How to Save the Hotel Mini-Bar
Think about your car’s cigarette lighter, what do you use it for? Probably not to light a cigarette.You’re probably using it to power your GPS or charge your iPhone.
The car cigarette lighter is a great example of a technology that has been repurposed as demand has changed.
The hotel mini-bar may be headed down a similar path. Its original purpose is becoming less and less valuable to the point where hotels have begun to phase it out, but maybe it can be repurposed to become valuable again.
But before getting into the How of saving the mini-bar, let’s address Why.
The mini-bar model is too good to let die
There are too many advantages of the mini-bar model to not save it.
From a marketing perspective the mini-bar makes great use of consumer psychology to encourage impulse buys.
First of all it puts impulse items in the exact location where a consumer would want them. It also takes away the psychological barrier of a transaction. Reward now, pay later. There’s just no reason to abandon the mini-bar… except that’s it’s not working.
So why isn’t it working?
According to an article from abc.com the problem with mini-bars is a result of a change in the times. Hotel guests are simply more social now, and would rather hit up the lobby bar then drink alone.
There’s also the added fact that because demand has dropped, hotels have had to raise the prices of mini-bar items to a level where guests feel like they are being ripped off. Not exactly great for building brand loyalty.
Right now hotels are losing money with the mini-bar, but it’s an easy problem to reverse!
There is a place for the minibar, just not as a bar
Hoteliers need to rethink what kinds of items are useful to guests. Traditionally snacks and booze have provided guests with a lot of value, but not anymore.
So what exactly should the replacement be?
A recent Hotel chatter article reported that the Hotel Sorella in Houston found that hand sanitizer was one of their mini-bars’ most popular items. Hand sanitizer is a perfect impulse buy. It’s cheap, gives people a sense of safety, and takes advantage of the fact that people are more germaphobic when traveling.
The mini-bar should become a mini-convenience store, selling items that provide real utility to travelers.
Sure, lots of front desks have items that travelers may have forgotten, and some have small convenience store type areas, but that’s not the point.
People didn’t use the mini-bar because it offered something different than the hotel’s lobby bar. They used it because it was there.
Here’s a list of items that could form the basis of the modern mini-bar
Screen cleaners for electronics
A smudgy screen can be really annoying, guests won’t think twice about grabbing screen cleaner.
Nicotine gum / e-cigarettes
It definitely caters to a smaller percentage of guests, but those who are trying to quit smoking will appreciate being able quench and urge.
Cheap headphones
With all of the media people carry around on a daily basis not having headphones can be really annoying. Exercising with music is a must for a plenty of people and is relaxing with music before bed.
Toiletries (Toothpaste / toothbrush)
Again, a lot of front desks stock extra toothpaste and toothbrushes, but we’re talking name brand high quality toothpaste. Something a guest would use at home.
The grab something and pay later mini-bar model makes too much sense to let it fail. Hopefully hoteliers will figure it out and save the mini-bar.
What do you think? Is the mini bar worth saving? Let us know in our comment section below.
