How Front Desk Staff Can Drive Upselling Success
While digital marketing and tech providers often promote automated upselling, I believe the most effective upselling happens when warm, welcoming front desk colleagues engage in genuine, human conversations. That’s not to say pre-arrival emails that introduce upsell options aren’t valuable—they are. For one, any upsell revenue generated through these emails is a bonus, especially since it’s automatic. Additionally, these emails can serve as conversation starters, giving well-trained receptionists an opportunity to open the door to further upselling.
However, the challenge is that guests who book in advance are often overwhelmed with pre-arrival emails from not just the hotel but also rental car companies and airlines, all offering upgrades. Frequent travelers may also be bombarded with customer satisfaction surveys from previous trips. With so many communications, the likelihood of these offers being noticed, let alone acted upon, is minimal.
Beyond capturing the guest’s attention, face-to-face interactions at the front desk have significant advantages over drip campaigns. A receptionist can offer specific room views, locations, and even room numbers because they know what’s available in real time, whereas pre-arrival campaigns can only promote general accommodation types. Furthermore, these human conversations occur at check-in, a time when guests:
Are more likely to indulge after a long day of travel, such as families with young children who may now appreciate the value of a suite or connecting room, or the benefits of a view or prime location.
May have changing needs. For example, a business traveler may now be traveling with colleagues and could consider a suite with a separate living area.
View the original rate as a sunk cost and are more focused on the incremental cost of an upgrade.
May be unaware of upgrades if their reservation was made by someone else, like an administrative assistant or family member.
Humans also bring a personal touch that technology can’t replicate. Just as a well-trained server might entice you to consider dessert with a tempting description, a skilled receptionist can do the same with room upgrades.
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Implementing a successful upselling program at the front desk requires not only training but also thoughtful leadership. Here are some key considerations we discuss with our clients during pre-training planning sessions:
Rate Strategy: Should we adopt a “flat rate to upgrade” strategy to ensure the gap between the booked rate and the upgrade is reasonable?
Staff Awareness: How will front desk staff be informed of which room categories are available during their shift?
Voice Reservations: Should the same upselling approach apply to voice reservations, or are callers expected to upsell themselves? (Hint: they won’t!)
Additional Opportunities: What other upselling opportunities exist, such as early check-in, late check-out, or offering families a second connecting room at a discounted rate?
Measuring Success: How will we measure the results? Should individual or team results be posted?
Incentives: Should there be a team-based, individual, or hybrid incentive program?
Training: Proper training is crucial. Without it, staff may not only fail to upsell but might also offend high-status loyalty members and diminish the value of pre-booked categories.
Here are some training tips to share with your team:
Welcome Guests and Build Rapport: Engage guests by asking about their travel and the purpose of their visit.
Reconfirm Reservations: Assure the guest that their pre-reserved accommodation is a great choice. For example, instead of saying, “I see you booked one of our standard rooms,” say, “Mr. Johnson, we have you confirmed in one of our traditional rooms, which I’m sure you’ll find quite comfortable…”
Acknowledge Loyalty: For loyalty members, emphasize that special consideration was given to their room selection. “Ms. Smith, thank you for being a Palladium Level loyalty member! We’ve blocked a special room for you tonight.”
Highlight Upgrades: Ask if the guest is aware of available upgrades, referencing the pre-arrival email. For example, “Did you receive our pre-arrival email offering special upgrade opportunities?”
Present Upgrades as Unique Opportunities: Frame the availability of upgrades as a special chance, such as, “We’ve had one of our deluxe rooms open up this evening…”
Use Incremental Sales Techniques: Once guests have mentally committed to the original rate, focus on the additional amount for the upgrade, like, “For only $75 more…”
Demonstrate Value: Instead of simply describing the room, illustrate the benefits: “In this room, you can look out your window and see…” or “As a guest on this floor, you’ll have 24-hour access to our executive lounge…”
Specify Room Advantages: Highlight specific advantages of the available room, such as, “I can offer you room 601, which has the best direct view of the beach.”
Use Rate Framing: Position upgrades as an exceptional deal, like, “These rooms usually go for $400, but I can offer you a special rate of $325, just $75 more than your current rate.”
Visual Aids: Use a digital photo frame at the reception desk to display actual photos of upgraded rooms, accompanied by a sign inviting guests to inquire about upgrade options.
Upsell Early Arrivals: Upsell guests who arrive early into a higher category room that’s ready now, like, “It’s only Noon, but we do have an upgraded room available that was open last night and is ready now.”
In summary, if you already have a pre-arrival email drip campaign, keep using it. But also hold a leadership meeting to address the considerations above, then use the techniques outlined here to train your front desk staff to engage in successful upsell conversations.
