As per the statista, the mobile internet user penetration was about 52.7% in 2019, and according to Nielsen data, a smartphone user spends approximately 85% of the time on applications.
Today, mobile technology that is powered by the Internet and the existence of applications is a game-changing development for enormous industries about better consumer service and engagement.
But do you know what impact does mobile technology has on the hospitality industry? How hotels and resorts are leveraging mobile platforms for branding, marketing, guest-loyalty, and advertising.
As smartphones and mobile applications are redefining the guest experience in hospitality, and it is the only industry, where service is king. To attract customers and improve the major part of the hotel service mechanism, mobile apps for hotels are playing a vital role.
Currently, you can find a lot of branded and small hotels, which give a smartphone to their workers for customer delight services. Hotel applications are not only limited to reservation or loyalty programs; however, they work beyond hotel industry expectations.
Let’s Have a Look at the Different Reasons for Having a Mobile Application for Your Hotel:
Allow to Share live & Up-to-date Information
As you know that hotels are making use of online Content Management Systems to make sure real-time information access for the end consumers. They can control the information on their own that is showed to the users and allowed to insert, modify or delete any data within seconds.
One of the main benefits of using a CMS is that all the changes can be seen instantly on all the mobile devices of customers, and therefore, big and branded hotels can easily save their huge amount of time that would otherwise have been spent in informing clients over the phone.
An automatic email is sent to guests to keep them updated once the information about the service is modified. Through this content control ability, the hotel management team can get the ability to add any offers or any special event in real-time and get engagement from the mobile users.
Mobile Devices are the Future of all the Industry
With the constant increasing the sales of smartphones and tablets, we have got the
Proof those mobile devices are the future of all the industry. In this year, the number of tablets will surpass PC shipments as per the technology research company, Gartner.
However, the company estimated that there will be a 14% decline in the traditional PC market between 2013 and 2019 while tablets will flow nearly 140% in the same period.
Lower prices, cloud update, and form factor variety, consumers’ habit to applications will be the key drivers in the tablet market, said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner.
Thus, mobile applications become the most popular as they are serving service or
Product functionalities on mobile devices.
Using a mobile application, hotels can easily simplify the entire process of booking a room and delivering other hotel services, enabling hotel guests to request hotel services without any hassle.
Leveraging the Loyalty Program Feature
When it comes to talking about the ability to deliver loyalty programs in mobile apps, it helps branded hotels to bring about upselling and repeat business through their customers, who become their indirect and brand ambassadors.
For instance, there are lots of hoteliers and resort owners, who have adopted to use push notifications so that they can send context-based messages to their customers based on their location, behavior, and purchase history.
All the promotions and discounts are targeted through push notifications to motivate the app users to make the booking and purchase. In addition to this, these types of loyalty programs are applicable before, after, and during the stay of the guests at the hotel.
Better Trend Predictions on Customer Behavior
The way customers or guests behave once they are in the hotel-related mobile application and their subsequent in-app interactions help hotels to gain valuable insights into the consumer’s preferences. What you think – will the hotel be able to predict the trending services for its existing guests with a large chunk of customer behavioral data at its disposal?
Undeniably, the application data does go a long way in helping with such trend predictions and contributions toward better decision-making. This type of customer data is helpful to the daily operational activities of the hotel by allowing them to know the peak time intervals while some of the services are more in demand by the guests.
Therefore, the management team makes sure the right availability of the relevant hotel staff at such peak times.
Multi-channel Communication
Hotel applications have made it easy to integrate with different communication channels like direct social media connections or push notifications. Using the application, hotels can update their guest and deliver them accurate information about the property.
Moreover, the application will give enormous possibilities to contact the hotel, and the hotel, in turn, can instantly react to questions by guests. It is not only limited to a single channel, but it delivers enormous channels for enhanced guest-hotel communication and experience.
Motivating Self-service
At the time when customers choose face-to-face interactions, there is always a possibility for them to take benefit of specialty services that can get instantly on their smart devices. The mobile applications can deliver a self-service option for the guests, allowing them:
- Laundry and dry cleaning
- Check-ins and check-outs,
- Appointments for spa treatments, etc.
- Dinner Reservations
- Online Payments
- Room Service Orders
Conclusion
The adoption of mobile applications in the hotel industry has been increased vitally as mobile apps improve guest user experience and customer base. If you are also having your own hotel, having a mobile app for it can benefit you in many ways; however, you should hire a leading mobile application development company that has an experienced team of mobile app developers, who comprehends your requirements and deliver a high-end solution.
