Hotels are adapting to new technology these days in order to stay competitive in the market. Hotel technology is vital these days in the hospitality industry as it improves guest performance, reduces costs and saves time as well. For hoteliers, technology is an important tool in streamlining business operations, automating business processes, reducing carbon footprint etc.
Hotel technology plays an important role in providing state of art hotel experience and service for guests, saves money and time and improves the revenue model of hotels by increasing bookings. q
Hotel technology innovative trends for digital marketing solution
The following are a list of hotel technology trends which hotels need to adapt to in order to survive in today’s market-
- Artificial Intelligence- This is a trend which initially seemed years in the making but now it is here and is here to stay. AI plays a key role in the hotel industry as it streamlines business operations and processes and allows them to run smoothly, carries out repetitive tasks and answers FAQs of guests so that the hotel staff can focus on delivering the best in-class service. It also helps hotels in analyzing and interpreting guest data to make better marketing decisions.
- Hotel apps- Apps help in customizing the experience of customers especially millennials and Generation Z customers. Hotel apps allow customers to manage their bookings, make online payments, check in and check out of the hotels on their own and contact the hotel staff online via chat.
- Virtual reality- It is a great marketing tool that helps in conversions and time spent on a website. It provides a 360 degree virtual tour of the hotel i.e. its room and facilities which is beneficial in the booking process. It also helps in retaining guests as they know what to expect.
- Meta search bookings- Meta search is the future of bookings of hotels and is an important digital marketing tool as it has the ability to increase bookings. Meta search engines such as Google, Skyscanner, tripadvisor etc. are competitor research tools for customers to compare prices and help direct bookings of a website.
- Marketing via text message or Whatsapp- These days text messages including Whatsapp are being used as an internet marketing tool to reach out to regular and potential guests directly. With the help of this, guests can be informed about the latest deals and promotions. This can increase conversion rates and is a powerful tool to build good relationships with customers.
- Chatbots- These play a vital role in hotels marketing strategy. They are useful in providing valuable assistance to customers and also answer customers’ FAQs. As they are powered by AI, they drive bookings and transfer guests to the appropriate department without the help of telephone operators.
Conclusion
Hotel technology is helpful in improving customer experience throughout the whole customer journey, both online and in-person. Hoteliers can use big data online and different hospitality specific tools in order to make better decisions. By implementing latest technologies, hoteliers gain a competitive edge over its competitors.
