Any room maid should be aware of hotel’s loyalty programs

ABT-ACTE Educational session for hoteliers was held in the Savoy on June 23, 2014. Representatives of city and country hotels had an opportunity to find out how to develop and plan their sales policy in order for the hotel not only to cover costs, but also be profitable. The speaker of the session was Elena Marchenko, who had been working in hotel business for more than 14 years. She is not only an expert, but a practitioner in this field. At the moment Ms Marchenko deals with automation of hospitality objects and holds the position of project manager in Libra Hospitality. She worked as a commercial director in hotel chains like Heliopark Hotel Management, Orange Hotel Management, Arthurs Hotel Management, AMAKS Hotels&Resorts. She took part in launching 17 hotel projects.

Usually hoteliers constitute the most part of visitors of ABT-ACTE Russia educational sessions, but this time the topic of the session was so interesting that corporate buyers were among the visitors of the event. Inna Troshina from Volga-Dnepr Airlines admitted that specialized educational sessions let her not only acquire new knowledge in a certain area, but also gave her an opportunity to take providers’ side and better understand their work.

In Ms Marchenko`s point of view, in order to increase revenues it is necessary to understand what you are selling and who the final consumer of your product is. «Owners of country hotels must remember one simple thing: women with children are your target audience, but usually men pay for their stay, so pay enough attention to safety, entertainment programs for children and Wellness industry. Even when they are staying with their children, mothers and grannies will definitely want to treat themselves with massage or cosmetic procedures».

Ms Marchenko paid everyone’s attention to the fact that the main work with guests should start when they leave hotel. It is important not only to make the guest feel satisfied with his stay at the hotel, but also to make him want to come back and what is even better, recommend it to his friends and acquaintances.

The speaker paid special attention to loyalty programs. Hoteliers often lay great hopes on them. Unfortunately, they are not always justified. Ms Marchenko gave practical recommendations that could not only help develop an efficient loyalty program, but also let present it in the most advantageous way.

«It is important for all the hotel staff to be acquainted with loyalty programs, because a guest may ask a question not only to the sales department managers, but also to an animator, a room maid or a barman. Their awareness may be the best advertisement», the speaker explained.

In the last part of the session Ms Marchenko answered the questions of the participants and helped find the right solution to difficult situations. «Guests often embarrass hotel staff with a simple question: „Why is your hotel so expensive?“ In order to answer confidently, it is necessary to formulate the list of hotel’s advantages for the staff and for you in the first place. In this case everything is important: convenient location, transfer, luxurious rooms. When you make the list, the answer will be evident».

All the participants of the event mentioned the importance of the topic and professionalism of the speaker.

«Our hotel representatives attend ABT-ACTE Russia educational sessions for hoteliers with great pleasure. Here you can always discuss a challenging situation and get acquainted with your colleagues` experience. Due to the attestation program we take active part in the life of business community, as well as increase our professional level», Christina Begunova from the Savoy noted.

Her opinion was shared by the head of corporate department of Avantel Club Istra Ekaterina Fadyushina: «In June 2013 our hotel took part in the business and conference hotel attestation program and was successfully certified as a business and conference hotel. A year has passed and I can definitely say that cooperation with ABT-ACTE Russia has brought a lot of advantages to our hotel. We received recommendations that have helped us improve our facilities, and we have become part of the large union that unites experts and always helps them».

Sofiya Dukorskaya