Upselling in hotels is when staff encourage guests to buy more expensive products or services than they originally booked. This can include room upgrades, late check-outs, spa treatments, or dining packages. The aim is to increase the money made per guest and enhance the guest experience.
In everyday hotel operations, upselling is managed by the teams at the front desk, the teams that handle reservations, and digital systems. Staff identify opportunities at booking, check-in, or during the stay. If you do it right, upselling can increase the Average Daily Rate (ADR) and RevPAR without increasing costs.
Digital upselling tools and Property Management System (PMS) integrations automate these offers. Hotels can use guest data, like their stay history or preferences, to make upgrades that are relevant and non-intrusive.
Viqal's AI-driven communication platform can detect what guests want to do in real time through messaging or voice interactions. When a guest says they want a more comfortable room, a larger space, or added convenience, Viqal automatically suggests things they can buy to make their stay better, like a suite, breakfast, or room service.
These suggestions are based on the customer's context, facilitating additional sales opportunities, and using data to do this reduces pressure on staff and improves how often customers buy.
To sell more, focus on guest needs rather than sales targets. People like personalised offers more and are happier with them.
