A mobile app is guaranteed to make life easier but there is still resistance from hotel owners and managers to build one for their business.
The travel industry is finally starting to recognize the all encompassing nature of mobile devices within the guest booking journey.
Many hotels have now optimised their website for mobile devices and enabled mobile and Facebook booking capabilities. Less have capitalised on mobile applications.
While over 75% of properties admit the importance of an app, only a quarter are currently implementing one in their business strategy. This means there is a significant opportunity for hotels to create a competitive advantage for themselves.
Approximately 80% of internet users are using their smartphone to browse so the market is there to be leveraged. In an industry where service is king, an app will greatly help you perfect this. Even if you are a small hotel, the option is still viable and will make things easier for both parties
Advantages of Mobile Apps for Hotels
1. Making the Brand Loyalty Stronger
The loyalty of both guests and the brand can become stronger by presenting a hotel app. One of the methods for guaranteeing a continuity of frequent visitors is brand loyalty. You can use the application to enable booking and present immediate loyalty program awards. You can search for instant customer feedback which provides hotels to learn their needs while they are still staying in the hotel and a better aspect for increasing the service quality of the hotel. Technology is quite practical to reach users, increase the quality of the service hotel provide for them and guarantee their loyalty to hotels with a focus on direct reservations with best room rate guarantee and to redeem their earned loyalty points.
2.Competitive Edge
The number of hotel mobile applications is very low; so your hotel can obtain a competitive edge, with quite ease by offering the designed app to your guests, compared to the other competitors who have not yet made a mobile application for their hotels.
Nowadays, travelers demand mobile services everywhere they go, and for everything they seek. In other words, they are addicted to mobile applications such as Uber, Whatsapp, LinkedIn, Uber Eats, Instagram and so on. In addition, the mobility of the hotel visitors also increased so they request from the hotels to offer mobile services.
Guest experience is really redetermined by mobile apps. It is very important to communicate with the guests and attract them since the service offered to them has a high level of value in the hospitality sector. Customers are looking for convenience within an easy reach. The convenience of customers is the key in each and every business today. Customers demand convenience nowadays more than yesterday.
3. Increasing Importance of Mobile Commerce
With the increasing use of mobile devices, the requirements and demands of guests have changed considerably. As increased amount of people are using mobile devices, in order to reach information about products and services, the mobile market has turned into a new sales platform that is highly efficient and open for fast sales and increased profit. Hotels are able to contact their guests and provide information about special promotion offers with their dedicated mobile application.
4. Contacting the Guests Directly with a Personal Touch
Smart phones have become quite personal devices on which people count during their daily activities. A mobile application provides a direct link to guests, which aids the management of the hotel to contact their guests more frequently and increase effectiveness. In case someone downloads the hotel application, they are already showing attention to the hotel and its services. A mobile application, compared to a social media profile or a website which does not have a stable place on a mobile phone, is more efficient and personal.
Applications for hotel management serves as straight link connecting the guests and the hotel. The only thing to be done by the hotel guests is to utilize the smartphone and use the application to check-in to the hotel. Many pieces of information are included in the quick notification given by the application such as the details of the reservation, a welcoming text, and places to visit, etc. It is also possible for the smart phone to provide direct access to the room, therefore eliminating the necessity to stop by the reception. With being more personal, an app lets direct connection of the hotel personnel with customers and easy management of requests.
5. Guaranteeing Delightful Stays for Customers
A concierge, for questions and personal services, is within the reach of a tab with mobile hotel applications. There is more. For exploring the environment, devised guide and maps are provided by a lot of hotel applications. These practical apps are also able to be used by the guests for dinner reservations and SPA services, although they are not at the hotel. By the app, the guests are also encouraged for sharing the hotel experience they have via social networks.
6. Increased Guest Ownership
In the technological world we live in, one of the greatest methods to acquire big customers base in travel industry is mobile applications. These applications are used by travelers in order to seek and make reservations for the hotel rooms.
Conclusion
We can conclude that mobile applications for hotels will provide both hotels and guests with many great benefits and will be a “must” service demanded by guests as they experience the benefits of mobile apps in the hotels that provide them now. So would you like to join this new world?
