My first adventure at HITEC was over thirty years ago.
Since then, I haven’t missed one. Each year, one technology niche stands out
above the rest, even in incremental years. This year, it appeared to be the
year of the mobile app. Technology continues
to change the way the world communicates; and mobile devices, especially
tablets and smartphones, have become so central to consumers' personal and
professional lives that hoteliers are taking notice, with checkbooks in
hand, ready to buy solutions that drive their mobile strategies and deliver
results. At HITEC, we observed
an increasing number of vendors showcasing solutions that drive hotel
services and local information to the guest's mobile device. There are apps
that enable guests to make restaurant reservations, book spa treatments,
request in-room dining, wake up calls, extra pillows or a toothbrush. Some
include links to external services, such as airport check-in services, local
weather forecasts and social networking sites. Others include a booking
engine to make reservations for future stays, a platform for in-room
shopping, and a way to promote partner services with local business to drive
additional revenue for the hotel.
This year at HITEC in
Minneapolis, I visited twelve companies that were showing tablet and
smartphone application solutions. Next year there will probably be 8 and the
following year, the number will surely winnow down to 3 - 4 vendors.
Consolidation is predictable and beneficial in this industry. Yet this year:
so many vendors and so little differentiation. After a while, it just seemed
to get boring. Possible three vendors stood out as having complete, useful
products. Most of the others looked like “me too” products.
What hoteliers need to be aware of is that not all
apps are simple for guests to use, and many don't have a practical interface
on the back-end for staff to manipulate or change data such as prices. There
is also the challenge of getting guests to actually 'engage' with the
services provided. It’s great to offer an app; but it can be a costly
investment if guests don't know the service exists and end up not using it.
If guests can download an app to their personal iPad
or smartphone before or at arrival, guests can begin booking services long
before they need them and find some services completely booked. If the
information is presented in their native language, chances of engagement are
even higher. Don't
dismiss the need for real-time reporting when it comes to a mobile concierge
solution. A mobile strategy will not
be as robust without reports that provide a detailed snapshot of guest
usage. Being able to track guest activity and purchasing trends is a real
asset to hotel marketers to better target their audience, as well as to
guest-facing staff who are providing them with personal service. It's equally as important to track guest service requests
so that nothing slips through the cracks. Hoteliers should select a solution
that enables staff to easily respond to requests and send text, audio or
video messages, including welcome messages or promotions, to expand on
delivering personalized service. After all, that's what a mobile concierge
is all about - giving guests what they want, when they want it, and on the
technology platform they prefer. As a guide to the hotelier, HACL has put together a quick
easy checklist to use when considering a mobile guest-centric system. Consider using
this HACL Mobile Concierge mobile application checklist:
Is it user friendly?
Does it facilitate easy ordering with supporting images?
Does it provide information in real time?
Does it support a platform for both tablets and phones?
Does it enable two-way instant messaging?
Does it promote and reward in-room shopping?
Is it multi lingual?
Does it deliver the most up-to-date information?
Does it track orders and provide delay alerts?
Does it enhance the guest experience?
Does it enhance customer service by being available regardless of time or
location?
Is it an extension of the hotel's physical concierge services?
Does it support multiple guest access points, including in-room iPads, guest
personal devices, lobby kiosks, etc.?
Is it customizable and flexible to
reflect the hotel's brand?
Does it improve
marketing?
Is it
quick to install and operate in the cloud and over the hotel's WiFi network
to remove the need for local servers?
Does management have complete content control and the ability to make
changes to design, products, options, languages and prices in real time?
Does it integrate with the hotel's existing PMS and
HTNG certified PMS systems?
Will my finished app have a differentiated and branded look distancing
it from my competitor’s apps?
Will the vendor customize my apps to my specifications?
Les Spielman is president of Hospitality Automation Consultants Ltd., an independent consulting firm. With more than 20 years of experience in the lodging business, he provides assistance with automation tasks on a personalized basis. Hospitality Automation Consultants Ltd. has successfully completed over 2,000 consulting projects throughout the world. He was just reelected to his third consecutive term to the Board of Directors of the Society of Telecommunications Consultants. His practice is global. Spielman welcomes inquiries at: Hospitality Automation Consultants Ltd
|
|||||||||||