🧰 Personalising & Customising Hospitality Packages
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Optimising the Buyer Journey
As hospitality professionals, we understand the importance of building strong relationships. Yet, with changing expectations, personalisation goes far beyond a friendly welcome.
91% of consumers are more likely to choose brands that personalise their offers and marketing and allow guests to customise their stay. (Accenture)
56% of consumers will likely become repeat buyers after a personalised experience, and the percentages are even higher for Millennials (59%) and Gen Z (60%).
Personalisation is no longer a trend—it’s an expectation.
Are you fully leveraging the power of personalisation to create memorable experiences that boost bookings and brand loyalty?
Personalisation and Customisation, what’s the difference?
Personalisation treats each guest like a VIP. You use their past stays and preferences (data!) to surprise them with thoughtful touches – a welcome drink they love, early check-in for a busy traveller.
Customisation is like a buffet. You offer a wide variety of options and guests pick what they want. Think "build-your-own breakfast bar" or room amenity upgrades.
Both approaches make guests happy! Personalisation feels special, while customisation gives guests control. The key is using them together to create a memorable experience for everyone.
Here's How to Personalise & Offer Customised Packages
Please note that due to the length of this guide, viewing on a desktop or laptop is recommended. Click on each image to enlarge.
Chat Bots
A chatbot is an AI-powered program that simulates a conversation with users, often through a website or messaging app. According to PSFK, 74% of customers would choose a chatbot over a human agent to look for answers to simple questions.
Chatbots offer businesses several key benefits. They provide 24/7 customer support, reducing wait times and improving response speed. This frees up staff to focus on complex needs. Chatbots also gather valuable guest data, helping hotels personalise offers and streamline booking processes.
Food & Beverage
Guests want diverse, health-conscious food and beverage options that cater to individual preferences, ethical practices and dietary needs. Offering customisable food and drink options shows attentiveness. Flexibility in F&B offerings also reduces waste and allows the creative use of local ingredients to enhance the guest experience.
Location
Recommendations
Travellers crave authentic local experiences; IHG has found that 70% of them want recommendations from hotels. Encourage staff to share their insider knowledge and build personal connections with guests. This doesn't just enhance the guest experience – it's an opportunity to learn more about individual preferences. By thoughtfully storing guest insights in your PMS, you'll unlock the power of future personalisation.
I recommend allocating a budget for staff to go out and experience places for themselves so that the recommendations are authentic. This will delight your guests and upskill your team.
Customer Service
Nothing beats the power of a name! Consistently using a guest's name shows that they matter to your hotel. Whether in person, on the phone, or digitally, always make an effort to address guests by name. This simple act builds rapport and demonstrates your commitment to personalised service. Here are some other ways you can enhance customer service
Room Type
Your rooms should be more than just a place to sleep—they're a temporary sanctuary. Guests crave control in crafting a space that feels uniquely theirs. Studies by Gensler show that over 70% of travellers want hotels to offer more options to personalise their in-room experience.
Tech
With smart home devices becoming increasingly common, consumers expect similar technology options when travelling.
Marketing Communications & Data Capture
Pre-Stay
Pre-arrival emails and surveys are powerful tools; use them strategically to enhance the guest experience and boost ancillary revenue:
Gather Preferences: Send pre-stay surveys to uncover guest needs and preferences (dietary restrictions, transportation needs, etc.). This data is invaluable for personalisation.
Upselling Opportunities: Offer targeted room upgrades and add-ons based on guest interests or booking information, allowing guests to customise their stay.
Proactive Service: A simple pre-arrival email asking, "How can we make your stay exceptional?" demonstrates your dedication to personalised service and allows guests to voice specific requests.
Global Mindset: Translate your website into your primary target markets' languages and currencies. This eases the booking process and shows international guests you value their business.
On Arrival
The little details matter! Here's how to create a warm welcome with personalisation in mind:
A simple handwritten note goes a long way. Welcome repeat guests by name or invite new guests to reach out for any needs.
Use guest profiles to expand your notes. Did a guest love a specific restaurant? Offer to make a reservation. Do you know they use extra pool towels? Have them ready in the room.
If your budget allows, make it memorable. Welcome amenities tailored to the occasion (wine for an anniversary, a local treat for repeat guests) create lasting memories.
Key Considerations:
Personalisation shouldn't feel formulaic. Make sure notes and gestures come across as genuine.
Train staff to look for opportunities mentioned in guest profiles. Even without a handwritten note, those proactive actions personalise the stay.
On Leaving
The guest experience doesn't end when they checkout. Here's how to leave guests feeling valued and eager to return:
A post-stay email is your chance to thank guests by name and mention specific aspects of their stay (e.g., "We hope you enjoyed the restaurant recommendation!").
Include a short survey to gather valuable insights. Incentivise responses with a discount code or entry for a future giveaway.
