It is clear that the Covid-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the hospitality industry. However, as the pandemic starts to ease people are feeling more confident to travel and are yearning for adventure. Even as the hospitality industry is slowly recovering, most hotels and accommodations could still use another revenue source, especially one that is generated with relatively little effort and cost. Many establishments overlook the opportunity to upsell to guests at the reception desk during check-in – a great place to start informing guests of your hotel extras.

Here are some of our tips on how to upsell at the hotel front desk:

Reassure guests

Guest do not want to feel like they’ve missed out on something special. Reassure guests that the room that they have chosen is worth it. Make sure to strike a balance between reassuring your guest of their choice, while trying to upsell. The worst thing you can do is to downplay your guest’s current choice – it may make them reluctant to book with you again. Phrase your upselling options in clear terms and in small price increments. For example, for R200 more you can have access to a room with a view of the ocean. This way you will communicate clearly the affordability of upgrades without overwhelming them.

Know your hotel offerings

First thing you need to do is learn everything there is to know about all hotel room categories, including the features and benefits of each, as well as all hotel amenities. Make sure that your front desk employees are well-trained and knowledgeable about everything that the hotel has to offer. If your staff has enough information about the hotel, they are likely to feel more confident in upselling. Perhaps offer you staff incentives to encourage them to upsell.

Get to know guests

Ask your guests questions about what they expect from their stay. Guests who are visiting as a couple or family have very different needs and desires from those traveling for business. Encourage staff to ask open-ended questions to understand the guests’ needs and make timely suggestions and offer alternatives with an upsell. Ask your guests at the front desk if they have any special requests and see if you can reasonably accommodate them. Guests are drawn to personalised experiences and will be more likely to upgrade their booking.

Create attractive bundles

No guest can resist a good deal and by creating attractive bundle packages, you present an opportunity to upsell. A package deal typically includes specific room types, amenities, services, and activities, such as room service, spa packages, etc. Sell your guest an experience rather than just accommodation.

Front desk upselling can help you increase customer satisfaction, boost your reputation, and encourage return visits. Make sure that you know your hotel offerings and your guest needs very well so that you can create attractive upselling opportunities.

We hope that these upselling tips can help your hotel improve your upselling skills at the front desk.