In this article we’ll be focusing on how your room booking system can help the all-important factor in your long-term profitability: customer retention.
Acquiring new customers is important for the revenue and growth of any business and the reason companies will spend so much of their marketing budget trying to attract them. Yet, while new business clearly needs a focus, of equal importance to the long-term sustainability of most companies is the need to retain customers and ensure that those who have bought from you before will come back and do so again.
Repeat customers are the life-blood of businesses.
- They spend, on average, 67% more than new customers
- They are more likely to buy new items from you than new customers
- New customers cost businesses 5x more than existing customers
- Repeat and satisfied customers are likely to become advocates of your brand
- Returning customers are more profitable than one-time buyers
{SOURCE: Biz Journals]
This is especially true for those companies and organisations who hire meeting rooms, venues or other space to the general public as a means of generating revenue streams.
Meeting room hire is a competitive environment, and having customers who keep coming back to you to use your venues are an invaluable commodity.
This is where your room booking system can be a powerful tool for your business, providing you with the platform and management tools to maximise your customer retention.
Simple & Effective User Experience
Nobody likes hassle, hold-ups or difficult to navigate booking journeys. The harder you make it for your customers to book, or the more hoops you make them jump through, the less inclined they are going to be to return and make another booking in the future.
Think about that client who has booked a meeting room in your offices, and wants to book a follow-up meeting. How good would it be for them to simply search, select and book there and then; while still with their colleagues?
A simple booking process that allows customers to quickly view availability and place a new booking, from the convenience of their laptop, tablet or phone provides the kind of simplicity that encourages customers to book again and again.
A Value-Adding My Booking Area
Allowing customers to have access and control over their details and their booking history adds value and convenience to the overall experience of using your services, and can go a long way towards ensuring they return to you rather than your competitors.
After all, what’s more preferable:
A simple login to your account to search, select and book a room with all your details pre-populated into the fields to ensure a fast process.
Or…
The need to pre-register on another account, wait for a verification email before being allowed to login and make a booking*.
Giving customers the sense that they have control over their own information and access to services creates the sense that you actually value their business and want to make life as easy as possible for them.
Bundling Extras to a Booking
Sticking with the ‘making it as easy as possible’ theme, using your booking system to simplify the way that customers can book everything they need in one transaction can further boost the customer experience and encourage them to keep returning to you.
How much easier is it for customers, when booking a meeting room online to be able to select refreshments, catering packages, stationery or equipment to the overall booking, without having to go to another source or booking process?
Personalised, Non-intrusive, Helpful Communication
Keeping your customer satisfied, engaged and informed is an important part of maintaining long-term relationships. However, you need to strike the right balance between helpful and just kind of getting in the way.
With a well-functioned booking system you can provide exactly the kind of communication that helps your customer, while keeping your brand in their mind without the sense of intrusiveness.
Automated confirmation emails should be a given with any booking system, but what about those other prompts along the way? The reminder of the upcoming booking, or the thanks for using our services post-booking email; maybe with a gentle prompt to re-book.
Customer Relations Management
Your booking system can be a powerful platform for gaining invaluable insight into your customers for future tailored marketing strategies.
With the right set-up and functionality the system is perfectly placed to gather and retain data on your customers booking history and associated details, enabling you to focus future offers and incentives to them, based on your knowledge of their booking habits.
At thinkBooker we provide room booking systems that not only help clients bring greater efficiency to their booking processes, but provide a platform to help engage with the customers and deliver the user experience that encourages increased bookings and repeat business. Download our brochure here , or get in touch with one of our consultants via our contact form for more information.
*You do not have to pre-register with thinkBooker, as the booking process automatically creates a My Bookings account for first-time users.
At thinkBooker, we specialise in online booking systems for training courses, classes, activities and events – optimised for efficiency, growth and ongoing client satisfaction.
Browse the site to learn more about course booking systems, sports booking systems, event booking systems and more, or get in touch directly to find out how we can help you.