Use guest data to personalise future stay offers. Did they dine at the hotel restaurant? A discount for their next meal is enticing. Were they a couple celebrating a special occasion? Highlight a romantic package for their next visit.
Encourage guests to share their experiences on social media. Provide your handle and consider creating a branded hashtag for their photos.
Key Point: Post-stay personalisation is about more than just getting repeat bookings. It shows guests you genuinely value their experience and builds long-term loyalty.
Marketing Strategy Example
Here's an example of a personalised and customisable marketing strategy tailored towards a boutique hotel looking to attract leisure travellers:
Target Audience: Couples and adult groups seeking unique weekend getaways within driving distance of a major city. They value experiences over basic accommodations.
Strategy Overview: This strategy uses a mix of personalisation to tailor the message and customisation to empower guests at key decision points.
Awareness
Social Media Ads of eye-catching lifestyle images showcase your hotel's ambience. Ads are hyper-targeted by location, interests (foodies, history buffs, etc.), and demographics.
Blog posts and short videos highlighting nearby attractions and hotel packages ("Romantic Getaway for Foodies", "Historic Town, Modern Luxury") are SEO-optimised to rank well.
Collaborate with local influencers in alignment with your target audience. They showcase the hotel, boosting reach among their followers.
Consideration
Dynamic content is delivered on the website when it detects the visitor's general location. Featured packages change to match ("Cosy Countryside Escape" vs. "City Break Getaway").
Visitors who viewed your site are retargeted with ads on other websites, reminding them of specific packages or amenities they might have browsed.
If a visitor abandons a booking, a reminder email should be sent. Even better? It references the specific room type or package they were considering.
Decision
Upon booking, a pre-arrival survey asks about the trip's purpose (celebration, relaxation), dietary needs, and if they'd like add-ons.
Customisation Options include:
"Surprise Me" welcome amenity in-room (local treats, relaxation kit, etc)
Pre-purchase of experiences: curated local walking tour, spa treatment
Based on survey responses, staff may proactively contact the guest, offering to book a restaurant reservation or activity relevant to their interests.
Experience
Guests are greeted according to the preferences in the pre-arrival survey; the room is customised to their needs - extra pillows, cool bedroom temperature with lavender scent, chilled champagne in the minibar, and classic FM playing on arrival.
Voice Assistant with local event listings filterable by interest, concierge chat for real-time assistance, or in-room voice controls for basics add convenience.
Post-Stay
Post-stay emails include a survey and an offer relevant to their survey responses (e.g., "Loved the spa? Get 10% off your next treatment!")
Reviews Encouraged: Provide links for easy review submission and personally respond to feedback, demonstrating attentiveness.
Personalisation is a Team Sport
True personalisation goes beyond a single welcome gift. It requires a holistic approach, with insights and execution across your hotel. Your front-line staff are a treasure trove of guest insights! Here's how to tap into their knowledge:
Action plan
1. Assess Your Foundation
Audit Existing Data: What guest information have you already collected? Where is it stored (PMS, spreadsheets, etc.)? How accessible is it for staff?
Review Touchpoints: Map the guest journey from booking to post-stay. Where are the key opportunities for personalisation?
2. Build (or Upgrade) Guest Profiles
Centralised System: Your PMS is vital. Does it allow detailed guest profiles, easy data input, and access across departments? If not, explore upgrades or add-ons.
What to Capture: Go beyond basics (name, dates). Consider fields for preferences, special occasions, past feedback, and even pet names!
3. Personalise Across the Journey
Pre-Stay:
Pre-arrival surveys tailored to stay type (business vs. leisure)
Targeted upsell offers based on past data or booking cues
On-Arrival:
Train all staff on profile use. Welcome notes are just the start!
Empower proactive service (Housekeeping sees a guest loves a specific tea? Have it ready in their room)
On-Leaving:
Post-stay emails referencing stay highlights
Short feedback survey, incentivised for maximum response rate
Beyond the Stay:
Segment CRM lists by interest for targeted future offers
4. Make it a Team Effort
Training is Key: Go beyond "use the profile". Teach staff how to spot preferences in conversation or link guest comments to actionable changes.
Celebrate Successes: Highlight staff members who personalise brilliantly! This reinforces the desired behaviours.
Cross-Department Collaboration: Schedule regular brainstorming on new personalisation ideas (themed packages, utilising local partnerships, etc.)
5. Personalisation is ALWAYS Evolving
Tech Adoption: Stay up-to-date on guest-facing tech (chatbots, smart room controls). Budget for strategic upgrades.
Track & Adapt: Set metrics for personalisation efforts (survey responses, upsell conversion). Use the data to refine your approach.
Remember: True personalisation isn't a one-time project. It's a mindset shift that enhances the guest experience and ultimately drives loyalty and revenue.