Hint: They don’t want luxury. They want less friction.
Sun streams through the arched glass windows of the airport terminal as a man in a suit looks around for the baggage claim. All around him, perfectly smooth suitcases roll effortlessly across the checkered floor. He spots his suitcase on the carousel, grabs it, extends the handle, and turns toward the escalators. But one wheel refuses to budge. The suitcase won’t roll. He drags it behind him, occasionally lifting it or kicking it upright. By the time he reaches his shuttle, he tosses it on the rack in frustration.
Professionals traveling for work have different priorities than vacationers. Their next presentation may determine whether they land the client, close the deal, or earn next year’s contract. What do business travelers want in a hotel? They expect promptness, efficiency, and the absence of dozens of tiny annoyances. Like the man’s uncooperative suitcase, they just want a perfectly smooth, effortless hotel experience. One less thing to worry about.
The Inconvenient Friction
Very few inconveniences ruin a business trip. But they make every step a little harder than it needs to be. Friction shows up as anything from minor annoyances and workflow interruptions to full-blown trust breakers. If it slows your progress or productivity, you’re facing friction.
Picture the mounting frustration with:
- An extended check-in or lost reservation
- A lack of signage to the conference room
- An elevator that gets stuck when you’re carrying your presentation materials
- A laptop battery with nowhere to charge
- A malfunctioning door key
- A printer that’s offline before an important meeting.
- A confusing invoice after the trip
On its own, each point of friction won’t tip the scales, but the accumulation of each minor interaction slows down your momentum.
Anticipate the Arrival
Nobody could have predicted the smoke blurring the windshields of every car on I-5. Then again, it’s fire season. Road warriors often experience delayed flights or hours behind the wheel and want the simplest, easiest arrival. Complimentary airport shuttles, convenient rideshare pickup locations, and clear, no-nonsense parking information remove unnecessary surprises and helps guests relax.
As they walk through the door, help them get their bearings. A streamlined check-in process that embraces mobile check-in, digital room keys, self-service kiosks, or well-staffed front desks saves guests time.
Be sure to highlight nearby restaurants, pharmacies, coffee shops, print services, walking trails, and local business centers on your website or in your hotel app. A simple neighborhood guide saves guests from searching online after a long day of travel. A personal recommendation or two helps them settle into the evening, knowing they’re in good hands.
The less time business travelers spend spinning their wheels on logistics, the more bandwidth they reserve to focus on why they came in the first place.
Make Work . . . Work
A sales manager wants to meet her team in the dining room, but she’s crouched on the floor next to the only outlet she can find in the lobby. Most modern travelers answer emails over lunch, jump on video calls between meetings, collaborate in the lobby, and review presentations before heading into the conference room. Today’s hotels need to create work-friendly solutions for wherever business happens.
Reliable Wi-Fi and readily available power outlets are no longer perks—they’re expectations. Design spaces that make it easier for guests to stay productive throughout the day.
Consider offering:
- Lobby seating with integrated power
- Flexible meeting rooms that adapt to different group sizes
- Comfortable workspaces for individual or collaborative work
- Video conferencing capabilities for hybrid meetings
- Quiet areas, or pods, for focused work or private phone calls
- Locally roasted coffee and refreshment stations that encourage informal meetings
Save your guests from crawling under tables, digging for outlets, rearranging heavy furniture, or wondering where to take a video call. Every room should remove all the little interruptions and improve the guest experience.
Make the Meeting Memorable
The CEO arrives at the hotel early, coffee in hand, expecting to review his notes before the first session of the conference. Instead, he wanders through the halls, unable to locate the meeting room. He finds no directional signs. No event schedule. No registration table. By the time he finds the conference room, his AV team is still untangling the cables while attendees stand awkwardly in the hallway wondering where to go. A few volunteer to place the booklets and papers at each setting. The presenter frowns at his watch as he begins the slideshow. The crowd adapts, but the meeting is off to a rough start.
Rough starts can be avoided. When your ballroom hosts three different events in a single day, heavy furniture slows every transition. Keep your facility team on schedule by choosing the most durable, adaptable furniture like MityLite’s signature ABS tables. Give yourself the ability to transition quickly from one layout to another and prepare each room in advance. Eliminate setup headaches and discomfort with breathable, flexible seating that cushions your guests no matter how many hours they intend to spend in the chairs. A variety of table sizes gives planners the flexibility to create intuitive room layouts…
Clarity at Every Opportunity
An executive assistant stares at the website, shaking her head. She just needs to know the size of the space! With today’s technology, meeting planners can compare venues online, evaluate room capacities, browse floor plans, and review packages before narrowing their list and calling your sales office.
Make it easy for them to find what they need.
Anticipate what questions your guest might ask. Your website should clearly highlight every detail of your meeting spaces, group room blocks, event packages, and direct contact information for your sales team. Include high-quality photos of meeting rooms in different layouts so planners can visualize how the space might work for their event.
As they peruse your offerings, the more confident they’ll feel moving your property to the top of their shortlist.
No More Delayed Departures
A man sighs, knowing the shuttle won’t wait much longer. He still needs an itemized receipt. A frustrating departure overshadows a smooth stay. Conference attendees often leave with one eye on the clock, trying to catch a flight, make their next meeting, or get back to the office. Every unnecessary delay adds stress at the worst possible time.
Fast, convenient checkout allows guests to leave on schedule. Mobile checkout, digital receipts, and clearly communicated billing procedures eliminate unnecessary stops at the front desk.
Spare your guests some confusion by consolidating the charges for the guest rooms, meeting space, catering, parking, and other services into a single, easy-to-read invoice. Let them walk out of the front door without worrying about complicated expense reports.
What Do Business Travelers Want in a Hotel? No Hassles!
Every hotel offers a place to sleep. If you want to know how to attract business travelers, give them more than a comfortable bed. Give them one less thing to worry about. When every part of the stay runs smoothly, guests leave with exactly what they came for. Luxury impresses guests for a moment. A frictionless experience brings them back.
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