The world is a technological playground, and the hospitality industry isn’t any different. The global information technology industry is worth $5 trillion annually today. This worldwide revolution has transformed the way we live, the way we communicate, and the way we do business.
The hotel and travel industry has not been unaffected by this movement. From review sites like TripAdvisor to companies like AIRBNB changing the way people find their place to stay, the travel industry is a drastically different world than it was even 25 years ago.
Technology Changing the Way We Travel and Stay
Let’s look at a few ways in which technology has transformed the hospitality industry.
Booking Online. The numbers vary depending on what site you look at, but the vast majority of hotel bookings are now done online. Even with the variance in statistics, I am comfortable saying the north of 70% of all bookings are done online.
Streamlining the Check-In Process. Much like what we see with checking in for flights through airline apps, remote check-ins and check-outs are making this process no longer a nuisance for us.
No More Losing Hotel Keys. Have you ever lost your hotel key? Or worse, has a late-night check-in after a long travel day, get all the way to your room and the key doesn’t work? Yeah, it’s not a fun experience. Mobile room keys let you access your key and lock and unlock doors right through the app on your phone.
Online Reputation Management. There has never been more pressure or scrutiny on service workers in any industry. Hotels and their employees are being constantly evaluated and reviewed on public websites and forums all around the world. In the service industry, your reputation is everything and it is important to manage that. Using a tool or platform that allows you to see everything going pertaining to your reputation and giving you the opportunity to respond to it is very important.
As you can see, technology is clearly having a big impact on the hotel and travel industry. These examples are just a drop in the proverbial bucket in terms of all of the effects of this revolution. Those who resist change or often squashed by it. It is important to embrace these changes and find ways to make technology an asset for you and the work you are doing. The online reputation management tool is a perfect example of this.
Leverage Technology to Improve the Guest Experience
Hotel companies must grab the technology at their disposal and improve their processes and guest's experience with it. For a guest, their experience begins from the moment they begin to book until after they have checked out and all of their payments have cleared.
One rule of thumb that every hotel, and really every business should abide by, is to have a state of the art website. Booking a hotel should not be a tedious and painful process. Give your potential guests clear information, make getting familiar with the property super easy, and make site navigation easy and logical. This will start of their entire experience on the right foot.
Technology is changing the way we live on a daily basis. Hotels are being held accountable for their guest’s experience, and travelers have more options for their visits than ever.
Embracing the technology at your disposal and using it as a competitive advantage can make or break your success. Stay up on new technology, be creative in your approach, and find ways to stand out amongst the crowd. Always remember to consider your guest’s experience from inception to check out. If you do all of this, your guests will be more than happy with their stays.
For more information about what Technology Arion Digital can offer your Hotel or Resort visit us at www.ArionDigitla.com
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