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:

10. 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.

9. 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.

8. 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.

7. 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.

6. 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.

5. 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.

4. 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.

3. 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.

2. 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.

1. 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.

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Read why there’s a rise in hoteliers using QR codes to link to their hotel’s guest app.

QR codes that were once seen as cumbersome and outdated have experienced a resurgence due to the pandemic. Boosted by mobile phones’ recent ability to read QR codes without the need of a third-party app and the need for contactless solutions, the demand for QR codes has gone through the roof. Now, QR codes are making a comeback, and while the catalyst for this comeback was COVID, QR codes provide great value beyond curbing the spread of the virus. If you are wondering what all the fuss is about, here are a few ways hoteliers are using QR codes to elevate the digital guest experience and boost revenue.

What QR Codes Are Good For 

App Adoption
QR Codes make downloading a hotel app easier than ever.  Guests simply need to scan the QR code with their phone camera to access a hotel app. There is a misconception amongst hoteliers that if app downloads are low, it’s an indication that guests don’t need or want to use your app. The real reasons are much simpler – they forgot about it, they don’t want a single-use app on their phone, or downloading the app seems too much of a hassle. Having a QR code to help get over that initial hump of downloading can greatly improve guest app adoption. Once guests do download a hotel app, they have access to many features that can enhance their guest experience. With a hotel app, guests can use their phones to check-in, access their rooms, and view a digital compendium that highlights a hotel’s services and amenities.

Menus
While the pandemic motivated restaurants to provide contactless menu options, many restaurants are ditching printed menus post-pandemic in favor of digital menus that will save them printing costs and enable them to update food items, prices, promotions and more – instantly. With QR codes displayed on a restaurant’s window or on a tabletop stand, customers can easily access a restaurant’s food and drink menu right on their mobile phones. Plus, you can feature special items or promotions in a visually interesting way that your customers won’t be able to miss.

Targeted Promotions
QR codes are a great way to make guests aware of promotions or offer exclusive discounts, and to target information to a specific group. QR codes can be used during conferences and corporate events within a hotel to promote educational sessions or upcoming happy hours.  They can be displayed at the conference or even on a guest’s TV. QR codes can also be used during wedding events to keep guests informed on the wedding itinerary. With a little foresight and creativity, the possibilities for QR codes are endless.

Where to Put Your QR Codes 

Where is the best place to put your QR codes? Well, that largely depends on what your code is linking to. If you are trying to get more downloads, you want the QR code to be somewhere visible when guests are first arriving. Whereas a menu QR code should be visible in a space where guests are more likely to order food, like in their room for room service.

A few ideas for QR codes locations: 

• Lobby signage
• In the elevators
• On an in-room TV
• In your on-property dining areas
• In conference or event brochures

For more information on how to integrate and utilize QR codes with your hotel guest app, reach out today.

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Discover key trend projections from Hotel Tech Report’s “Ultimate Guide to Guest Mobile Apps for Hotels: 2022 edition.”

With the new year quickly approaching, many hoteliers are reviewing their tech budget for 2022. Since the pandemic, the industry has been making a shift to incorporate more mobile tech, and as technologies continue to advance, hoteliers have more opportunities to implement efficient and convenient mobile solutions. In an effort to help hoteliers find the right tech for their needs, INTELITY has sponsored Hotel Tech Report’s “Ultimate Guide to Guest Mobile Apps for Hotels: 2022 Edition.” Here are a few highlights about mobile tech in the coming year:

Trends and Future Predictions for Guest Mobile Apps

Mobile-optimized Guest Experience.

As the hospitality industry responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for mobile tech increased dramatically. The need for people to perform everyday tasks on their smartphones became more of a necessity than simply a convenience. And now, guests are looking for that same digital experience in their travel. Does your hotel offer contactless check-in through an app? Can guests order food directly to their room, the same way they can at home? Can they message back and forth with your staff the same way they can with their friends and coworkers? Enabling guests to interact with your property via a mobile device will continue to play a more central role in the modern guest experience.

Key Features to Look For:

• Mobile Check-In
  Your mobile app isn’t complete without a check-in solution. Mobile check-in offers your guests a way to reduce wait times at the front desk or bypass the front desk completely.
• Mobile Key Integration
  Your mobile app should offer mobile key functionalities that streamline the check-in process and reduce costs associated with plastic room keys.
• Guest Messaging
  Selecting a vendor that offers two-way messaging solutions enables guests to directly interact with your staff via their mobile phones. Whether through SMS, in-app messages, or Facebook Messenger integrations, guest messaging enables more streamlined service recovery and improved guest experience.

Customization, Personalization, and Familiarity.

Providing digital access to your services and amenities allows guests to have more control over their guest experience. Finding a solution that provides a consistent guest experience across multiple properties will ensure users find what they need when exploring your app.

Key Features to Look For:

• Service Requests
  Your mobile app should allow guests to place service requests, order in-room dining, access hotel information, book appointments at your on-property spa, make dining reservations at on-property restaurants, and much more.
• Local Services & Content
  Maximize your app interface by promoting local services and points of interests to help guests get the most out of their stay.

Mobile Payments.

As a result of the pandemic, and thanks to features like Apple Pay and Google Pay, many people now expect to use their smartphone to pay for goods and services. Today, travelers are primed, willing, and able to make payments through a mobile app—dining orders, incremental purchases, room upgrades, etc. While introducing new ways for guests to engage digitally, endless possibilities emerge once you can accept mobile payment.

