- Don’t use it – If you and your staff are not using your app, you are putting it at a serious disadvantage. The best way to increase guest adoption is to create a buzz, and that starts with you and your staff.
- Make it inaccessible – Your app should be available for use by as many guests as possible. Make it available for multiple devices. Or, as is our current focus, multi-lingual capabilities to break down any language barrier between guests and staff.
- Make it useless off-site – Guests are more likely to download and keep your app if you provide value beyond the stay. Your concierge recommendations, directions, and even other travel information are all functions that can be useful to guests even when they are not on your property.
- One-sided conversation – Provide a channel for guests to speak with your staff, instead of just using your app as a fancy marketing message. Sure, it’s useful to view spa or restaurant hours, but what if they can make reservations while they’re looking?
- Limit functionality – Along the same lines, try to think of your app as an extension of your hotel as a whole, rather than an extension of one department. Allowing more hotel offerings through this channel will increase guest adoption, usage, and retention, while enhancing the overall guest experience.