8 Hotel Ancillary Upselling Ideas

In the highly-competitive era of hospitality, hotels always seek ways and methods to increase their sales and revenue and also to distinguish themselves from their competitors. A potent and effective way that hotels are adopting rapidly revolves around the art of ‘ancillary upselling.’ This is a comprehensive way to provide guests with a plethora of supplementary services and products that are beyond the limitations of just hotel property reservations.

These complementary offerings, commonly known as ancillary services, include a lot of things, ranging from room upgrades and exclusive amenities to spa treatments, captivating dining experiences, and an assortment of other enticing offers. By offering guests an array of compelling options that amplify and improve their overall guest experience, hotels stand to elevate their ancillary revenue and skyrocket their overall profitability.

The term "ancillary upselling" signifies the substantial revenue/sales that happen from these value-added services, thereby possessing critical importance within the hotel industry. As the demand for exclusive and customized experiences continues its growth, hotels should leverage the potential to augment guest contentment to improve their upselling line through the provision of ancillary services.

This blog focuses on presenting eight hotel ancillary revenue ideas within the hospitality industry.

What is Ancillary Revenue?

Ancillary upselling is a comprehensive practice, characterized by the offering of guests an array of additional services or products that are more than just their basic room services. These alluring ancillary services, purposefully crafted and curated, serve to elevate the traditional confines and elevate the overall guest experience to exceptional heights of luxury and grandeur during the course of their stay. Ancillary services include an expansive range of offerings such as lavish room upgrades, luxury amenities, spa treatments, fine dining experiences, captivating guided tours, and a plethora of other enticing offerings. By presenting guests with a veritable funnel of irresistible choices to augment and embellish their stay, hotels can unlock the gates to a wellspring of ancillary revenue hotel and overall profitability that knows no bounds.

Ancillary revenue hotel enables hoteliers to provide a luxury and satisfactory overall guest experience through these supplementary services that transcend the realms of the traditional room experience. It has evolved into an indispensable facet of a hotel's financial prosperity and triumph. The eminence and significance of ancillary revenue have grown so exponentially that it now assumes a must, frequently surpassing the conventional way of serving exceptional guest experience. It provides hotels with a golden opportunity to forge a diversified and multifaceted set of income streams, thereby catapulting their sales to awe-inspiring heights.

The advantages of ancillary upselling surpass mere sales and revenue increases. By providing additional services, hotels enable the ability to elevate the guest experience and establish a feeling of exclusivity and personalization. As a result, guest satisfaction experiences an upsurge, positive reviews become abundant, and brand loyalty witnesses improvement.

Guests who undergo a memorable and delightful experience are more inclined to revisit as repeat customers and transform into advocates for the hotel.

To effectively implement successful strategies for ancillary upselling, it is imperative for hotels to grasp the preferences, needs, and motivations of their guests. Accomplishing this objective can be attained through the analysis of data, conducting guest surveys, and collecting feedback. By acquiring insights into guest preferences, hotels can adeptly tailor their ancillary offerings to target specific segments of their guest base.

Moreover, the advent of digital transformation has immensely simplified the execution of ancillary upselling strategies. Digital concierge platforms, for instance, provide a seamless and personalized mode of communication with guests, enabling the provision of hotel ancillary services. These platforms empower hotels to dispatch targeted offers and recommendations directly to guests' mobile devices, thus creating a convenient and captivating experience.

Keep in mind, through the embrace of the notion of ancillary upselling and comprehension of your guests' desires, hotels can unlock new levels of revenue, enhance the guest experience, and construct enduring brand loyalty.

8 Ancillary Upselling Ideas

Embrace these eight unparalleled ideas to deploy the essence of ancillary upselling. Infuse personalization, convenience, and value into your offerings, inviting guests to partake in the exciting offerings before them. As these ideas intertwine with your hotel's image and guest satisfaction, prepare to ascend to unparalleled heights, where success and unforgettable experiences blend harmoniously. Here’s a list of 8 different ancillary upselling ideas -

The Pre-Stay Stage: Orchestrating the Symphony of Upselling

1. Personalized Room Recommendations: Personalize room suggestions based on guest data and preferences. Offer upgraded rooms with stunning views, spacious layouts, and exclusive amenities. Make these options available during the booking process to create an unforgettable stay. Personalized recommendations will give guests a sense of value and individuality.Behold the captivating allure of upgraded rooms, boasting breathtaking panoramas, sprawling spaces, and exclusive amenities.

