Contactless mobile concierge tools are now mature, scalable, and affordable for hotels of all sizes. Today we are going to try to make the case for deploying one at yours.
Up until this point, only global brands had the ability to offer a hotel concierge app for guests. However, as the ongoing pandemic and the restrictions that go along with it put a squeeze on all businesses, some hoteliers are finding an opportunity to cut costs and remain open through digital hotel concierge software.
Here are 10 reasons to consider a hotel concierge app for your property in 2021.
1. Boost Revenue
Most travelers carry a mobile device with them and, according to Hotel Benchmarking, between 34% and 47% of guests booked their hotels using a smart phone in 2020.
As guests get more comfortable with mobile transactions, a hotel app provides ways to create and capitalize on revenue opportunities.
Most travelers carry a mobile device with them and according to Hotel Benchmarking, between 34% and 47% of guests booked their hotels using a smart phone in 2020.
As guests get more comfortable with mobile transactions, a hotel guest app provides ways to create and capitalize on revenue opportunities. Moreover, a good hotel app for guests showcases value-added offerings like room upgrades, tours, car rentals, and taxi services, among others.
Using a mobile concierge app is a practical way to smooth the digital journey of guests, all the way from pre-arrival to checkout, and automated upselling gives you the opportunity to increase revenue without depending upon staff. According to Hotefy clients’ data, hotels can obtain around a 30% increase per guest, peaking at over 1000% for specific guest segments.
2. Increase Operational Efficiency
Pool areas, restaurants, and bars are proven ways to increase guest spend on-property. Unfortunately, guests are less keen to wait than ever, and having well-trained staff available at all times will be a challenge into the foreseeable future.
If guests can order from their smart phones, it reduces the staff needed to patrol guest areas. This is especially true if the solution does not require downloading an app but rather loads a web solution where guests can simply start an order. Most of all, guest orders will be more accurate as they will intuitively request exactly what they want through the app.
Hotel concierge software also facilitates business partnerships. Outsourcing kitchens through local restaurants is easier using the appropriate technology. Moreover, playing smart in the collaborative economy helps to reduce costs dramatically while creating unexpected value for guests. This extends to not just nearby restaurants but building partnerships with tour providers, taxi companies, car rental agencies, and other local businesses in the hospitality ecosystem. These processes can easily be streamlined right in your hotel concierge app.
3. Provide a Sense of Safety With a Contactless Hotel Guest App
The post-COVID world isn’t here just yet. In the meantime, the contactless experience will be valuable in most venues in the short- and mid-terms.
Guests value human interaction for service. However, guests perceive some contact points, like check-in and checkout, as necessary but not enjoyable tasks. Using QR ordering with an enabled mobile app streamlines an omni-channel guest experience and smooths your guests’ digital journey.
4. Build Process-Thinking With Hotel Concierge Software
Creating a process-thinking culture has been a challenge for business and IT leaders for decades. Hotel apps help staff to see end-to-end business processes as they are easily depicted on the software. In this way, collaboration, integration, and interdependence are more evident for staff.
In strengthening your company culture and core competencies, you can put staff knowledge to good use. The staff has good local knowledge as well as experience with guest expectations, and the right hotel concierge software can help them address guests’ needs and expectations more strategically.
5. Gain a Competitive Advantage
It isn’t a secret that the adoption of mobile devices has been increasing steadily over the years. The pandemic accelerated this trend for hotels in 2020. However, only big brands are taking advantage of this, with only a few small- and medium-sized hotels using mobile concierge apps.
There is huge room for growth, as all the benefits of having hotel concierge software can become a major competitive advantage for early adopters. Moreover, implementing a branded hotel concierge app doesn’t need to be expensive nor complicated. For instance, Hotefy has a free plan available that includes full customization, QR ordering, and many other features that you can use if they apply to your property.
6. Build Brand Loyalty
Mobile devices are becoming an extension of our bodies and minds. Therefore, it’s natural to offer a mobile-first experience for guests. A recent study suggests that most guests are keen to try mobile concierge apps if their preferred hotel offers it.
Building stronger brand loyalty through a mobile app can be challenging. However, it’s a very valuable tool when it offers full branding customization and proper analytics. In this way, hotel apps for guests can take your loyalty program to the next level, so it’s worth the effort to encourage adoption.
7. Access Data and Analytics
It’s easier to determine the true value of any given service by using the right data. Integrating this information with the services offered through your hotel guest app can give you a real edge over competitors.
Business intelligence solutions require high-quality data to offer better insights. A hotel concierge app is the perfect way to obtain rich data about guests. You can respect their privacy while learning about their spending behaviors on-property. You’ll get data regarding best-selling products and services as well as identifying areas for improvement.
8. Personalize Guest Service
Frictionless data-gathering through a hotel guest app helps to offer a more personalized experience. For instance, learning about guests’ interests in pet services, kid-friendly amenities, or outdoor activities is easier through a contactless hotel app.
In this regard, a high-value repeat guest can receive targeted offers and suggested services according to his previous experience on-property. Furthermore, if a guest orders a specific set of services, it’s easier to offer discounts, promotions, and related services directly through the app.
9. Improve Guest Awareness About Your Services
Having a hard time upselling services? A mobile hotel concierge app can be the solution. Guests don’t want to have insistent staff always trying to sell them something. However, after scrolling through your hotel app for guests, they can find interesting tour offerings, room upgrades, or mouth-watering dishes to order.
QR codes can be conveniently placed across the property, conveniently yet unobtrusively drawing guests’ attention toward your app. Overcoming the awareness stage of the digital guest journey is timesaving and creates a frictionless value offering for guests. Enabling QR ordering can further streamline the process.
10. Increase Guest Engagement, Ratings, and Feedback
Guest surveys were frequently discarded in the past. Nowadays, mobile device users are used to rating services and products of all kinds.
HotelTechReport published a study in 2019 suggesting that guests are more likely to leave feedback if they have access to mobile concierge apps. If guests have the ability to rate services directly through your contactless hotel app, they are more likely to follow through. Furthermore, they will be more engaged if the hotel addresses their pain points promptly, which can also be taken care of through the app.
Surely, having access to in-depth knowledge of the guest perspective and boosting word-of-mouth through guest ratings are both incredibly valuable.
Thinking About Setting Up a Hotel App for Guests?
We are sure that having a contactless hotel app enriches the guest experience and boosts business performance. If you are thinking about setting up a hotel app for guests, you can read our guide and start with the Hotefy free plan. Or even better, you can book a demo with our experts to see how it works along with all its features and how it can benefit your property.