The 7 part topic we have and will be covering is, Christian Hospitality and how it relates to the Conference/Retreat Ministry. More than we realize, the effectiveness of off-site ministry is dependent on a thorough understanding of Christian Hospitality and how it affects the individual guest and their openness to God's work.
- Hospitality (Guest Service) is Biblical
- Hospitality (Guest Service) is Powerful
- Hospitality (Guest Service) is Good Business
Today, we take a look at: Hospitality (Guest Service) is vital to the Customer Care Cycle
The chart below outlines the three potential exit points in the Customer Care Cycle. This cycle is central to understanding our connection with our guests and identifying where guest/group falloff can occur. (Falloff is defined as: failures to book, rebook, or bring the expected number of attendees.) We define the nature of each point below. Notice the role of hospitality (guest service) in limiting falloff at points B and C.
Fall off Point "A": Fall off (failure to book) at this point is generally for objective reasons such as space, price, and date issues. The variable here is creative selling in which the sales person would find a creative solution to a space, price or date issue by offering discounts, alternative dates, moving other groups, or a programming option the group leader may not have thought of.
Fall off Point "B": At this point most fall off (falling below GM) is due to the group leader's failure to promote and market the event, as they should. Regular communication from the Conference Service person would catch this early and offer a solution before it's too late. CS could be involved with providing media materials for the group leader, email blasts to possible attendees, and creative ideas for the leader to use to drive attendance. Working closely with the group leader is essential to avoid a poor turnout and groups falling below their contractual guaranteed minimum.
Fall off Point "C": At this point fall off (failure to rebook) is usually due to dissatisfaction with the event, which is almost always blamed on guest service. There may be some external issues (weather, sickness) that are beyond our control but, whatever their reasoning, dissatisfied customers seldom return. It is during this onsite experience that the property will be given many opportunities for their "moment of truth" to show great guest service. It is hard to emphasize enough how important it is that every interaction with the guest be "over the top" with warmth, care, and helpful service.