2. Creating a Symphony of Package Deals: Offer a romantic getaway package that includes a room upgrade, couples' spa treatment, and candlelit dinner. This package provides guests with a complete and encompassing experience, while saving them money. The perceived value of the package is high, making it an attractive option for guests who want to indulge in luxury.

3. Illuminating the Path with Exclusive Offers via the Digital Concierge: Use a digital concierge platform to offer personalized offers and recommendations to guests. Tailor offers to individual preferences and past behaviors. This will add a layer of convenience to the guest experience and lead to increased ancillary sales. This digital realm adds an enchanting layer of convenience to the guest experience, reaching unimaginable heights in ancillary sales.

The Stay Stage: Embracing the Enigma of Upselling

4. The Enigmatic Aura of Contactless Check-In Benefits: Offer contactless check-in to guests, which gives them access to higher room categories, late checkout, and exclusive facilities. This is a convenient and efficient way to check in, and it also gives guests a more luxurious experience. Within the embrace of contactless check-in, convenience and efficiency intertwine harmoniously, revealing the true essence of these enhancements.

5. Unveiling the Oracle of Personalized Recommendations from the Digital Hotel Concierge: Use a digital hotel concierge platform to provide personalized suggestions for local attractions, events, and dining experiences. This will simplify the booking process and elevate the guest experience. The suggestions will be tailored to each guest's individual preferences, which will lead to increased ancillary sales. Elevate the guest experience to unimaginable heights with personalized and curated suggestions, birthing a symphony of ancillary sales.

6. Illuminating the Cosmos with Room Enhancements: Use a digital hotel concierge platform to provide personalized suggestions for local attractions, events, and dining experiences. This will simplify the booking process and elevate the guest experience. The suggestions will be tailored to each guest's individual preferences, which will lead to increased ancillary sales. Embrace the harmony of customization, allowing guests to elevate their stay by adding celestial features for an additional fee. Clearly communicate the value these enhancements bring to the holistic guest experience, fostering a realm of unimaginable ancillary revenue.

The Post-Stay Stage: Unleashing Uncharted Depths of Upselling

7. The Symphony of Loyalty Program Incentives: Loyalty programs offer guests a variety of benefits, such as complimentary room upgrades, priority reservations, and future booking discounts. These benefits can help to increase guest loyalty, which can lead to repeat bookings and increased ancillary revenue. As guests partake in this majestic dance, their loyalty burgeons, driving ancillary revenue through repeat bookings and elevated engagement.

8. Reveling in the Afterglow with Post-Stay Offers: Tempt guests with special discounts for future stays and tailor-made packages aligned with their preferences. Introduce a referral program, fostering a sense of communal belonging. These targeted offerings keep the hotel nestled within guests' minds, a testament to the spirit of ancillary revenue. From the ephemeral afterglow, a symphony emerges, propelling guests to return and birthing an everlasting wellspring of additional revenue. Nurture the bond, and the realms of ancillary revenue shall unfold.

To bring these remarkable ideas to life, embrace the tools of technology. Utilize hotel digital concierge platforms and hotel upselling software to streamline communication, enable personalization, and enhance the guest experience. As hotels navigate guest preferences, offer tailored recommendations, handle bookings, and facilitate payments seamlessly, the crescendo of ancillary sales reaches new heights.

Conclusion

Incorporating a plethora of innovative strategies to boost revenue and cater to the personalized needs of guests, ancillary upselling emerges as a highly valuable approach for hotels. By skillfully implementing these eight upselling ideas throughout the pre-stay, stay, and post-stay stages, hotels can optimize their ancillary revenue potential to unprecedented levels. It is imperative to bear in mind the profound impact that digital concierge platforms, contactless check-in, and cutting-edge hotel upselling software can have on streamlining the entire process and fostering unparalleled engagement with guests. Immerse yourself in these extraordinary concepts with Quoality. Click here for a free consultation today.