Everything technology-related for Monscierge.
You’ve probably noticed the significant changes Facebook made to the newsfeed algorithm earlier this month. The main idea is to increase person-to-person engagement and reduce posts shared from company pages. Content shared by friends will have priority which means that creators need to focus on shareable content over clicks and likes to retain and increase visibility. Another important change is the preference of live video over prerecorded video. These are big changes that should have an impact on your social media strategy going into 2018, especially in terms of content type. Here are some practical applications that may up your Facebook engagement this year: Live video is the most obvious way to keep ahead of these changes. Hotels can use this tool to create interactive real-time content. Your focus should be on topics that are relevant to many viewers, not just potential future guests. This could include how-to videos such as housekeeping tips and drink or food prep demos. Meaningful conversations in the comments tell Facebook that more fans will want to see your post. Use your text and photo posts to inspire dialogue and ask questions. The key is to avoid “comment bait” and go for real discussion. Try …
Written by Monscierge Software Engineer, Matt Owens. Amazon’s Alexa is a cloud-based voice service that allows software developers to build natural voice experiences that offer customers a more intuitive way to interact with the technology they use every day. The Alexa voice service raises interesting questions about the future of artificial intelligence technology in the hospitality industry. Monscierge makes connecting hotels with guests easy. Our Connect platform enables guests to make a request directly to hotel staff with the touch of a button on their smartphone. Alexa presents the opportunity to innovate the Connect platform in ways that have not been possible in the past. The development team here at Monscierge recently developed a proof-of-concept which allowed us to submit a staff request via an Amazon Echo, using only our voices. The program we wrote allowed our Echo to handle much of the communication that would normally require human input to interact. Here’s an example of requesting pillows: Us: Alexa, tell the front desk I’d like some more pillows. Alexa: Do you prefer soft or firm pillows? Us: Firm. Alexa: How many firm pillows would you like? Us: Two. Alexa: Your request for two, firm pillows has been submitted to …
As those of us in the States head into Labor Day, hotel workers are gearing up for a busy three-day weekend and some of the hardest-working days of the year. We want to take some time on this day to appreciate them. Passion for the industry is a vital trait for hospitality workers. Driving this passion is a true concern for guests and a desire to see a job well done at the end of the day. For many, the qualities that go into great hospitality are inherent and working with them is a joy. For those of you working hard to make the long weekend great for others, may your Labor Day weekend be fruitful!
Over the last few months, we’ve been talking a lot about “killing the cheeseplate”. This phrase came from the early days of Monscierge as we were working with staff at a local hotel. When asked how he would change hotel operations, one staff member said he would kill the cheeseplate. He explained that he delivered a cheeseplate as a welcome gift to guests, but he was also discarding most of them untouched at the end of the day. He expressed a desire to tailor these gifts to guests in order to provide more personalized and valued services. Killing the cheeseplate means redefining the guest journey through personalization. That is the attitude we took to heart during the creation of Monscierge Connect. Rather than using technology to decrease the need for human interaction, we have embraced the notion of using technology to create more opportunities for unique interactions with guests. We can do this through personalization of the entire guest journey, providing means of communication that guests prefer, and eliminating common guest frustrations such as waiting in lines. Specifically, hotels now have means to identify guests as they walk through the door, greet them by name, and have their favorite treats …
The latest J.D Power study measuring guest satisfaction across hotel segments had a major focus on mobility this year. The study uses seven factors to determine guest satisfaction, including reservation, check-in/check-out, rooms, F&B, services, facilities, and fees. Concerning mobile, Rick Garlick (J.D. Power Practice Lead – travel and hospitality) had this to say, “As mobile usage becomes increasingly ubiquitous for guests, the challenge for hotels becomes twofold: First, they must persuade guests to book directly with them, and second, they must encourage easy utilization of this technology. By forging direct relationships, hotels can become guardians of the guest experience, but at the center of these relationships is an establishment’s mobile strategy.” Other key findings of this study included higher satisfaction rates with direct booking, use of a hotel’s app, and among those who both read and write reviews.