Digital guestbooks and virtual guest welcome packs are an essential part of the guest experience. As a glamping business owner, you know that this is vital when operating a unique holiday rental business offering a high-end service and a fee to match. When a customer visits your campsite or glamping site they should immediately feel welcomed and as they often make up their mind about what they will write in your review in the first 5 minutes of their visit, this is even more important to get right from the start. A warm greeting through a digital guest book before they have even arrived helps immensely.
Digital guest books have become more popular since the health crisis as it’s one less thing to clean and one less job for the host to do before the next guest arrives. This digital guest book can include everything from a site map to your property and discounts for recommended restaurants and entertainment while they stay. Here’s what you need to know about creating your first digital guest book and what you could include, to get your guests to recommend you to their friends.
For more detail on this topic, including that listed below, please visit The Glamping Academy, where they cover:
- What is a guest welcome pack or digital guestbook and why is it important for guests?
- What should be included in a guest welcome pack or guestbook?
- What is a digital guestbook?
- How can you enhance the overall guest experience?
- Why is it important to communicate throughout the entire process?
- How can you use your guestbook to support your local community?
What is a digital guestbook?
Digital guestbooks have become very popular recently as they are one less thing to clean and can be updated remotely, even when your guest has a copy of it. They can also include the type of information a guest might need even before they’ve even arrived at your campsite or glamping site and what you want them to do when they leave, e.g. give you a great review.
When it comes to digital guestbooks, there are a few things you’ll want to make sure your book has which are a vital part of the customer journey and in turn, will lead to great reviews. A detailed summary of the essentials for any dynamic digital guestbook is included in The Glamping Academy (link above).
What should be included in a digital guest book?
Here are some essentials for setting up your digital guestbook:
- Make sure it’s easy for guests to find after booking or email it directly before their stay
- Use it to request permission to keep in touch with them so you can send them future offers they might be interested in
- Ask customers to leave a review or rating after they’ve visited
- Use it to help you improve your services by requesting feedback from customers when needed
- Keep it updated with the latest reviews, ratings and your terms and conditions
- Make sure it is easy to read and to use, both for you and the guest. We like the simple format provided by TouchStay here.
- Making your guest book digital helps you share it with guests before they travel so they can make arrangements with local entertainment centres and restaurants
- For glamping businesses, which are often in very remote locations, it is important to use a digital guestbook that can be used in areas without wifi, through a smartphone app
Communication is key!
If you’re a host of a glamping site, campsite, bed and breakfast, holiday cottage or any other type of holiday accommodation, chances are good that you understand what it means to be a great host! That’s why it’s so important to communicate with them and to make sure they’re having a great time and this is what a digital guestbook helps you to do.
Think about the last time you had a holiday. How was it? Did the reception staff greet you warmly and help you with your bags? Did they tell you everything you needed to know or did you feel left with questions? Communication is key when it comes to providing a great guest experience and this in turn with help you attract great reviews and repeat bookings.
How can you set a digital guestbook up for your glamping business?
Many of our glamping business network members use the digital guestbook provided through TouchStay as they provide a great service and the team is really supportive of anyone who needs help setting it up. Click the image below to find out more from Andy McNulty and his team.
We interviewed Andy McNulty for the podcast – The Business of Glamping And Unique Holiday Rentals – and asked him how hosts and owners can enhance the guest experience to keep them coming back for more without adding to the ever-growing list of things to do. You can listen to the episode here.
Listen to a previous interview with Andy here: Using Automation To Connect With Guests or listen to episodes 36 and 52 here on your chosen podcast listening platform.
Final Thoughts
Digital guestbooks are a great way to make sure your guests get the best experience possible when they stay with you. By providing a digital guest book packet of information that includes everything from a map of your space to local restaurant recommendations, you can show your guests that you care about their experience and support your local community, which means they will be much more likely to come back for more. Read more about digital guestbooks and everything about guest welcome packs on Inspired Courses.
Click here to read how a campsite can be changed into a glamping site!
