Running a large group accommodation business is no mean feat. It requires meticulous planning yet flexibility to adapt to constant changes and alterations. The level of care and attention that goes into looking after your guests make a significant impact on the guest’s enjoyment and likelihood, they will become repeat customers. So how can you ensure that the facilities and amenities provided are meeting their requirements? Here are 3 tips to ensure your guests have a great time and become ongoing customers.
Determine who your target market is
This is the most important tip for group accommodation providers. Having this crystal clear makes all decision making much, much simpler and straightforward. Are you targeting religious groups? Corporate groups? school groups? If so what age group? Elementary school, middle school or high school? You may currently have a mixture of these kinds of groups, but the question you need to ask yourself is what kind of group do you want more of in the future?
Once you have determined what kind of group you wish to target that will help you determine how you much to charge your guests, what kind of facilities you should aim to provide, what extra services you should provide. For example, if you were targeting corporate groups you may want to invest into creating meeting rooms instead of constructing a high ropes course. To get a better idea of what your target market is looking for, you can ask the groups for specific feedback on how your facilities can be improved upon to better meet their needs. The better your facilities can meet their needs the better chance that they will become repeat customers.
Balance comfort with capacity
When you are providing group accommodation, one of the first factors you should consider is the guest capacity. It is always tempting to maximise profits by maximising capacity and cramming as many bunks into the sleeping rooms as possible. However, it is important that your guest feel like they are in a comfortable environment and have all the amenities they require to enjoy their stay. So, it is important that the accommodation rooms are able to meet the needs of your target market.
Recreational activities
Again, this will come back to who your target market is. Think of the types of activities your target market will enjoy. If you’ve got a venue which is for school camps in Victoria and your target market is local high school groups perhaps activities like high ropes, a zip line, an obstacle course, and archery tag may be suitable. Research the cost of running these activities on site. An alterative solution to running such activities onsite is to partner up with a local business that provides such activities and negotiate a special discount for groups that book their accommodation through you.
Catering
Finally, you should always consider the quality of the catering. When it comes to the quality of the food, you should aim to provide your guests with first-rate quality food. If you are planning on providing meals, then you should always ensure that you are providing high quality foods. Quality depends on the preparation of the food as well as the manner in which the food is presented. A good way to ensure that your guests are provided with high quality foods is to hire a catering company who will take care of all the details and ensure that your guests have an enjoyable time during their stay.
Conclusion
When you are providing group accommodation, there are many factors that you need to take into consideration. You should always strive to provide the best quality of service to your guests, so they can enjoy themselves during their visit. Remember to cater your facilities and services to your target market. Balance guest capacity with comfort. Consider the recreational activities which are offered as well as the cost of these services. Lastly, you should also take into account the quality of the catering. By taking all these factors into account, you can ensure that your guests have a great time during their stay.
