TKC Group

You always remember your firsts: your first holiday, first plane ride, first new city, and all the other firsts that come along the way. Prague was no exception!

Recently, we interviewed Nikol from TKC Group where in their 'Old Royal Post' accommodation, we found our first home in the city. Welcoming more than 40,000 guests per year, Nikol's insights are invaluable. Since she has been with us from the beginning, who better to tell us all about how LUGGit has changed their guests' experiences.

LUGGit: How long have you been operating in the holiday rental industry and what motivated you to start?

Nikol: I have been working in the hospitality industry for 14 years. The idea of being able to welcome guests, and make sure they feel comfortable in my home country while exploring its culture and history and contributing to their long-lasting great memories, was the initial motivation that made me join the “hotel crowd’.

L: What changes have you noticed in the industry since you started? How has that affected your business?

N: Most of the changes I have noticed are related to the guests’ behaviour in how they plan their travels. The number of reservations made months ahead has drastically dropped in favour of last-minute reservations. This can be challenging in terms of staff scheduling, as well as forecasting in general.

Another big difference in guests’ behaviour has been initiated by the emergence of all different kinds of apps and other tools guests can use while travelling. They give them more independence as they are inclined to choose and reserve their activities on their own and look much less often for advice from the staff. This freedom, on the other hand, gives them fewer opportunities to get in touch with locals and establish real connections with the place they are visiting. Therefore, I find it very important for the front office employees to take the initiative and prove to the guests that personalized service can make a difference.

L: What are the main challenges of your day-to-day operations?

N: I believe that the main challenge in general, not only in our case, is the lack of quality workforce in the hospitality sector.

L: What aspects do you think set your business apart from others in the industry?

N: We are very lucky to run wonderful properties in the most interesting areas of Prague which offer beautifully designed and spacious accommodations; however, the biggest asset is our team of dedicated professionals who care about our guests’ smooth, seamless, and unforgettable stays with us.

L: How important is guest satisfaction for your business? And what measures do you take to give your guests a memorable experience?

N: Guests’ satisfaction will always be our number one priority. We love to hear their feedback and work with it to improve our services. It is rather easy; the basics are - a quality product, which you need to keep in great condition, and ensuring your team members are motivated to provide excellent service.
Taking it further, you need to ensure that you partner up with reliable service providers, such as LUGGit, that help you to make your business reputation even better and your guests simply happier.

L: One common problem tourists face is where to leave their luggage before checking in their accommodation and after checking out. Is that something your guests struggle with? How do you handle that?

N: Some of our properties have the possibility of luggage storage – however, not all of them. As we aim to provide enhanced services, we were excited to start our cooperation with LUGGit which can, in plain words, make our guests’ lives so much easier. Not need to worry about a thing is, in my opinion, the keyword representing an ideal holiday or business trip.

L: How has your partnership with LUGGit benefited your business and your guests?

N: Happy guests = happy business owners. We have started our cooperation only recently and we can see our guests’ excitement about the options that LUGGit offers and appreciation for finding out about them through reserving our properties.

We trust that our partnership and exposure on the LUGGit website and app will trigger more demand in the field of direct reservations.

L: What advice would you give other people trying to succeed in this industry?

N: I would advise them to listen to their guests, to put themselves in their shoes, to keep their minds open to accepting new products and services, and most importantly, to put their hearts into their business.

The specifics of the travel industry lie in selling intangible things such as memories and those can be successfully created only if you believe in what you do.