3 Ways to Use Contactless Staff Communication Tools for Fast Service Recovery

Fast service recovery can be quite the challenge in the post-COVID hospitality industry. With reopenings happening now all across the world, restaffing is, in some cases, a difficult and rather slow process. At the same time, the need for instant communication and fast service recovery is now higher than ever before - particularly because today’s hotel guests are still over-sensitive and concerned about their own health and safety. Especially while being far from the comfort and familiarity of their own home, guests need their questions answered, their concerns addressed, and their issues solved in an effective and timely manner. 

So how do you, as a hotelier, ensure that your staff has the proper means of enabling fast and efficient service recovery, even when the strength is not in their numbers?

Before we explore the best ways of leveraging internal communication to achieve this goal, it’s important to understand why the “behind the scenes” is just as important as the act of serving guests and how businesses, in general, perceive the impact of deficient internal communication on their daily operations and team morale. In fact, Queens University revealed that 39% of surveyed employees worldwide say that people in their own organization don’t collaborate enough and Salesforce uncovered that an alarming 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.

Any successful guest experience and interaction stand on a healthy mix of optimized operations and employee satisfaction. When your hotel staff is overworked and tired, or concerned for their health and safety - it shows and it translates back to the guests. This is why you need to prioritize your staff and their well-being first, in order to achieve the ultimate goal of excellent guest service.

1. Even more staff communication is needed after reopening

The numbers show that the lack of open and direct communication is the main reason for deficient internal operations, delays, misunderstandings, and frustrations among staff. When communications are not centralized and/or insufficient, valuable information is lost in the process and this can be amplified by a staff shortage, as it is now the case in many hotels around the world. However, with the use of an internal communication solution like the exclusive TrustYou Team Chat tool, you can ensure that employees have the proper means of keeping in touch, sharing guest information, and addressing issues on the spot, before they turn into negative post-stay reviews.

2. Quick and efficient digital team communication is a must

Team Chat is easily accessible even on the go, from the TrustYou mobile app. Users share one Inbox, where they can communicate with each other in either direct or group chats, as well as manage and address on-site guest surveys - all from one place. The tool also enables the sharing of media files, forwarding messages, creating internal notes, and tagging certain team members, which helps direct issues to the appropriate department in a timely and efficient manner. 

Fast and targeted communication behind the scenes is the best way to compensate for limited staff. When you’re going through a staff shortage, it’s more important than ever to optimize operations and communication, in order to solve any guest inquiries in the same amount of time they would be solved with a full staff. This doesn’t just help drive a positive guest experience, but it also supports employees in their tasks and helps keep the morale up and take the pressure off, even during challenging times. 

3. The right communication solutions will empower your staff

In fact, a recent report titled “The New Decision Makers” by Harvard Business Review, revealed that digital solutions help frontline employees feel more empowered to make decisions in the moment, which accounts for a more successful organization. Not only that, but 72% of the respondents said that productivity increased when they empowered their frontline employees. When the staff has all the right tools and information at their disposal, they naturally feel more empowered to address and solve any guest issues or concerns, which accounts for fast service recovery - something that guests are increasingly craving, and one that staff should be striving for.

By using a smart and user-friendly internal communication solution, you actually solve multiple challenges at once: you enable your staff with the right means to share information and achieve fast service recovery, you take the pressure off their shoulders even in times of limited staffing, you solve guest issues in a timely manner, and you nurture a positive guest experience. 

Remember, happy employees = happy guests. In order to cater to the needs and expectations of your customers, you first have to show the same care to your team members. Hospitality literally starts at home.

Make sure to contact our team of experts for any additional details or questions that you might have!