Hotels Need Better Promotions to Encourage More Wi-Fi and Gym Usage
While staying at a Las Vegas resort hotel recently, I was disappointed at being “nickel and dimed” for every little bit of service that I normally get for free elsewhere.
First, I had shipped a box of catalogs to the hotel to be there for my arrival. Kaching! $17.50 service fee.
Next, I needed Internet service and was granted Wi-Fi in my room. Kaching! $50 for three days of usage.
Going to the gym—another $15 per day. Kaching!
Just about everything that I received for free at a Courtyard by Marriott the week before seemed to be a pay-for-service module.
This is the complete opposite of a normal pricing schedule. It would make more sense for the less expensive hotels to charge for additional services rather than the premium priced ones.
If these premium priced hotels want to create greater loyalty—they need to reduce the cringe factor that these ridiculous add-on charges have on their guests.
Perhaps a gift with purchase promotion might help in righting the ship.
You want to use WI-Fi—how about a free music gift card for 3 songs for 3 nights of usage? People love getting free gifts- and the perceived value will help take the sting out of these fees, which are mostly pure profit anyway.
Gym usage– why not a free magazine subscription to a business or fitness magazine with two or three days of usage?
Restaurant, bar, dry cleaning and other miscellaneous fees—Wouldn’t a free gift offer of a free gift card for a movie ticket for every $100 in extra charges be a nice touch?
The keys to repeat business is a pleasant buying experience and exceptional value.
Lowest price does not mean best value.
A gift with purchase goes a long way to making customers feel better about their purchase—and adds value to their purchase. Value add your services to keep customers coming back for more.
What can you do to add value to additional services or add-on fees?
