By Moritz Klussmann
Covid-19 is not only turning our private lives upside down these weeks and months. The spread of the virus also has a massive impact on many industries worldwide. Cancelled rooms and flights and thus absent guests are hitting the hotel and tourism industry very hard. In the current situation, hoteliers must therefore not only be creative when it comes to their pricing and cancellation conditions. They must also develop a long-term strategy to rehabilitate themselves in the market and make up for losses once the crisis is over. New technologies and especially their rapid implementation will – and must – play a key role for hoteliers more than ever.
The Hotel Industry must be open to innovation
The hotel industry is rather reserved and sceptical when it comes to innovations and digital tools, although their potential for the industry is great. Hoteliers tend to be reluctant to integrate new technologies into everyday hotel life. Often because they are overwhelmed by the range of offers and the numerous possibilities. But doing nothing slows down the evolution of the hotel industry and the dependence on external partners such as online booking portals is growing. More than ever, hotels need to gain control over their communication, their distribution network and their presence on the Internet.
Professional and consistent guest communication
Communication is extremely important in times of crisis. It is essential to communicate with guests in a professional and transparent manner, whether to inform them about the situation in the hotel, security measures taken or special cancellation conditions. Now, but also beyond times of crisis, hoteliers must develop a communication strategy that enhances the guest experience. Because today’s travelers expect a different kind of care and interaction than 10-15 years ago. Automated mails with a personalized guest approach are a particularly effective way to meet the needs of guests.
Reduce the manual workload in times of staff shortages and crises
As after other crises, a catch-up effect will also occur as soon as the coronavirus crisis has been overcome. After travel bans, curfews and “social distancing”, the need for holiday travel will increase significantly. In order to make the most of this potential and to emerge stronger from it, hotels must now arm themselves. This requires, among other things, counteracting the ubiquitous shortage of personnel in the hotel industry by relieving personnel and automating as well as optimizing processes. A pre-stay questionnaire, for example, enables hoteliers to collect all relevant data for the registration form prior to arrival. All data will be captured automatically in the system, thus reducing
the workload for staff and shortening waiting times at the reception desk. Such software can also facilitate internal communication and promote modern cooperation within the team.
Intelligent upselling solutions to counteract losses
During times of crisis, hotels make high losses and are forced to cut back their expenditures in various areas. However, investing in strategic tools that increase operational efficiency, save costs in the long run and generate profits is becoming unavoidable. For example, intelligent upselling solutions are needed throughout the entire guest journey to stimulate additional sales during the pre-, during- and post-stay phases. Here, too, pre-stay questionnaires can be used to offer various services, such as a higher room category, reservations for a spa or restaurant, or paid parking.
Conclusion
Covid-19 and the consequences of its outbreak are forcing hoteliers to react more quickly to innovations. Such a situation demonstrates that it is – now more than ever – necessary to rethink and optimize internal processes and structures. The list of digital tools is long, but the digitization of guest communication in particular should be the focus of any strategy. Hoteliers must be able to communicate information to their guests in an efficient and structured way, while reducing the workload for employees at the same time. To recover from a crisis like this, a pro-active digital communication strategy for hoteliers will be essential. After all, the question is not whether digital tools will play a role in the hotel industry in general, but which solutions make sense for their own operations and how they can be integrated in a useful – and especially timely – manner. The crisis should therefore be seen as an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage.
