Obtaining your guest's email is a must these days. It's the way to stay in contact with them, get to know them, receive their feedback, and build loyalty so they return directly to your hotel.
Before sharing some recommendations on email capture, it's important to know that the valid email rate refers to guests entered into your PMS with an existing, non-bouncing email address. A valid email rate above 60% is very good, between 38% and 60% is fair, 15% to 28% is poor, and below 15% is very poor.
Below, we offer some tips so you can capture your guests' emails and maintain your email rate percentage.
Your Team
It's important that all members of your team are aligned with the same goal: capturing valid guest emails. That's why effective internal team communication is essential.
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The booking: This is the first contact with your guest – don't waste it! Ensure that for every phone reservation, the email is requested as a mandatory requirement.
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Communicate the purpose: Inform your guests why you are requesting their email: to improve the quality of service.
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Explain to your team: It's important for them to know the purpose of capturing emails so they are motivated to do so.
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Incentives: Consider offering incentives to your team; remember, they don't necessarily have to be monetary.
Your Guests
It's very useful to offer a benefit in exchange for the email address, something that motivates the guest to provide their information. Use direct communication, and if the guest doesn't want to confirm their email during check-in:
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Offer to send the electronic invoice to their email.
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Provide the option to send tourist information about the area where your hotel is located to their email.
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Create a contest offering discounts or benefits in exchange for their email.
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Give a complimentary drink in exchange for the email.
Third Parties
Wi-Fi: A good way to capture emails and improve internet quality is to have a captive portal. When guests want to access the network, they must enter their email address and room number or last name. You can then ask the portal provider to give you that data.
Travel Agencies: Maintaining a good relationship with travel agencies has multiple benefits. Communicate with them and request your guests' email addresses.
There's no single formula for email capture; rather, it's a process that requires constant monitoring to find the best way that adapts to your reality. The important thing is never to lose sight of how indispensable this topic is and always strive for improvement.