How can Technology help with evolving Guest Expectations?

Hotel owners were faced with the problem of innovation way before the pandemic struck. Guest expectations were evolving much before that and they expected more out of the hotel experience. 

The pandemic only boosted the efforts of the hotel owners to innovate their loyalty programs and guest experiences. In the lodging industry, hoteliers have to rely on technology to meet guest standards and go beyond.

 

 

Omnichannel experience 

The guest experience offered by hotels should align across all platforms. The business is expected to be attentive to every channel they advertise on. This is the core strategy of any hotelier- To maintain consistency.

Hotels will be able to innovate and automate business processes with the help of Optimiser CRM. 

 

Loyalty is different now 

Loyalty is not what it used to be. About 75% of consumers change their buying habits in 18 months. As per numerous research, consumers are not hesitant to change brands. Whichever brand serves their expectations, they are willing to move to that organisation. 

It has been discovered that about two-thirds of hotels with traditional loyalty programs fail to retain customers. 

The pandemic has changed how people viewed hotels and with that comes the need to bring transformation to these loyalty programs. 

Simply giving points to the customers will not charm them into returning. They have to see the real value in being your loyal customers. One way to do this is to offer them upgrades, discounts, added amenities, personalised attention etc. 

To offer personalised attention, you can store your customer data in Optimiser CRM. When the guest makes another booking with you, you can use this information to put a flower in the room, with complimentary chocolates etc. It's the little details that improve the guest experience and guarantee loyalty.

 

Success comes through Innovation 

Change can happen suddenly and the lodging industry will have to adapt to the emerging trends. In this world of change, hoteliers will have to work with innovation to keep up with the fast-paced trends. 

Technology can help them keep track. Optimiser hospitality solution allow hotel owners to understand consumer behaviour, interact with leads, collect personalised data, and manage staff as well as multiple properties from a single platform.

 

Also Read: What Optimiser can do for hospitality Industry?

 

Guest Experience 

The lodging industry depends on guest expectations. At the core of hospitality lies the guest experience. 

But as expectations of the guests are evolving with time, hoteliers will need to focus on guests' journey from the beginning to the very end of their stay. This means that you will have to keep in touch with the customers even after they have left the premises. 

As per a study, companies that made investments in improving the customer experience have proven to be 10 times more resilient during the pandemic. These companies are also three times more likely to increase their consumer base. For making quick and insightful decisions, hoteliers can rely on technology like Optimiser CRM. Without the need for a physical presence to access data, hotel owners can keep track of the data. 

Offering an end-to-end view of the guest experience, Optimiser is one of the most flexible integration tools in the market. A guest's journey begins when they make the booking with the hotel, not when they walk into the hotel premises. Authentic omnichannel communication with the guest and offering them useful information through email can keep the guest engaged. 

 

Automation Plays a Huge Role

Automation has played a huge role in how the hotel industry offers a guest experience and it will continue to play a huge role. 

Even with a large staff, it does not mean a hotel will be productive. It simply means you have a workforce that will struggle with administrative tasks. Automation can cut down operational costs by updating information, backing up the database and ensuring error-free work. Without any risk of duplication, your workers can focus on offering the guests personalised attention during their stay.

As per research, more companies are looking to automate tasks for efficiency and profitability. 

Tasks such as marketing communications, sales RFP responses, checking guests in, data entry, collecting and reporting data, conducting surveys etc. can be automated easily. 

 

Summary

The problems faced by the hotel industry will continue. These are volatile times and consumer demands will change now and then. Hotel owners will have to keep up with these expectations with technology as leverage.