As a recreation entrepreneur at heart, you often have one goal: to provide your guests with an unforgettable experience. When they leave your park satisfied, your mission is accomplished. An automated guest journey contributes to guest satisfaction in many ways. We have written a blog series so you can create the ultimate guest journey. In this part, we zoom in on phase 6 of the guest journey: Post-stay.

Phase 6: Post-stay

The post-stay phase is an important but often underappreciated part of the guest journey. While the holiday experience is still fresh in the guest's mind, they form their final impression. In this blog, we will discuss how to turn your visitors into ambassadors, leverage their feedback and motivate them to return.

Reviews: Collecting valuable feedback

Reviews are crucial for improving your services and attracting new guests. The post-stay phase is the perfect time to ask guests to share their opinions.

How to encourage reviews?

• Automated requests: Shortly after departure, send an email politely asking guests to leave a review.
• Incentives: Consider small rewards such as a discount on a subsequent stay for completing a review.
• Direct links: Make it easy by adding a link to a review platform, such as Google, TripAdvisor or your own website.

Automatic emails: Stay in touch

A well-timed follow-up email shows that you care about your guests and helps maintain a positive impression.

Key emails:

• Thank you: Send a personalised email to thank the guest for their stay.
• Feedback request: Ask the guest for feedback, emphasising the importance of their opinion for your improvements.
• Offers: If possible, include a discount code or promotion to encourage a future visit.

Add labels to the guest: Segmentation and personalisation

By adding labels to guests in your PMS, you can remember their preferences and behaviour. This allows you to make more personalised offers in the future.

Use labels for:

• • Preferences: Record specific preferences, such as a room location or dietary requirements.
  • Feedback: Label guests based on positive or negative reviews.
  • Frequency: Mark returning guests as VIP or loyal customers.

Final invoice: Clarity and convenience

A comprehensible, error-free invoice contributes to a proper closure of the stay. Automation can greatly simplify this process.

• Send email: Automatically send the invoice to the guest after their departure.
• Deposit: Is everything in order? Refund the security deposit. In case of damage, keep the damage amount and refund the rest. You can automate this process to make it quick and efficient.

Remarketing: Back to the inspiration phase

The post-stay phase is an excellent opportunity to complete the guest journey and inspire them again. Remarketing plays a key role in this.

Strategies for remarketing:

• Email campaigns: Send personalised offers, such as seasonal promotions or exclusive discounts.
• Retargeting ads: Use online ads with attractive visuals and offers to re-engage guests who have stayed with you before.

Conclusion

The post-stay phase is not only a time of goodbyes, but also of new opportunities. By strategically using reviews, follow-up emails, and remarketing, you can build a lasting relationship with your guests. This leads not only to higher guest satisfaction, but also to more repeat visits and a better reputation.