3 Ways Hoteliers are Using Technology To Keep Occupancy High
COVID-19 has unquestionably accelerated the infusion of new technologies and applications into hotel operations. Safety of travelers is the number one priority that hospitality companies are facing right now. In order to keep your occupancy high, you must press play on adapting new technologies to keep your travelers coming in. Hotels, resorts, and lodges are trying to keep up with the latest CDC Guidelines and continue to alter guest demands to ensure 100% safety. In a survey by Allianz Travel, they found that 54 percent of Americans will jump on a plane for their next trip. How are you going to keep your occupancy high while maintaining a competitive advantage. The answer is through technology.
In this blog post, we will be discussing 3 ways hoteliers are using the latest hospitality technology to ensure a safe environment and keep high occupancy rates.
Gone are the days where you need to go to the front desk and check-in. Especially during a pandemic. Hoteliers are now transitioning to using contactless check ins. This helps ease guests minds and allow staff to focus on what is the most important–providing a safe and secure customer experience.
How this works: Guests are able to check in remotely through their smartphone, significantly saving time for the concierge and limiting interaction. This technology also alerts the staff when guests are about to arrive. The guests can also self-check-out at the end of their stay, all from the same app or website.
We have smartphones, why not have smart hotels? As guest demands change, so should your overall hotel experience. Adding smart features to your hotel will not only make traveling easier, it gives you a competitive edge.
How this works: Smart Hotels are not just about having smart TV or a smart home theatre system in the room; it has gone above a notch higher. From electrical appliances like TV, Fridge, Air Conditioner to Coffee machine, calls to Guest Services, or opening your door, everything is interconnected. Smart hotel automation technology enables every smart device to communicate with each other and gives a world-class in-room experience to guests without even touching or moving your finger.
Chatbots are changing the game when it comes to interacting with hotel staff. There is no need to call down to the main desk to get more towels or schedule a room cleaning, you can do it right from your smartphone. Communicating through a chatbot is a contactless option your guests will have if they are trying to limit face to face interaction.
How this works: A chatbot is a service that allows you to interact with an AI via a chat interface. This trend takes advantage of the popularity of messaging apps to improve the customer experience.
So how can you use these new solutions to your advantage? The answer is Marketing. Showcasing your newly improved guest experience can easily be done by updating your website, sharing on Social Media, or emailing your customer base.
In sum, keeping a high occupancy rate depends on how your hotel is implementing technological trends and keeping safety of guests at the top of your properties mind. From contactless check-ins, smart hotel features, and chatbots will enhance your guest experience and encourage travelers to book with you rather than your competitors.
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