Leveraging the Power of Local Partnerships

by Steve Short | Oct 10, 2022 | Frictionless Innkeeper Posts

Partnering with local businesses to enhance your guests’ stay is a must in today’s experience-based economy. Travelers want more than just a place to stay. They want to connect with a destination, and live like a local, through genuinely authentic experiences. 

Lodging providers, to gain repeat bookings, need to identify and develop mutually beneficial offerings with local businesses in order to provide guests with high-quality local experiences.

Why it is Important to Have Partnerships

Since it will take an investment of your time to commit to partnerships with your fellow local businesses, it’s important to understand why you need them in the first place. 

The ability to differentiate your property is vital in order to attract (and keep) guests. 

It’s not enough just to have beautiful amenities and food on site. Complimentary amenities like breakfast and Wi-Fi have become commonplace and expected.

Partnering Enhances your Guests’ Experience

Guests want more these days. They desire high quality, curated experiences both on and off property. 

Guests look to their lodging provider for ‘insider information’ about the local community. They want recommendations and tips for what to do, see, and where to eat. They want to know what’s special about your community and experience it in unique ways. They’re counting on you to help curate their experience during their stay.

Your business benefits greatly with increased ROI when you curate and customize off-site experiences for your guests that match the quality of what you provide on-site.

Forming partnerships with local businesses that can provide a unique experience will give your property the edge you need to compete with other lodging providers in your area. 

“It is so critical we have relationships with our local business community. It works on two fronts. One, it helps to create a memorable experience for the guest because they are not going to stay in your property the whole time. They want to get out and discover the neighborhood where they are staying and live like a local. Second, it’s good for the local economy as well.”

~Monique Greenwood, Owner of Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns

Partnering Increases your ROI

When you enhance your guest experience off-site you’re increasing the likelihood of repeat bookings.

Simply put, repeat guests are more profitable. 

• Increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by more than 25% (Bain & Co)

• It is 6-7X more expensive to attract new customers than to keep existing customers. (Kolsky via Huffpost)

• A 5% increase in customer retention can increase a company’s profitability by 75% (Bain & Co. via Forbes).
  

“The partnerships we made with local businesses made staying at our inn special. They were my guest enhancement and my sanity. The relationships I made were not only beneficial for the guests, but they also really became relationships that I grew and made my life more fulfilled.”

~Megan Smith, Lodging Consultant and Former Owner of a Vermont Country Inn

Helping you Partner Effectively

The Frictionless Guest App is a digital concierge that helps your guests live like locals. It allows lodging providers to give guests their recommendations for the best local places to eat, play, and shop during their stay.

The App helps you connect with guests like never before, saving you time and allowing you to curate the guest experience both on and off the property. 

Go to frictionlessguest.com to book a demo!