What Supplies Guests are actually looking forward to in a Hotel Room?

Being a passionate traveler, I have been lucky to experience hospitality from many hotels across India. In hotels, apart from well-mannered staff and good hygiene levels, one thing that I look forward to is ‘Guest Supplies’. Generally, these amenities are crucial to give guests 'home away from home' feeling.

Liking and preferences of different guests vary. And these can vary for things as minute as degree of softness of pillows to fragrance of flowers!!

In hospitality industry, the aim of the service provider is to delight and pamper its customers. I personally believe that standard of a hotel is defined by the kind of services and facilities it offers to its customers.

For a procurement manager, satisfying its guests is like doing a rope walk between managing budget and fulfilling guests’ wimps.

So, it would really help if someone can decode the mystery of ‘What Supplies Guests are actually Looking Forward to’ in priority order.

But before answering this question, it’s important to segment consumers. For simplicity, let’s segment them into: Budget Guests and Premium Guests.

Expectations of these two kind of guests can be poles apart.

Let’s try to look at these expectations in finer detail:

• Budget Guests
• These are your value-centric guests. They expect you to provide good quality services at an affordable price.
• In this case, hoteliers are advised to focus on their basic needs. This group of guests might get satisfied with things like timely room service, water bottles in the room, clean bed-sheets and so on.
• Premium Guests
• These guests are quality-centric. They expect you to take care of all there comforts, irrespective of costs involved.
• In such a case, hotels need to add a “wow factor” in their services. For example, a bottle of wine or a basket of exotic fruits can seal the deal.

Now that we have gathered a basic understanding of expectations of different guests, let’s generalize it into a holistic concept and answer our key question ‘What Supplies Guests are actually looking forward to in a Room?’

To answer this, I will take reference from the best theory available on needs and wants, i.e. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

• Physiological Needs:
• These are basic needs which any guest (be it budget or premium guests) will expect from any hotel room.
• Example: Water bottles, bed, bed sheets & pillow cases etc.

• Need for Security:
• As for this need, guests look forward to personal security in their rooms.
• Example: Door locks, Hygienic toiletries, Privacy in room etc.

• Needs for Belonging:
• As per this need, hoteliers should be able to convince guests that they are being taken care of.
• Example: Well-mannered & friendly 24X7 Room service, Doctor-On-Call & other on call services etc.

• Esteem Needs:
• After all who doesn't like being respected? To showcase their gratitude & respect, hoteliers can give a personal touch to rooms.
• Example: Exotic Fruits & flowers basket, Bottle of wine etc.

• Self-Actualization Needs:
• This is the most difficult stage to fulfill. To attain self-actualization, hotels will need to comfort guests in all possible manner- rooms, events – everything should be designed according to guests’ choice.
• Example: Artistically designed rooms, specially designed itineraries & events.

While budget guests might get happy by merely first three steps, a premium guest will need to be taken through complete ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ to be satisfied.

To summarize, I would like to say:

First step starts with understanding your hotel’s target segment and consumer mind set (Budget or Premium). 

Second step will be to classify various services based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

These two steps will help you in devising a sound strategy. After all this, final step is to procure items at the best possible rate and full-fill your guests' desires.

Hoteliers, now that you know the answer to one of the most difficult question in Hospitality, I wish you all the very best for procurement.

Keep your Guests Happy!