of flexibility, and the best approach is to prepare in advance. Try to hold back a room or two that you can turn to in a crisis. This kind of flexibility is important because late arrivals can make it difficult to determine whether guests have failed to turn up and whether rooms are like on facebook – 2 compelling reasons available to re-allocate. By keeping some spare, you can deal with this. As an added bonus, operating with this kind of flexibility can also allow you to resolve overbooking situations. You can also potentially offer these rooms to people who want a hotel room at the last minute.
Create a Late Check-In Policy Document
It is important to not only create your late check-in hotel policy, but to also document it. Outline what counts as a late check-in, how these check-ins work and what you are going to charge for late check-in privileges. Having a clear policy line data is crucial because it means you can refer to this when you encounter issues. It also allows you to provide guests with clear information about what they can and cannot do. Your policy can be used internally among hotel management and staff, but a version should also be publicly available.
