In the age of mobile, see what travelers want most from a hotel’s guest app.
Your guests are on their phone—pretty much all the time. And when they aren’t, you can bet their phones are close by. The pandemic motivated many hoteliers to pivot to mobile solutions for mainly safety precautions. But even as the pandemic’s threat begins to wane in some places, guests still want to access everything from their devices. In fact, guests’ expectations for a mobile-first guest experience are higher now than ever. Here ten of the top activities guests want to do from their phones:
- Check-in and Check-out
From the moment they walk through your doors, guests want to have complete access to and control of their stay. Instead of waiting in a long front desk queue, guests want to be able to quickly and easily check-in right from their mobile device. With mobile check-in that includes digital ID verification, guests don’t have to wait around for physical verification by someone at the front desk. And don’t forget about the check-out. Leaving a hotel should be just as easy as arriving. With a mobile app, guests can view their folio before they check-out via their mobile device.
- Mobile Room Key
With a mobile room key, guests can use their phones to quickly access their room without going through the front desk. Guests love not having to keep track of a plastic key; and since they already have their phone on them at all times, it makes coming and going that much simpler. Reducing a dependency on generating plastic room keys can also save costs for hoteliers as well as reduce their carbon footprint.
- Cast from their Device to the TV
When it comes to TV viewing, streaming is king. Guests want to be able to continue to view their shows and movies from where they left off at home. Beyond just shows and movies, guests can also cast their music or podcasts through their rooms’ TV speakers, as well as browse through their photos or cast a video call on theTV screen. With casting from their devices, guests have better control on what they watch on their room’s TV screens.
- Order Food
Whether they’re in their room, by the pool, or in a remote work space, guests want to be able to have their food brought to them. And for those times when they are on the go, you can give them the option for pick up. During the pandemic, ordering food pick-up and delivery from a mobile device became the default; guests want that same ease and convenience when traveling away from home. And don’t forget to keep your digital menus updated so guests always have access to what’s available for order or pickup right on their mobile device.
- Digital Concierge
Many guests prefer accessing information about a hotel’s amenities before and during their stay via their mobile devices. With a digital concierge, guests can learn about local hotspots, upcoming events, on-site and off-site activities, dining options and more right on their mobile phones, whether they are in their rooms, by the pool or out and about. Access to this type of information enables guests to choose how they want to spend their leisure time and further control their stay. Including links to ride share services, local hotspots and more on a digital concierge also provides an added level of convenience.
- Get Updates
Safety alerts, COVID precautions, hours of operations—these are all things guests need to know but don’t want to have to search for. Sending one-to-many alerts and updates keeps guests informed, such as pool closure or upcoming happy hours. They’re easy for staff to input and send and ensure guests are kept in the loop.
- Book Treatments/Activities
One of the the benefits of having a digital concierge is to view treatments and operation hours on a mobile device; it’s even better when guests can make bookings/purchasing within a hotel’s mobile app. Offering booking and ordering capabilities within a hotel app provides guests a more convenient and personalized guest experience.
- Access to Exclusive Promotions
Guests love promotions especially if the deals are customized to their preferences. When guests book via a hotel’s app, their preferences can be stored so the next time they visit a hotel, management can offer promotions customized to their past interests. For example, if a guest books a spa treatment during a visit, the next time they stay at a particular property, management can offer them a discount on their next spa appointment to incentivize them to return.
- Service Requests
When guests need something like extra towels, they should be able to request it without a hassle. Pivoting service requests to your hotel guest app allows guests to easily submit their requests through their mobile device and get updates as the task is being completed. This keeps guests from wondering if their request has been lost in the void while automating certain operational tasks.
- Everything!
Anything guests can do from their phones, they want to do. Our lives at work and at home are piloted from our phones—why should it be any different when traveling?
To learn more about what your guests are expecting to do from their phones in 2022, start a conversation today.
