The best upselling techniques for French hotels in 2024!

Upselling is an essential strategy for maximizing hotel revenue. By offering superior services or products, hoteliers can improve the customer experience while increasing their turnover.

What is upselling for hotels? Our definition

Upselling is a technique aimed at encouraging customers to buy additional or more expensive products or services, thus improving their overall experience. Rather than simply maximizing revenue, upselling seeks to personalize and enrich the stay customers to make it memorable. This is reflected in various offers such as room upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, spa sessions, or additional transportation services. Comparable to practices observed in other industries, such as the offer of premium seats by airlines or menu supplements in fast food restaurants, upselling in the hotel industry makes it possible to meet the needs and preferences of customers by offering them options that enrich their experience, while increasing the establishment's revenue.

A sales technique not to be confused with cross-selling!

Upselling and cross-selling are two distinct sales techniques that are often confused. Contrary to Upselling, which encourages customers to choose a more expensive option to improve their initial experience, the Cross-selling consists in offering complementary products or services.

For example, when buying a phone, you may be offered accessories such as headphones or a protective case, which enrich the use of the phone without replacing it.

In the hotel industry, cross-selling could include the suggestion of ancillary services such as breakfasts, spa sessions or restaurant reservations, in addition to room reservations.

This strategy aims to diversify and enrich the overall customer experience by adding elements that complement their stay. Whether at the time of booking, during exchanges before the stay, or upon arrival at the hotel, cross-selling strives to rMeet the varied needs of customers by offering relevant additional solutions.

What are the benefits of upselling techniques?

Upselling techniques offer several advantages for hotels. First of all, they allow a increase in turnover by encouraging customers to opt for higher-end products or services, such as room upgrades or spa packages. At the same time, they enrich the customer experience by offering better quality options, which increases their satisfaction. This improved experience plays an important role in retaining customers, encouraging them to come back or recommend the establishment. Upselling, when it is personalized and targeted, increases customer value by optimizing return on investment. Indeed, retaining a customer is much cheaper than acquiring a new one. Finally, by offering more personalized and memorable experiences, upselling strengthens customer relationships, contributing to increased loyalty.

Essential principle of upselling in a hotel: understanding the preferences and needs of your hosts.

Customizing offers 

Personalization is the key to successful upselling. By using customer data, you can tailor your offerings to the individual preferences of each customer. This means knowing the preferences of your customers and adjusting your proposals based on this information. Customers feel valued when they receive personalized offers, which increases the chances of successful upselling.

Example:

When booking, if a guest booked a room with a sea view, offer them a suite with a balcony for an even more immersive experience. You can send an email a few days before they arrive, outlining the benefits of the balcony suite, such as the breathtaking views, added comfort, and exclusive amenities.

By personalizing your offerings, you can create a deeper connection with your customers and provide them with a truly memorable experience.

Offer upgrades and special offers

Create special offers that combine accommodations with additional services, such as spa treatments, dinners, or excursions. These offers can be presented in such a way that they appear to be natural enhancements to the customer's initial booking.

Example: When a customer books a group excursion, offer an excursion with a private guide. Offer your customers a private taxi service rather than a group transfer.

Avoid robbing the customer by inundating them with choices

Offering a multitude of options to your customers may seem appealing, but the study “The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less” by Barry Schwartz reveals that Too many choices can be counterproductive. Faced with an abundance of opportunities, customers can feel overwhelmed, paralyzing their decision-making process and reducing both sales and satisfaction. Offering a short, carefully selected list of options is more effective. This makes it easier for customers to make decisions and makes them happier with their choices. However, it is crucial to maintaining a balance : limiting choices without sacrificing the personalization that customers expect. By adapting the products and services offered wisely, customers perceive these options as relevant, making them more likely to make the purchase while feeling included in their shopping experience.

Technology, the best upsell facilitation tool for hotels.

Mobile applications and digital welcome booklets

Mobile applications and digital welcome booklets are powerful tools for upselling. They make it possible to offer superior quality services in an intuitive and accessible way. With the rise of mobile technology, some customers expect to be able to manage their stay directly from their smartphone.

Example:  

A digital welcome booklet can suggest services such as booking a luxury taxi, ordering gourmet room service, or booking private yoga sessions. Send the link to this digital welcome booklet before your customers arrive so that they can get acquainted with it, and have QR codes in the common areas and rooms of the hotel.

A digital welcome booklet is a major asset for hotel upselling. It makes it possible to centralize all the information useful for the customer and to offer additional services in a proactive manner. Customers can access all the information they need from their smartphone, simplifying the buying process. 

By integrating these upselling techniques into your business strategy, you can not only increase revenue, but also provide an exceptional customer experience that will keep customers coming back. Use technology to personalize and facilitate these offers, and you'll see a significant increase in customer satisfaction and hotel profitability.

If you want to increase your income and improve the experience of your customers, do not hesitate any longer, the digital welcome booklet is what you need for your hotel. GetWelcom supports numerous hotels in France in increasing their revenues.