While mobile check-in, messaging, and other automated solutions were steadily gaining traction in hotels before Covid-19, these applications are more relevant than ever in a post-pandemic world.
Automated hotel technology is designed to augment the guest experience and improve workflow by expediting administrative touchpoints. As consumer demand for mobile grew, the hospitality industry answered with the same convenient applications that we rely on in our everyday lives, from text messaging to online shopping to checking in.
But such technology was never meant to replace the human touch. Without human connection there is no hospitality. Travel isn’t about seeing new places (you can do that online); it’s about interacting with and experiencing the places, the culture, and the people. Whether guests check in online using an app or in person at the front desk, they expect to be greeted by smiling, welcoming hotel staff. Hotels must take care to maintain the human touch despite increased reliance on self-service applications, and that same technology will help you achieve this.
Communication before, during, and after a stay has always been key to guest engagement. Whether by email or text, pre-arrival and check-in messaging should be helpful and reassuring, providing clear information about hotel protocols and amenities to excite guests and let them know you’re looking forward to hosting them.
While some guests may still prefer to avoid physical contact with the front desk, guest messaging can be used to touch base shortly after their arrival and to invite them to reach out if they have questions or requests. Mobile messaging or SMS (short message service) software is especially helpful as it’s easy for the guest to check, with open rates of about 98 percent. WebRezPro integrates with several mobile messaging providers, including Akia, Breezeway, and Duve.
Upon departure, thank the guest and invite them to leave a review on your preferred platform or contact your property directly with feedback. This not only helps you improve the guest experience, it lets the guest know that their opinion is valued.
If a guest does decide to stop by the front desk, the customer service they receive there is critical, with 88 percent of consumers stating that good service increases their likelihood of making another purchase. You achieve this through strong hiring practices (look for people with high emotional intelligence), employee training (role-play different scenarios), and the right technology. The right technology reduces time spent on administrative tasks and frees staff up to focus on guests. They can have a much friendlier conversation if they’re not burned out and distracted by numerous forms to complete!
Customer service is also critical if a guest has a complaint. Seventy-five percent of consumers are willing to give businesses a second chance after a mistake if they receive high-quality customer service. Be aware that while AI and other technology may be able to organize and categorize, it cannot empathize. Consumers with complaints need to feel heard and validated.
Make it easy for guests to reach a human being if requested. While routine enquiries like “what is the Wi-Fi password?” can be answered via chatbot, more complex questions may require the expertise of your staff. Ensure that staff know everything there is to know about your policies, services, and amenities. It also helps if they have local recommendations to share.
Happy staff deliver better customer service. Communicate clear expectations, support your employees’ goals, and show respect. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, respect is either “somewhat” or “very” important to 95 percent of employees. Don’t model behavior you wouldn’t want to see!
Communication is essential to maintaining the human touch, but it must be personalized to be effective, whether it is in person or via email or text message. Personalization is no longer a recommendation but a necessity, with 45 percent of consumers who are likely to move on if a business fails to deliver it.
Integration is the key, with the property management system (PMS) at the core. When integrated with your hotel CRM, guest messaging solution, or hotel app, reservation data from the PMS (including guest data, check-in/out dates, and room and rate types) flows between systems to personalize messages and send them when appropriate. Incoming messages from guests (such as requests and enquiries) can be matched to their reservation for efficient service delivery and resolution. Integrated messaging and check-in solutions automate personalization, resulting in proactive messaging that makes guests feel recognized and appreciated at every touchpoint and reducing the administrative load on staff.
Through data transparency and automation, integrated hotel systems result in high-touch digital solutions that increase guest engagement and reinforce the human touch.
However, while your PMS and other systems supply the appropriate data, it’s still up to you to act on it in order to boost your bottom line and maintain the connection with the guest. For instance, if a guest’s profile shows that they enjoyed a facial last time they stayed, ask if they would like to reserve one when they stop by the front desk or send them an SMS message. Digital solutions allow for more productive communications, even at the front desk and in person, because they provide staff with helpful information at their fingertips.
Delivering personalized communications throughout the guest cycle enriches the link between you and your guest while data integration allows you to automate key touchpoints and make that personalization possible (both digitally and at the front desk). PMS data and system integrations are crucial for supplementing and preserving the human touch now and in future.