Keeping visitors on your hotel website can be challenging, but it is an important part of your business. The more difficult it is to navigate your website, the less likely potential guests are to complete their bookings.
Encouraging guests to stay on your website will help drive hotel occupancy and develop trust with guests, while small mistakes can discourage booking and ultimately lose you a potential customer. Here are some of the biggest turn-offs to potential guests that can be easily avoided with the right online booking system.
Hidden Costs
Guests don’t want to arrive at the payment screen only to find that the price of their stay has increased dramatically from what they saw on the ad. Hidden costs are among the biggest turn-offs for guests. Make sure your costs are simple, straightforward and easy to understand. While taxes can be calculated on the final booking screen, the price displayed on the room information page should include all other fees. Any add-on costs that the guest can opt-in for should be clearly displayed and easy to select.
Lengthy and Complicated Booking Process
The longer it takes for a guest to make their selection and get to the confirmation page, the more frustrated they will become. Consider how many steps are involved in the guest’s booking process. Streamline the booking journey to avoid mishandled reservations and ensure that guests’ preferences are reflected in the final booking. The right booking system will also ensure that you don’t accidentally overbook your hotel, meaning customers will be guaranteed to receive the room they paid for upon their arrival.
No Reviews
The information you provide about your hotel is inevitably biased, as you have incentive to present your hotel in the best light possible. Guest reviews, on the other hand, are seen as increasingly valuable by customers hoping to learn more about your hotel brand. Feature the positive reviews you receive on popular reviewing sites such as TripAdvisor directly on your website. By highlighting positive guest experiences, you can help potential customers feel confident in your services.
No Personalization
If your guests are loyal, returning customers, you’ll want to make them feel understood and valued by your hotel. Having a log-in option for your website or a loyalty rewards system can help optimize the guest journey by gathering useful data on your guests and storing their preferences (with their permission). Offering guests personalized perks based off of previous stays or remembering their dietary preferences are just two ways online booking engines can create a more customized experience.
Hidden Cancellation Policies
Can your guests easily find and understand the terms of service and cancellation policy for their booking? Ensure that your cancellation policy is clearly visible and that guests are given the opportunity to review the details before booking. While many guests will never need to cancel, having the option may give them the confidence to book more efficiently rather than compare prices across the Internet.
The overall quality of your website gives your potential guests their first impression of your hotel. Being aware of common online booking engine turn-offs gives you an opportunity to stand out from the competition by providing your guests with a cleaner, easier process.
Learn how RoomKey’s Online Booking Engine can streamline your booking process and increase guest bookings.
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