by sginteractiveEstimated reading time: 3 minute(s)
Since we are nearing the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is safe to assume that there will be a surge of people wanting to travel once the restrictions are lifted. The hospitality and tourism industry will definitely make its inevitable comeback and hotels would need a way to house this eager crowd with perhaps still some social distancing measures in place. Contactless features such as check-in would definitely still be important and play a big part in the comeback of the hotel industry. The hospitality industry is in the midst of transformation, and the pandemic just sped things up, so the continuance of this industry is actually very dependent on how quickly contactless tech features are introduced.
So how have the hotel industry remained contactless amidst the pandemic and moving forward, how would they continue to re-emerge and handle new demand whilst maintaining safe social distance? The answer is quite obvious: Mobile Applications. Mobile apps would ensure the following:
Enhanced guest experience
On average, more than half of a hotel’s revenue comes from recurring visitors rather than new ones. Acquiring new customers is often harder than keeping existing ones. Not only does outstanding customer service earn favourable feedback but it also receives frequent recurring guest visits. Having a mobile app brings convenience to repeated guests, as you can store old information and preferences. The UX of the app could also enhance customer experience and allow guests to book the rooms easily and smoothly, all while remaining contactless.
Better communication and faster customer service
Having a mobile app for your hotel allows great and real-time communication between staff and guests. Hotel staff can serve urgent requests with priority and reduce miscommunication with guests by not using too many channels, as the mobile app can be a centralised platform for these requests.
The mobile app could also be used as a form of reminder to push notifications to guests after their stay or to inform them of upcoming discounts and promotions. The point is to make the mobile app so convenient that it is easily accessible by the guests and keep them updated and interested in staying here again.
Easily Accessible customer loyalty program
With the mobile app, customers can easily check their purchases and loyalty points accumulated so far. The mobile app should capture every single purchase they did with the hotel. This includes every meal ordered, the room stayed, or any product and upgrades they had. With a systematic and simple points accumulation system, customers could view their points and the possible rewards they could claim. Just like the Grab app, an array of redemption choices should be made available and this would encourage repeated stays and loyalty to the hotel.
Value add to the guests’ vacation
Wouldn’t it be nice if you had some information about the area you are staying in when you first landed? How about a list of things to do, eat, shop or visit, suggested by the locals? How about that one time you went all the way to visit that famous tourist attraction just to find out that it was closed due to some weather conditions in that period? The hotel mobile app could be used as a platform or one-stop information counter to share this information and updates with the hotel guests. It could keep the guest up to date on events happening around the areas as well and prevent such an incident whereby the guest would make a wasted trip to somewhere which is unavailable maybe due to renovation or even restrictions in this Covid-19 period. The app could even provide personalised suggestions and recommend hangouts and food based on a certain preference or dietary restriction. All these little value-adds would definitely bring joy to guests and impact the hotel’s reputation positively.
Conclusion
It is not hard to see the benefits a simple mobile application could bring to a hotel’s business. I do not have to stress the importance of mobile apps and how they are intertwined into our daily lives. Just look at Whatsapp, Grab, Instagram, Banking apps, etc. There is no excuse not to have a mobile app for your hotel on this day, especially post-COVID-19. To find out more about how SGI could develop a customised mobile app for your hotel with exceptional user experience, contact us at marketing@sginteractive.com.sg and we will be more than happy to discuss how we create a mobile app for your hotel and bring major benefits to your business.