Guests want more choice. They want to be self-sufficient when it suits them, and they want personal attention whenever they prefer. And sometimes they may want a little of both. Giving them the luxury of choice is less challenging with technology designed to serve guests however they prefer to be served. With the ability to check-in and out on their mobile devices, digitally access their rooms, receive their folios, or request extra towels using the convenience of smartphones, guests want more options across the board.
But what keeps them coming back? Above other mobile technology preferences, the convenience of mobile bookings tops the list, with 76% of guests wanting the ability to make room reservations via mobile, according to the 2019 Customer Engagement study. Hotel guests greatly value the ease of booking via a mobile device, and for the most part, hotels are delivering. The report further indicates how 72% of hotel guests are likely to return to a property when the tech they want is available, while 66% indicated they would pay more for technology that they deem essential. The data seems to suggest that a mobile technology investment can quite possibly pay for itself.
Guests are increasingly seeking properties that feature location-based services as well. And once offered, guests will crave even more, eventually (and soon) expecting their devices to make appropriate recommendations based on their location. As digital services in hospitality become ubiquitous, hoteliers will seek to gain competitive footing through the experiences created with technology. Investing in enhancements that complement the guest experience, hospitality operators outlined some of their top experience-enhancing technologies, per the Customer Engagement Study. More than half (56%) are planning to invest in personalized offers based on guests’ histories, followed closely by mobile check-in and check-out technology (at 52%).
Make no mistake – guests are squarely in the driver’s seat. And rightly so, their preferences should dictate the decisions hoteliers make when it comes to mobile technology investments if hotels are to stand apart from the many other options guests have at their disposal.
Guests have come to expect the luxury of choice.