A Hotelier's Guide to Mobile and Cloud-based Technologies
By Jos Schapp
Introduction
No, I'm not talking about actual hotel wake up calls or polices or guidelines on automatic or manual wake-up calls. If you thought that’s what you were going to find out here, then you have definitely hit on a wrong link. Besides, most travelers nowadays have smartphones with built-in alarm clocks to get them up in the morning, so traditional wake-up calls are something that are becoming a little bit redundant, if not going completely by the wayside.
But speaking of smartphones, or mobile phones to be more exact, that is precisely what I am talking about and focused on in this report. Over the past quarter I have released several articles focused on mobile; its continuous growth and domination in our everyday lives and how exactly our use and reliance on mobile has changed the consumer landscape, what type of service we have now come to expect, and how businesses themselves have not only been affected by consumer use of mobile, but how mobile has changed the way they do business. Specifically, we are concerned with how mobile has changed the hotel guest relationship and its impact on hotel operations.
Guests are changing, their requirements are changing, technological innovation is driving change and globalization is ensuring that we must change. With the delivery of on-demand services via mobile from companies such as Uber and Netflix and the personalization of an experience based on past habits, many brands both within the hotel industry and beyond are finding themselves subject to the same expectations created by these services.
So, when it comes to traveling, guests do (and want to) use mobile devices before, during and after a hotel stay. They have a desire to stay connected through the entire travel journey and use their mobile devices (via a hotel app or mobile website) to gain convenience during their stay, most notably for receiving notification when their room is ready, checking in and out of the hotel, and requesting guest services. They also rely on mobile to augment travel during their trip, doing things like using maps or navigation apps and checking the weather (94%), locating restaurants (81%) and finding things to do and see (80%).
Truth is, mobile is changing the very nature of how services are requested and delivered at hotels. Consequently, outdated, antiquated technologies cannot keep up and meet the demands of the new, connected traveler. However, newer mobile-cloud-based innovative platforms can. A cloud-based PMS’s not only empowers the guest to choose how they would like to be serviced, but enables hotels to connect with guests at every touch-point…leading to improved guest satisfaction, loyalty and revenue.
So, the alarm bells are ringing everywhere as new technology permeates the hotel industry in a big way. Hoteliers, at times, have tried to turn a blind eye to transformative change due to the old saying “If it is not broken, why fix it?” Well, technology is moving so quickly that embracing this change has to happen, and it has to happen now.
Social media has brought about a tremendous amount of change in the hoteliers’ world. Most importantly, it has increased awareness of the hotel and its products as well as truly involving the guest in a conversation. Hotels are constantly being bombarded with feedback via Facebook, Twitter, TripAdvisor as well as the barrage of other channels, and this now consumes a great deal of time.
Integration and distribution have also brought with it some incredible challenges. More channels of distribution make the management of hotel revenues more complicated and the requirement to integrate with the myriad of new hotel apps that let hotels book, check-in, request special items and text with the hotel add even more complexity.
How do you deal with all of this while operating old, antiquated on property systems?
