One of the best moments of the year for many people is their holidays. Therefore, the expectations of travelers are high in terms of the hotel experience. To improve this, technology is at the service of the tourist and hospitality sector, especially, more and more apps for hotels are available.
Digital tools are already essential to improve customer satisfaction in hotels. Technological innovations continue to advance to facilitate and optimize tasks in all areas, and the hotel sector is on track. In this post we will talk about hotel apps. Let’s start!
Apps that revolutionize the hospitality industry
All sectors have had to adapt to changes in society and the new consumption trends, and therefore, to the technological revolution. Tourism, and especially hotels, have had to change their strategies to offer personalized experiences to attract more travelers.
One of the latest trends in the hotel industry that has changed consumer habits is sustainable tourism. Travelers demand a type of tourism that is more respectful with the environment. And that can also be achieved thanks to technology.
Applied to the hotel industry, apps avoid the use of paper in travel documentation since everything is available on electronic devices. Hotel apps allow you to book a room, hire different services, order room service… In addition, they help the hotel staff in the internal management of the establishment.
In the development of apps for hotels, the following can be included:
- Push notifications.
- Geolocation.
- Third-party APIs to allow online payments.
- Chatbots.
- Artificial intelligence.
- Beacons.
All these elements make mobile applications more and more complete and facilitate a personalized service.
Advantages of apps in hotels
Nowadays, apps can be designed completely to measure for each hotel, which adapt to the specific needs of any type of client. These apps also collect data from guests in order to learn about their habits and thus help the hotel make decisions to improve services and build customer loyalty.
With hotel apps, customers can carry out, directly from their smartphone, certain actions that will improve their experience during the trip:
Book
The most basic tool. Just like airlines have done, hotels are using apps to make it easier for customers to book rooms. The user can include dates, services and specific characteristics of the room to see the available offer. In addition to direct booking and payment from the application, guests can hire tourist activities and other extras that the hotel includes (spa, massages, breakfast…).
Check in and check out
Thanks to NFC technology, the check in and check out processes are quick and easy for travelers and hotel staff. The app also allows you to centralize all the information and identification data of each guest.
Mobile room key
Also thanks to NFC technology, keys have disappeared from hotels. Now, with a smartphone and the hotel app installed, it is possible to open the door of the room. Thus, customers do not have to be aware of having the keys on them or going through reception when entering or leaving. It speeds up processes much more and avoids unnecessary waiting.
Chatbot reception
Hotel apps can also incorporate chat technology that acts as a “digital receptionist”. A technology that allows to answer questions, provide information about the hotel or the destination, place orders (for example, room service)… 24 hours a day.
Room control
The Internet of things has revolutionized our lives, and of course, also the hotel sector. Through the hotel app, guests can regulate the air conditioning, heating, lighting, music or whatever they want to watch on television: everything is connected.
Discounts
A hotel app also allows to improve customer loyalty or encourage potential guests to make a reservation. For example, offering them exclusive offers or discounts for having the app.
The best thing about hotel apps is that they centralize all phases of the purchasing process and the hotel guest experience in a single system. Useful for the client due to its convenience of use (who doesn’t carry a smartphone in their pocket nowadays?) but also for the hotel staff and management as they collect all the data and consumption trends related to their clients in the same tool, thus facilitating decision making.
