Savvy Stay: Hospitality Management & Technology Combined

Every industry has its own way of managing unforeseen circumstances and the same applies to the hospitality industry.

We see a marked increase in technology adoption amongst hoteliers in the last few years. What was once taboo in a ‘human centric’ industry is now a source of attraction to entice guests and capture occupancy.

We have now witnessed a shift towards cloud-based hotel management solutions, as well as self-service guest applications. In fact, this transition has only been accelerated by Covid-19 circumstances. Today, travelers and guests around the world expect a seamless experience throughout their stay.

So what new trends are we likely to see as we emerge into the new year 2021? How can hotels prepare for a brighter future ahead?

Photo by Ribkhan/ Shutterstock

1. Instant Communication

Success in the hotel industry these days is driven by happy and loyal guests. Hoteliers go above and beyond customer expectations to drive loyalty by ensuring guests’ satisfaction.

Hospitality management requires a sophisticated communication platform for all departments to get in sync, and for hotel staff to stay connected and respond to guests’ needs efficiently.

With such a platform, hotels can combat barriers to knowledge sharing and allow employees, (especially those who may not have corporate email addresses or access to computers) to be instantly notified of important information.

With a reputable mobile app like IFCA’s HotelX and its digital collaborative platform, hoteliers can improve the flow of real time information between the guests, front desk, back office, service staff, and other departments for smoother hotel operations.

Photo by Vector

2. Personalised Experiences

If you’re a hotelier, you’ll know that your profit directly correlates to the guest experience and customer service you provide. As a matter of fact, the guest experience starts long before a guest even arrives at your hotel and it doesn’t stop when they leave.

According to PhocusWire, 94% of leisure travelers use multiple devices when planning and booking travel. Personalized guest service can be addressed via advanced hotel management systems to store your guest preferences and their basic details.

IFCA’s HotelX application can help hoteliers to increase operational efficiencies and empower hotel staff to focus on delivering excellent customer service experiences for your guests time and time again.

Photo by Stock vector

3. Instant & Contactless Access

Contactless hospitality has become more prevalent as guests want their overall lodging experience to be quick, contactless and painless.

According to recent Deloitte study, more than two-thirds (67%) of respondents said they were most satisfied with the feeling of empowerment enabled through technologies. It allowed guests to drive their experiences the way they want it. From the moment a guest arrives at your hotel all the way through check-out, there’s no need to stand in queue or request a menu. Everything is available at the palm of their hands.

With IFCA’s HotelX, hotel patrons can enjoy the convenience of instant check-in and check-out to avoid any hassles, inconvenience and delays.

4. Enable guests to request on their terms

While the concept of a hotel booking app is not new, the race to offer the ultimate hotel experience to guests is running at an accelerated pace. Many hotels have created multiple Guest Apps which can help hoteliers serve their guests more efficiently.

IFCA’s HotelX guest app allows guests to build and manage their profiles, request for additional services and settle payments through the app within minutes at their fingertips.

This not only allows hoteliers to highlight and sell add-on services through the app, it also stores guests’ preferences for future visits to ensure an excellent, personalized service experience each time to increase repeat stays.

Conclusion

There is no denying that guest expectations are sky-rocketing in this day and age. But with technological advancements, this also opens up a world of opportunities for hotels.

Many hotels have already adopted digital transformation in their business processes and operations. The question is: Have you?