Asksuite Team

January 24, 2025

Hotel Guest Follow-Up: How to Boost Revenue Using This Sales Strategy

In the highly competitive hospitality industry, securing direct bookings is more important than ever. While many hoteliers only focus on acquiring new clients, one critical aspect often overlooked is effective follow-ups with the confirmed ones. A well-implemented hotel guest follow-up strategy not only increases direct bookings but also fosters long-term guest loyalty.

Asksuite clients are already leveraging this strategy throughout the entire guest journey, achieving remarkable results: a 71x ROI by delivering automated, personalized messages at the right time on the right channels.

But what does a hotel guest follow-up mean, and how can it directly impact your revenue? In this article, we’ll explore its significance, delve into actionable workflows, and demonstrate how to use tech tools like WhatsApp to optimize follow-up efforts.

Pro tip: Do you want to learn how to increase direct bookings with less effort using intelligent automation? Get full access to Asksuite’s exclusive guide and learn how to achieve it! Download it for free now:

What’s a Hotel Guest Follow-Up?

A hotel guest follow-up is the process of engaging with potential, current, or past guests after an initial interaction. This could include follow-ups after inquiries, during their stay, or even post-checkout. The primary goal is to encourage guests to take desired actions, such as completing a booking, leaving a review, or returning for another stay.

Unlike generic sales tactics, an effective follow-up is personalized, timely, and value-driven—aimed at guiding guests through their decision-making journey without being pushy.

Pro Tip: In addition to follow-ups, your hotel can enhance guest interactions by making their lives easier. For example, automate messages to offer a seamless, user-friendly virtual check-in/out process. It’s also possible to send a warm welcome message upon their arrival or a thoughtful thank-you message after their departure.

Why Should My Hotel Follow Up With Guests?

The importance of a hotel guest follow-up cannot be overstated. It plays a pivotal role in driving revenue and ensuring guest satisfaction. By staying connected with guests at crucial points—before, during, and after their stay—hotels can significantly influence decision-making, build trust, and enhance the overall guest experience. Here’s why:

Boost Conversion Rates: Travelers often explore multiple options before booking. Following up keeps your hotel at the top of their mind and increases the likelihood of securing a reservation.
Enhance Guest Experience: Checking in with guests during their stay ensures their needs are met, creating a memorable experience that encourages positive reviews and repeat visits.
Reduce Abandoned Bookings: Potential guests that went through the whole booking process but didn’t complete it are a gold mine! They’re more likely to close the deal than a traveler that didn’t request a quote.
Increase Direct Bookings: Personalized follow-ups through direct channels, like WhatsApp, reduce reliance on OTAs as well as lower commission costs.

By implementing an intelligent follow-up strategy, your hotel can maximize revenue opportunities and strengthen guest relationships.

To ease and automate this process in order to avoid repetitive tasks for your staff, hoteliers already count on AskFlow. That’s Asksuite’s latest launch to automatize personalized workflows for guests during their entire journey.

It seamlessly integrates with PMSs and other third-part systems – including Asksuite’s omnichannel platform, to centralize interactions. Get to know the cutting-edge solution that’s already driving remarkable results for hotels!

3 Workflows to Follow Up With Guests at Your Hotel

Curious about implementing practical workflows on WhatsApp to follow up with your guests?

Here are three suggestions to use before, during, and after their stay. You can always tailor them to fit your hotel’s unique needs and exceed your guests’ expectations.

1. Offer Amenities During Pre-Arrival

Reaching out to guests after they book but before their arrival provides a prime opportunity to enhance the guest experience while also increasing revenue. Personalizing this interaction can make guests feel valued before they even step foot on your property. Here’s how you can optimize this workflow:

Highlight Exclusive Amenities: Offering early check-in or late check-out gives guests more flexibility and enhances their stay. For example, a guest arriving after a long flight might appreciate the option of checking in early. Similarly, allowing a late check-out can provide extra comfort for those with a later departure time, increasing their overall satisfaction.
Promote Upsell Opportunities: Spa packages, dining discounts, and room upgrades are key revenue drivers. When these services are exhibited in advance, guests may feel more inclined to purchase them as they are already in the planning stage. A personalized room upgrade can make the difference between a basic stay and a memorable experience.

Pro Tip: When offering upgrades, highlight the benefits, such as access to a premium view or a more spacious room. Also, position these upgrades as “exclusive offers” to make guests feel they are receiving special treatment.

Demonstrate Your Commitment: Your communication shows guests that you care about their comfort and experience. This proactive approach not only improves guest satisfaction but also fosters a sense of trust and loyalty. By addressing their potential needs early, you’re signaling a high standard of service that sets your hotel apart from competitors.

2. Ensure a Smooth Stay

The mid-stay check-in is an essential moment, as it’s an opportunity to reinforce the positive experience you’ve already started to build. By staying in contact during their stay, you’re able to act quickly on any issues or additional requests. Here’s how to elevate this interaction:

Communicate Proactively: Reach out via WhatsApp to ask if everything is running accordingly. Simple questions such as, “How’s your stay so far” or “Do you need anything to make your stay more enjoyable?” show attentiveness and a desire to please.
Offer On-the-Spot Solutions: In the hospitality industry, the faster you can resolve issues, the better the guest experience. Whether it’s supplying extra towels, addressing complaints about room temperature, or helping with restaurant reservations, swift action speaks volumes about your hotel’s commitment to guest satisfaction.

