7 actions to fill hotel, bnb and holiday home rooms

After the boom in booking cancellations at Christmas for travel and therefore hotels, holiday homes and BnBs, Smartpricing, the startup that helps the hotel sector improve turnover, has selected the 7 activities to be done to reduce the possibility that guests cancel their reservations

It is not the first time that the tourism sector, and not only it, is experiencing a crisis in relation to the increase in infections and due to national restrictions which have often prohibited travel, consequently affecting all the actors involved in the tourism sector. tourism.

Although we hope that the situation will improve, we must learn from the recent crises and arm ourselves with all the tools available to be prepared for any other possible waves of cancellations of bookings by hotel, bnb and holiday home customers.

Smart pricing, an Italian startup that thanks to its proprietary software allows hoteliers to improve their turnover by optimizing room pricing, studied what are the actions that must be taken when one may find oneself in a crisis situation due to new restrictions or increases in infections which do not incentivize tourists to confirm the booked trip. 

Never lower prices: the key to attracting customers is not saving

Among the activities that hoteliers must implement during a period of crisis, Smartpricing has selected some that can be used equally by owners of large hotels and owners of small BnBs.

Never lower prices: people's problem is not given by prices but by the uncertainty of the situation. Customers want to know how the facility can keep them safe in case there are new waves of infections or travel restrictions. This is why it is essential to include information on the site and on its channels that can reassure travelers on the activities implemented by the structure to limit any form of possible contagion to a minimum.

Quick Promotions: if you want to work on the price, then what you need to do is create ad hoc promotions that lead more people to book the rooms. As mentioned before, even in the event of new restrictions, people will have the opportunity to read all the options they have directly on the structure's channels, thus creating a relationship of trust with it and limiting worries. 

Flexibility and trust: In your sales conditions, ensure you give your customers the flexibility to reschedule their stay if necessary. Guests should feel secure during their purchase so they can start their stay in the best possible conditions. This will certainly increase their likelihood of returning or recommending the property after a safe experience.

Monetize the added value of the property: a common mistake when setting prices for a stay is failing to fully leverage all the additional options the property can offer guests. Increasing revenue isn't enough to simply fill rooms; you also need to leverage all the extra services and amenities hoteliers can provide.

Study the perfect customer: Google allows you to profile your typical customer. You can understand where they come from, their age, and what they like. Use this information to create a commercial offer tailored to their profile. Don't be general; work to identify your target's needs.

And then intercept it: once you understand who the target of the structure is, you need to work in terms of communication and marketing to get them the commercial offer designed for them. Thanks to new digital marketing tools it is possible to create ad hoc offers depending on gender, location and preferences.

Not just high season: a typical mistake is to think that you have to promote only when the high season approaches and customers are more interested in taking trips. No, the promotion of the structure must be constant, in order to intercept the target even when they are starting to plan their next holidays. The hotel, bnb or holiday home must be your first thought when you actually have to decide which structure to choose for your stay.

Smartpricing and its technology to help hoteliers

“Too often we see structures with a lot of potential that minimize their revenues due to incorrect pricing that is not in line with the times. It's not an easy situation, which is why it's the perfect time to update yourself, understand how to best promote your facility and increase the occupancy rate of rooms even in the low season." explains Luca Rodella, cofounder of Smartpricing.

Smartpricing is the startup that has created proprietary software that allows you to optimize the pricing of rooms in accommodation facilities depending on some parameters, making dynamic prices. To date, the startup exceeded 2 million euros in bookings made in a single day for the structures that have relied on its technology.

Over the past year and a half, it has helped over 400 properties increase their bookings and room occupancy rates . The result is that, thanks to the simple yet clearly important implementation of flexible pricing, properties have increased their revenue by an average of 22%.