Zero Waste Amenity Programs – It’s Time
Sometimes it’s great to feel like a zero. OK, maybe only when it concerns your hotel’s amenity waste program. But more often this is becoming a smart strategy for hotel management to significantly reduce the property’s carbon footprint, while reducing both waste and cost.
Plus, guests are finding these programs make them happier and increase satisfaction during their property visit. Today’s consumer has a deep desire for an emotional connection with brands, and environmental transparency builds on the travel experience, increasing brand affinity. It all adds up to higher guest satisfaction scores, a more loyal customer base and less resistance to rising rates.
Even more encouraging is that putting together a customer pleasing zero waste amenity program is easier than ever, taking minimal effort and time from property team members. Here’s how you can do it in a few simple steps.
Eliminating Waste
Today, people demand brands they do business with are ethical. That’s giving hoteliers seeking to be good corporate citizens a business reason to use products reflecting their customer’s personal value system. In the bathroom, it’s easy to accomplish by switching bath and shower amenities from wasteful tiny plastic bottles to an amenity dispenser system.
Dispenser designs are more attractive than ever, and eliminating those tiny half-filled bottles reduces costs too. Even better, top brands are adding products designed for amenity dispensers, including Pharmacopia, TOCCA, h2O+, Tommy Bahama, Beekman 1802, PAYA, Exotic Coral and several custom options.
Also eliminated, but not typically considered, is less labeling and packaging. By switching to fully recyclable gallon containers there’s another benefit too; less product being shipped, which leads to lower expenses and less fuel being used to transport product.
Paper Bottles
For hoteliers looking for something more personalized, a zero waste paper bottle program is a wonderful way to connect with guests through customized product. Paper bottles are not only aesthetically pleasing and show customers a focused effort on environmental responsibility, but the product contained within the bottles can also be derived from higher quality raw materials.
Many brands, including luxury hotels, are having the epiphany personalized high end bathroom amenities that happen to be made at an affordable price-point are positively affecting guest experience.
Typically, these products are crafted using the highest quality ingredients containing only organic botanicals. They’re paraben and sulfate free, and contain no petroleum derived ingredients.
This gives hoteliers the chance to create an artisanal product customized to the locality that espouses brand ethics. Today’s customer is more often seeking what is called anonymous luxury, the chance to heighten their travel experience by enjoying brands they cannot find anywhere else.
Hotels can also use an amenity program featuring custom made products as a marketing program centerpiece. It’s a major point of differentiation that resonates with potential guests in a wholly new way because it plays into the notion of luxury as a state of authenticity.
