After the pandemic, the hospitality sector is constantly changing to adapt to the new needs of travelers. Hotels have faced a series of unprecedented problems and challenges, which have forced them to make profound changes, especially with the help of technology.
Of course, the work involved in running a hotel is not easy: getting all the tasks flowing, staff aligned, facilities in perfect condition, and customers satisfied. Ensuring that everything works as it should is not so obvious. We are going to see the different hotel problems and challenges that this sector can face. Let’s get to it!
Hotel problems
The hotel industry is one of the fastest growing and evolving sectors in the world, and this is partly thanks to technological advances. These advances allow hotel managers to improve organization, efficiency and the customer experience.
However, the sector is facing issues that have affected the way hotels are managed. These are problems that often prevent the correct organization and operation of the establishment, and that must be tackled as soon as possible so they do not cause major problems.
A better understanding of these hotel problems would give hotel managers a clear advantage over the competitors. The interesting thing about all these problems is that they involve challenges that allow the hotel sector to grow more efficiently.
Customer expectations
The guest must be at the center of any strategy in the hotel industry. Customer satisfaction is everything, and lately, the guests’ expectations change the same way as society and technology advances. Customers change their behavior, their way of consuming, their interests… For example, now travelers are very interested in sustainability, they want their trip to have a minimal impact on the environment, and that also influences their stay at the hotel. They are also aware of all the digital news, and in fact, they already use different electronic tools and applications in their day to day life that they expect to find in their accommodation as well.
Guests are more tech-savvy than ever. They expect to have free Wi-Fi available, smart televisions with access to online services, USB ports, hotel apps, efficient use of the energy… And today, the greatest innovation in the hotel industry is technology.
Nowadays, having an app is essential for any hotel, to make the reservation process easier, to check-in and check-out, to have the room key on the smartphone or to resolve questions and problems and hire services. Everything in the same tool.
For this reason, satisfying guests also means being aware of what is being said on social media, the way they consume, their expectations and the newest technological trends.
Hotel security
Another hotel problem facing the sector is the safety of its customers. The management of a hotel also implies the correct installation and maintenance of surveillance systems. The comfort and safety of guests is crucial.
But the security of customers goes beyond their physical integrity, their personal and credit card data must also be properly protected, thanks to high-tech devices and software.
Risk management is, therefore, another of the hotel challenges that needs to be addressed.
Competitors
The most common hotel problem. Nowadays, the accommodation possibilities are endless: hotels, airbnbs, apartments, campsites, caravans… The competition, therefore, has multiplied and is more and more professionalized.
Marketing and social media campaigns are the most common form of advertising, so it is necessary to invest a part of the budget in this strategy. If hotels are not up to date in this regard, they may lose a large number of customers and their competitive position.
Seasonality
This is another of the hotel challenges in the sector. There are seasons in which reservations shoot up, and others in which the influx is almost non-existent, even months in which certain hotels have to close. This is the case, for example, of certain islands, which expect to be sold out in the warm months and the opposite in the cold ones.
This seasonality causes uncertainty and stress for hotel managers. A good organization is necessary, on the one hand, to make the most of it during the high season, and on the other, to offer added value or more competitive prices for the low season.
Innovation, technology and forward-looking management approach are key for solving the problem of seasonality in the hotel sector.
