If a large part of the industries around the world are digitizing their processes and flows to be more efficient, the hotel sector was not going to be the exception. It is a very broad industry that not only covers the subject of accommodation, but also tourism in general, restaurants, theme parks, among other locations.
And so big is this market that, according to figures from Statista, the global hotel market reached 3,486.77 million dollars in 2020, even with the pandemic going on. So it is well worth investing in improving hotel services through digital solutions that allow optimizing the attention that customers receive. And according to the same report from this statistical firm, at least 84% of the executives surveyed stated that they had a person in charge of digital transformation in their companies.
Today, most companies are digitally transforming their processes, in one way or another. In 2020, Statista reported that 27% of the companies surveyed indeed claimed to have a cross-functional team in charge of the technology part. 17% of respondents have a digital transformation manager who works in a separate innovation office and 16% manage this transformation through a technology partner.
Among the fundamental reasons why hotel companies are implementing technologies in their processes are offering a better user experience to their customers and saving time when executing tasks.
Why transform my hotel company if everything is "fine"?
Your business may be fine without the support of technology, it is true, but it can always work better. You can always be more efficient and product under the complement of technology.
“Customer behavior began to change as the digital world evolved, which had a significant impact on the hotel and travel industries. People expect a customer-centric experience, from selecting their location with a few clicks to receiving detailed information about accommodations, such as customer service, available activities, room features, etc", experts said in a Cigniti article.
In addition, thanks to digital solutions, hotels can receive feedback from their customers in real time, knowing their true experience, which allows an analysis of this data: what can be further improved and what needs to be fixed so that the experience be even better for that customer when they stay at the hotel again.
“Also, hoteliers can keep their customers updated on exciting offers or recent news by giving them access to automatically updated information. Hoteliers can not only create very targeted digital marketing, but also track their results,” they added in the article.
This digital transformation applies to any kind of hotel business, whether large, medium or small: “For the hotel industry, digital transformation opens up a lot of possibilities. It has a significant and beneficial effect on traditional business. Some people continue to believe that there are not many opportunities for innovation in the hospitality and travel industries, but this is far from the case (...) If you are in the hotel or travel business and have not implemented a strategy digital, you are probably losing a lot of consumers to competitors who are more attentive to customer requirements.”
In what aspects does digital transformation help the hotel industry?
The implementation of technology and digital solutions in hotels can help in these aspects, cited in a Hotel Tech Report article:
- Increase digital revenue and website traffic
- Reduce operating costs
- Improve the quality of products and services
- Improve customer results
In this specialized portal, they advised companies to choose one of these specific objectives and apply the corresponding technology, since in this way they will be able to see a specific result in the short term, witnessing the operational change that this decision produced.
An essential factor in this digital transformation of the hotel sector is having an expert leader in technology who guides all processes. These leaders will be able to guide the company in "training teams to work in new ways, developing the skills and abilities of workers to train future technology leaders." In the article, they emphasize that any digital strategy will be successful as long as those business owners can link this digital transformation to measurable business results.
Digital solutions for hotels
Website
It goes without saying that any company, regardless of the industry, must have a website today. It is not a simple web page: first, it is a platform that allows showing the services that the hotel offers its guests, attracting them and motivating a reservation. Second, it facilitates the entire booking flow. If before the user had to waste half an hour on a call to make a reservation, now in a matter of minutes they can do the same on a web page.
Platform to manage reservations
With the support of the correct technological partner, you will be able to implement the most efficient hotel software in your company to handle everything inherent to guest reservations.
Mobile payment
Offering customers a secure online or mobile payment platform is essential to facilitate this process. The whole process in the lobby can be very cumbersome and today the user needs the management of all his processes to be simple and expeditious.
Mobile Check-In/ Check-Out
“Thanks to mobile check-in solutions for hotels through an app or web, the check-in process at reception is reduced to a minimum. Only the guest's signature is required at the reception. Check-in is, thanks to digital solutions, easy and fast. 91% of business travelers attach great importance to a quick check-in at hotels”, emphasized an article on the BetterSpace360 portal.
Smart Key
In a blog published by the portal BetterSpace360, offering a "smart key" to hotel guests is a great benefit, since they would not have to use a physical key for their room but a digital key that they can activate through their cell phone , thanks to an application. This would make the experience easier for guests and saves hotels as they do not have to replace lost or damaged physical keys.
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
On this subject, Boston University has a very interesting article explaining the benefits of virtual reality in the hotel field: “Through the digitally accommodated environment, customers can have a much clearer idea of what they expect, thus attracting customers. more potential customers. An example of the VR application is the virtual tour video, which gives guests a first-person point of view of the property. By simply clicking a mouse or using a headset, guests can experience a digital tour with a 360-degree view and even see the layout of rooms in a hotel.
Now that you know the importance of digital transformation in the hotel industry, evaluate the situation of your company and define which aspects can be optimized. Need help? Contact us!
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