Pro Tip: Empower your staff with tools to respond in real time. Using an omnichannel communication system can streamline this process, allowing the guest to receive immediate attention and ensuring no request is overlooked.
Provide Local Recommendations: Suggesting nearby attractions, dining options, or activities is not only helpful but positions your hotel as a local guide that’s in the know. Share insights about hidden gems, seasonal events, or exclusive experiences.

3. Promote Exclusive Campaigns for Returning Guests

Post-checkout is not the end of the relationship; rather, it’s an excellent opportunity to continue nurturing the bond with your guests. Here’s how you can turn one-time guests into loyal, repeat customers:

Personalize Post-Checkout Communication: After a guest checks out, it’s important to continue providing value. Personalized follow-ups that thank the guest for their stay and offer tailored incentives can go a long way.
Incentivize Future Stays: Offering discounts for future direct bookings is a great way to keep guests coming back. You could provide a discount on their next visit or offer exclusive deals for return stays during off-peak seasons. Creating urgency by adding expiration dates for these offers can also encourage guests to rebook sooner rather than later.
Exclusive Campaigns for VIP Guests: Consider creating special campaigns for your most loyal or high-spending guests. Offering them exclusive experiences, such as priority reservations or VIP check-in, can make them feel like they’re part of an exclusive club. Personalized campaigns, like birthday or anniversary greetings with tailored offers, can also encourage repeat bookings.

By enhancing each workflow with additional details and actionable strategies, you create a comprehensive approach to guest communication that can significantly impact guest loyalty, satisfaction, and revenue.

Pro tip: Want to delve deeper into practical workflows and learn how an intelligent PMS integration uses guests’ data to personalize automated messages? Access the premier guide Asksuite developed in partnership with Oracle Hospitality!

How to Follow Up With Guests Effectively

Follow-ups are most effective when they are timely, relevant, and leverage the travelers’ preferred channels. When it comes to choosing the right channel, instant messaging platforms, particularly WhatsApp, have risen to the forefront.

The appeal of WhatsApp lies in its widespread use, simplicity, and immediacy, making it an ideal platform for quick and effective communication. Unlike traditional email or phone calls, which may require guests to check their inboxes or wait for business hours, WhatsApp allows real-time conversations at guests’ convenience. This ensures that follow-up messages are not only received promptly but can also be answered or acted upon immediately, fostering a seamless and frictionless experience for the guest.

Curious about how to structure the follow-up and streamline this process without overloading your staff? Check out this practical 3-step guide!

1. Automate Personalized Messages

Automation tools are game-changers in the hospitality industry, allowing hoteliers to maintain a personalized touch while efficiently managing guest communication. WhatsApp, with its widespread use and immediacy, plays a pivotal role in this process.

For instance:

Use guest info to personalize messages, such as check-in/out dates or any other data included in the PMS;
Choose the most effective day & time to send the messages, building a tailored strategy for your hotel’s unique needs;
Use workflows integrated with WhatsApp to provide instant responses and personalized offers.

Did you know? Asksuite offers the official WhatsApp API that can be managed on the omnichannel platform and also be empowered with the #1 AI Reservation Agent worldwide. Besides, your hotel can easily deliver WhatsApp campaigns.

Want to learn more about it? Reach out to our team now!

2. Learn the Perfect Timing

The timing of follow-up messages is a game-changer in driving engagement and enhancing the overall guest experience. With WhatsApp’s instant messaging capabilities, timing becomes even more important, as it enables you to interact with guests in real-time, ensuring that communication feels immediate and relevant.

Tailoring your follow-up timing based on guest behavior and booking patterns significantly improves engagement rates. For example:

After cart abandonment: Provide detailed information and encourage booking.
Mid-stay: Check in to enhance the guest experience while they are at your hotel.
Post-stay: Request reviews and share future offers during the whole year.

3. Rely on Tech Tools

Tech integration with follow-up processes significantly enhances personalization and ensures your staff doesn’t get swamped with repetitive tasks, such as sending manual messages.

WhatsApp, in combination with the right specialized tools, can automate routine activities while offering a high degree of customization.

Third-party systems: Track guest preferences and interactions to deliver customized messages via CRMs or consume data from PMSs to enrich and personalize communications.
WhatsApp Business API: Enable instant communication with guests while respecting their privacy.
AI Reservation Agents: Automate routine inquiries and provide 24/7 support across multiple channels.

By integrating these tools, you can streamline operations and make sure no guest is left unattended.

A hotel guest follow-up is more than just a sales tactic—it’s a comprehensive strategy to boost revenue, enhance guest satisfaction, and build lasting relationships. From pre-arrival amenities to post-checkout campaigns, each touchpoint presents an opportunity to create a seamless and memorable guest journey.

Incorporate instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp, leverage automation, and perfect your timing to maximize the impact of your follow-up strategy. By doing so, your hotel will not only increase bookings but also secure a loyal guest base that drives long-term success.

Following up with guests is only one of AskFlow’s features. Want to learn more about its possibilities in communicating with guests? Talk to an expert today!