Published on March 3rd, 2017 | by Guest

How Technology is Changing Hospitality

The emergence of new technologies has caused the hospitality industry to change at an unexpected rate. Forward-thinking hotel developers like Sajan Hansji understand the importance of technology within hotels, restaurants and bars, because they use it to provide a simplified guest experience.

Nowadays, any entrepreneur entering the competitive hospitality industry must come equipped with new technological tools to meet the demand of both the business and leisure traveller.

Social Media

Social media has changed how hotels, bars and restaurants build relationships with their customers. Instead of picking up the phone to enquire about hotel room rates, facilities or table bookings, they can simply visit the likes of Facebook and Twitter and leave a message – and they will expect a rapid response.

Not only is it helping customers connect with hospitality companies on a personal level, but guests can now rate a service and post positive, neutral or negative reviews, which can determine a business’s future success. Reading reviews has become a natural part of everyday life, with people wanting to make an informed decision before they make a hotel or restaurant booking or visit a bar.

While the marketplace power was once determined by the hospitality company, technology has placed a company’s success in the hands of the guest. Hospitality businesses now need to consistently exceed expectations every single day, considering the significant implications a negative review can have on their future reservations.

The Guest Experience

The worst part of visiting a hotel is the check in and check out process. Many guests want to enter a hotel without the need for small talk at the reception area, so they can simply enjoy their time in the hotel.

Some hotels have realised the importance of a faster check-in experience, choosing to offer a preregister option prior to a guest’s arrival. Not only does this improve the guest experience, but it can reduce other guests’ waiting time at reception. Most pre-register options are available on a smartphone app, and a guest’s smartphone will also serve as the hotel room key – which is a great option for airport hotels, because guests can step off a plane and walk straight into their room.

The Check-Out Procedure

It is not uncommon for guests to want to avoid talking to reception after a hotel stay. They may have just woken up and not want to embark with human interaction first thing in the morning. Some hotels are therefore allowing guests to check-out of their hotel room with just a few clicks on a hotel app.

Individual Communications

Smartphones aren’t just a great way to check-in or out of a hotel room, they can also provide a direct link to the customer. For example, a hospitality company can now directly message a business traveller to inform them if a meeting room has changed or a business convention has been cancelled. What’s more, hotel guests can also receive text messages about local attractions, hotel spa treatments or the restaurant’s daily specials.

Customer interaction and technology go together in modern hospitality. While human interaction is essential in the industry, simplified technologies are also becoming an expected part of the guest experience – so you must consider investing in technological tools to provide greater customer satisfaction.

Tags: changing, hospitality, technology