Travelers everywhere are using smartphones to get information about their destination and recommendations for the best possible experience. While some guests are using third party apps for this, some hotels have found that a mobile concierge is the best way to ensure guests have a positive experience throughout their stay. Just as hotels have always provided tried and true recommendations to guests, mobile access to the same hotel-provided knowledge eliminates false information and gives hotels ownership in the entire guest journey. A great experience means a happy guest, and a happy guest will be a returning guest and a champion of the brand. Hotels can provide concierge recommendations through their mobile app, which can be edited and updated as needed by managers or the concierge. Guests can find what they are looking for along with any other relevant information (menus, hours of operation, directions, etc.) at their fingertips. If you would like to incorporate mobile concierge into your digital guest journey, you can try it here for free.
The Cornell Center for Hospitality Research report titled “The Mobile Revolution is Here: Are you Ready?” found that travelers are seeing potential for mobile use in hotels. Survey respondents were asked what they would like to see hotels doing with mobile technology, and following are the top five responses. Room ready notifications: The number one wish for mobile use is simple; guests want to be notified when their room is ready for them. Most hotel guests are at the mercy of travel schedules, and cannot always plan arrivals to coincide with check in times. This technology allows guests to roam – on site or off – and be alerted as soon as their room is ready. Request amenities: It seems that using mobile to make requests is on the wish lists of both guests and staff. Decreasing the need for calls to the front desk makes everybody happier. Check out: Understandably, getting out the door in an efficient manner is something guests want to see. Mobile can allow guests to review their bill, rate their stay, and check out of their room with no need to stand in line. Room service: Mobile room service ordering makes it easier for guests …
Branded mobile apps have become more of an expectation for guests, and are quickly on the rise for staff members. With all of this comes data – guest preferences, request and maintenance tracking and communications all measured across a property or an entire brand. This information can be used to measure and compare staff performance, time management, guest satisfaction and hosts of other information. Managers have real time access to this information so they can make quick decisions on anything from scheduling to maintenance priorities, and brands have the ability to compare performance across all properties. These data sets can be automatically sorted according to brand needs, eliminating time spent creating mandatory reports and allowing managers to plan and prioritize workload more efficiently. Detailed metrics from guest-impacting issues allow managers to take swift corrective action. If you would like to know more about these methods and how they impact both hotel operations and guest experience, detailed information is available in our case studies.
The busiest time of the year is upon us and your hotel’s app should help to keep things running smoothly. One common question are asked is how to get guests to download and use an app. The most successful method by far is to send an SMS message containing app information to guests on the day of arrival. Our research has shown that 83% of guests will download a hotel’s app if it is relevant to their stay. An interesting percentage as it happens to be the same as the decrease in check in time for a hotel using mobile check in. To be sure your guests know about your app before their stay, include the link on your social pages, hotel newsletters, and website. You can also use the shortcode in social media images, or attach it to a booking discount via text. Include app information on confirmation emails and other communications with guests before arrival. Consider sending a text with a local concierge recommendation and let them know they will have 24 hour access to full recommendations if they download your app. When guests arrive, have your staff mention the app in person as a quick way to …
The use of mobile apps by hotel brands and properties continues to grow, the most common uses being booking, hotel information, and guest-to-staff communication. However, the back of house can benefit from as well, and many hotels are beginning to implement their use to increase efficiency and guest satisfaction. Guest to staff communication via SMS messaging enhances guest experience by allowing guests to easily make requests for room service, housekeeping, or maintenance and then track the estimated wait time for the request to be fulfilled. It also provides an opening for guests to make preferences known before or during their stay. The back of house management can assign and track tasks and be notified if they take too long and when they are complete. Departments have quick means of communication with each other and management can track guest satisfaction, housekeeping progress, maintenance tasks, and requests in real time. The age of BYOD has put the proper technology in the hands of almost every staff member at no cost to their employer. A staff app brings the latest in tracking and communication technology directly to an employee’s own device, and can integrate seamlessly with guest-facing apps. Please look for our report …