Mark Simpson talks with Jessica Lorimer about keeping hospitality businesses afloat during the coronavirus shutdown. Lorimer argues cancellations don't have to mean total loss, and pushes for retention strategies grounded in treating guests like humans, not just protecting cashflow.
So many people are freaking out. They are losing thousands and thousands in revenue. And I thought, right, something needed to be done. So I reached out. One of the best people that I know when it comes to sales and retentions, Jessica Lorimer, guided me through so much over the last couple of years. How to grow a business, how to scale a business, how to do new business, phone calls in an area that I've never had to do before. And she has helped the hospitality community and the boostly academy members from day one.
It's been a really difficult couple of weeks for a lot of people. And in all honesty, those of you who are in the hospitality industry, I think, you know, when I started looking at how coronavirus is going to impact our economy, you guys were the only group that I genuinely had sympathy for. I'm excited to talk about cancellations because cancellations are not the end of the world. Retention is something that is possible. And actually, you know, if we talk through a few of the skills that in need over the coming week, there are definitely ways that you can do this. And I think, you know, we have to remember at this time that humanity is a huge part of what we're currently seeing.
What advice, if any, do you have for somebody who is stuck in that predicament? What could you be saying? What could you be doing to keep the guest happy? But also as well, looking after you and your business and your cash flow?
One is don't be a dick. Should always be an integral business rule because there is nothing that will screw your business quicker, even in a climate like we're in at the moment, which is relatively unsteady and uncertain in terms of travel and things like that, than behaving badly. So what we want to be saying to customers is, look, I completely understand the predicament that you're in and I completely understand why you would need to change this booking. And the language here is really important. Change as opposed to cancel, because we are prepping them for what is to come.
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