By Sharat Potharaju
Modern hotel guests expect efficient, personalized, and tech-enabled services throughout their stays. Nearly 40% of travelers would even opt for entirely self-service accommodations and no staff interactions except by request.
Innovative technologies, like QR codes, present the perfect solution to meet and exceed rising expectations while driving revenue and loyalty. A simple smartphone scan bridges the physical and digital, unlocking convenience, customization, and satisfaction from check-in to check-out.
To revolutionize the guest experience in 2024, consider these seven QR code use cases.
Speed up check-in and check-out
A five-minute check-in delay can cause guest satisfaction scores to drop by 50%. QR codes offer a streamlined solution to expedite check-in and check-out, catering to guests who seek efficiency.
A quick QR code scan in the hotel lobby replaces the traditional, paper-based check-in process. Guests can enter their reservation details and confirm their identity before accessing a digital key through a mobile app, permitting them to unlock their room using their smartphone.
This digital check-in process not only saves customers time but also reduces hotel printing costs and supports green initiatives by eliminating paper receipts. Automating processes also frees your staff to present a more personalized service.
Provide a digital room service menu
Paper room menus feel outdated in today’s tech-driven world. Guests expect a seamless, digital experience, and room service should be no exception. Place QR codes in rooms so guests can use their smartphone cameras to access and order from digital menus.
QR codes improve order accuracy, leading to fewer mistakes and less food waste. When guests place orders themselves, it lowers the chances of misunderstandings between them and your staff.
Dynamic QR code ordering also shrinks printing costs and lets you easily update your menu to reflect a dish or price change. For example, if you’ve sold out of tomatoes, you can remove tomato dishes from the menu until you receive another shipment.
Showcase amenities
Increase amenity utilization by providing frictionless access to information about unique offerings through QR codes. Guests can scan codes to explore photos of the pool, spa, or gym, view entertainment options or local attractions, book on-property restaurant reservations, and schedule spa treatments.
Share contact details
Ensure guests have hotel contact information for taxi bookings, adjusting check-in/out times and special requests by including QR codes on digital business cards, posts, flyers, and pamphlets. These codes enable guests to save contact details on their smartphones without the need for manual entry.
Collect feedback
A remarkable customer experience cultivates loyalty and repeat business. To gain better insights into the customer experience, distribute feedback surveys and ask for reviews. QR codes on front desk counters, key cards, or in rooms can instantly direct guests to a feedback form where they can quickly input their impressions without a hassle. Use this feedback to identify areas needing improvement and enhance your services.
Grow loyalty
Transform occasional visitors into dedicated customers by offering attractive rewards programs. Nearly 85% of consumers favor brands with loyalty programs. Hotel giants like Marriott and Hyatt, for example, provide year-round discounts and deals.
Deploy QR codes to direct guests to sign up for programs or download an app. Sweeten the deal with extra discounts for customers who enroll using a QR code.
Retarget customers
Boost your bottom line with retargeting. Marketing campaigns like print media ads and billboards can employ QR codes that route customers to your hotel’s social media channels or official website. Scans can use specific personal information to add guests to a retargeting list, ensuring that your hotel ads will appear on platforms your guests use, like Facebook and Google.
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Guests will be more likely to adapt to changing technology if it improves their experience and features the latest advancements and trends. Last year, nearly 90 million smartphone users scanned QR codes. By implementing QR codes in 2024, you capitalize on a trend that guests recognize and likely already know how to use.
