Almost half of guests prefer to book Christmas tables over phone, says research
Research from guest experience management experts, HospitalityGEM, has indicated that a significant proportion of guests (42%) would choose to call and book a Christmas party, rather than book online or walk in.
When calling to book a Christmas party, 92% of guests stated they would book up to three months in advance, indicating September as the month to start taking control of managing guests’ booking experiences.
Data collected from HospitalityGEM’s 2015 Christmas Call program specified that the greatest areas for improvement included; answering the phone in good time, building rapport with the caller and checking the guest’s special requirements.
The top reasons guests become disengaged when calling to make a Christmas booking are; an unfriendly tone, hurried/abrupt responses and a lack of knowledge/information. However, with the process often left for team members to manage themselves, answering the phone and taking bookings during this period is an essential aspect of seasonal preparation.
The highest scoring sector in the 2015 Christmas Calls Report was restaurants, whilst also revealing that 3-5* hotels need the most improving, with staff missing out most frequently on offering overnight stays as part of a Christmas package.
Ollie Navias, Head of Business Development, HospitalityGEM commented: “Phoning a venue to book a Christmas party may be a guest’s first ever interaction with that brand. This is why the first impression a business portrays here is so crucial to whether they secure that booking, and potentially more in the future. During our trials, we called multiple venues throughout August, which were all part of larger restaurant and pub groups and advertised Christmas menus online. To our amazement, none were able to give detailed responses about menus, however all talked about taking a deposit and none successfully followed up our enquiries. The feedback we provide has previously added to the service our clients have delivered, so that they can secure multiple bookings for an extremely successful Christmas! ”
