Don't rely on only technology to improve your hotel's guest experience

In  our digital world, a modern hotel’s long-term success is heavily dependent on the quality of service they’re capable of offering guests. Ensuring an unforgettable guest experience has become more important than ever before in hospitality – the onset of social media and traveler forums have seen to that. Hotels around the world are constantly seeking new ways to enhance the quality of their guests’ stay, and the industry as a whole seems to be aligned in favor of the travelers.

But it’s not without reason. The very landscape of the industry is evolving with the rise of the millennial traveler. Unlike previous generations, millennials are generally more tech-savvy and prefer convenience – meaning hotel’s that can oblige to their digital demands are more likely to profit.

Technology can go a long way in helping hotels attract more of these modern travelers, and there’s a lot of excitement in the industry about new advancements. However, hotels need to analyze the impact that a particular upgrade will make before investing. While the cloud platform has boosted accessibility to a plethora of modern digital tools in terms of affordability, more is not necessarily better.

There’s no doubting the significance of the mobile platform today. These portals don’t just improve market penetration; they also expose properties to new segments of the market. For instance, hotels with mobile apps that offer features like online booking, mobile check-ins and so on can expect more last-minute reservations. Hilton recently announced an upgrade to its HHonors app, which now allows guests to receive their room keys wirelessly on their device and even unlock their room with their smartphone; enabling them to bypass the front desk altogether.

While the introduction of mobile apps is a great way for hotels to simplify things for guests, they may not be as effective without other systems in place such as a property management system or a channel manager. While implementing advanced technology does enhance the guest experience, it might not always be a long-term play.

In order to implement strategies that can help maintain a consistent guest experience for the long-term, hoteliers need to look beyond just technology. Ensuring long-term guest satisfaction is more about having processes in place that make guests feel important and valued through the course of their stay. This can be achieved by organizing staff duties, streamlining operations from various different departments of the business and planning campaigns well ahead with proper data. Even a well-written confirmation email can go a long way towards creating the ideal first impression!

While there’s no denying the role that technology can play in helping hotels boost productivity and earn more revenue, efficient management and organization is a critical first step that managers need to ensure their hotels have covered. Bad management will inevitably harm the guest experience!

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