Key Features to Look For:

• Requests & Ticket Management
  Offer guests the ability to make bookings with the concierge, arrange transportation, or request more towels right from your hotel app, and automatically create and route tickets for your team to follow-up and fulfill.
• Loyalty Program Integrations
  Look for a mobile app partner that has the capability to integrate with your existing loyalty program. Integrating your loyalty program with your mobile app encourages guests to keep the app on their phones and encourages increased engagement before, during, and after a stay.

For more tips on how to select the right mobile technology for your property, download the “Ultimate Guide to Guest Mobile Apps for Hotels: 2022 edition” for free today.

 

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As budgeting season wraps up, here’s why many hoteliers are putting a greater emphasis on their tech budget.

As the year comes to a close, hoteliers are in the midst of developing their 2022 budgets and looking ahead at what’s to come. What trends are on the horizon and how can hoteliers prepare financially for 2022?  After a tumultuous year of coping with the challenges of COVID and then labor shortages, it’s become clear that one area where hoteliers should consider increasing their investment is hospitality tech.

Where to Spend In 2022

For many hotels in 2020 and 2021, adopting contactless, mobile and smart-room tech solutions were essential in keeping their doors open. Amidst significant staffing issues and continuous health concerns, hoteliers adopted new technology to streamline operations on the staff side, and to offer a better, safer guest experience. Expanding the tech budget is also beneficial for properties at full capacity, because if the last year and half showed us anything, it’s how useful tech can be for improving operational workflows and elevating the experience guests have before, during, and after their stay.

Potential Savings For Hoteliers Investing in Tech Advancement

For hoteliers still mulling over how much to invest in new technology in the upcoming year, much of the concern isn’t just about immediate benefits, but where tech can save money in the long run. Utilizing a robust guest experience platform, hoteliers can find many opportunities for saving money. Here are a few ways hoteliers can see long-term saving right from the get-go:

• When menus and compendiums are transferred to a hotel app, spending costs on wasteful paper and printing costs can be eliminated entirely.
• Adding in-app dining reduces food waste. With easy-to-view metrics, management can make  more cost-effective decisions when it comes to what ingredients or supplies to purchase. There are also more opportunities to offer guests meal upgrades, increasing revenue overall through targeted microtransactions.
• For hotel’s investing more in their operations side, implementing systems that boost efficiency and streamline workflows can help during labor shortages. That’s why so many in the hospitality industry are choosing management systems that prioritize clarity and effectiveness.
• And finally, maintenance costs. Ticketing systems where management can set priorities on work orders ensure the hotel is focusing time and money on what’s needed. Plus, with so many still recovering financially from the impacts of COVID, setting priorities allows for smaller work orders to be tabled until the revenue lost during the pandemic can be recouped.

From a tech perspective, revenue perspective, and overall industry perspective, it looks like great things are on the horizon. But in order to capitalize on a return to travel in the new normal, the right tech is a must.

To learn more about what tech can best assist your property in 2022, request a demo today.

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For hotels with on-property dining, integrating ordering into their hotel’s app creates a better experience for guests and can offload pressure from dining and room service staff.

Hotels with restaurants may be reluctant to add room service and other delivery options to their existing hotel app. Questions naturally arise: Is it worth the work to get it set up? Does in-app dining really make a difference for the guest? What will the ROI be? For hoteliers considering investing in in-app dining, here’s a summary of the benefits we’ve seen for our clients and their guests.

A Smorgasbord of Possibilities for Guests

Showcase Your Menu
Guests enjoy the convenience of being able to browse a hotel’s restaurants’ menus and order food items directly from their mobile device or smart-room tablet. With a mobile app that includes digital dining, hoteliers can add their many on-property dining venues on a single app offering guests many dining choices. Plus, hotels can also add menus of other local restaurants, expanding food selections and providing the ordering experience your guests will enjoy.

Ordering from Anywhere 
In-app dining enables guests to order food from their mobile device and have their meals delivered to them anywhere on the property. Whether a guest wants a cocktail by the pool, a snack after a spa treatment, or lunch brought to them while working from the lobby, all they have to do is input their order via the hotel’s app and their orders will be on their way.

Pick-Up Orders, Anytime
Having a pick-up option is great for both guests and staff. For guests who want to bring some food with them while they sightsee, or want to grab their dinner on their way up to their room at the end of the day, they can schedule a pick-up order via a hotel app. A pick up option also saves staff a trip to a guest room to deliver food. Pick up orders, unlike room service, can be offered to non-guests as well. Day visitors who are enjoying a day at a hotel’s casino, or attending a conference or event, can also order food from the hotel’s app.

A Buffet of Benefits for Your Staff

Reduces App Confusion
When properties have a hotel app without digital dining capabilities, guests have to order food through an alternate channel, which can sometimes cause order and delivery confusion. But when dining capabilities are consolidated within a hotel app, orders are easier to view and keep track of, and there is less likely to be confusion.

Waste Management 
In-app digital dining can also provide actionable guest metrics, such as which menu items are more popular, that can help with making efficient purchasing decisions.  When considering the bottom line, investing in in-app tech that distills vital data so staff and management can adapt to guests food and drink preferences should be high priority.

Instant Updates 
Paper menus are quickly becoming a thing of the past. With in-app dining, menu items can  be updated immediately, saving on printing costs and the added tasks of staff having to manually switch out old paper menus. Add specials, promotions or event discounts in your hotel app to promote upsells and drive revenue.

These key benefits should give you an idea as to why so many hotels, casinos, and resorts are integrating dining options into their hotel apps. There’s no time like the present to make your dining experience that much more appetizing!

For more information about integrating dining into your hotel app, reach out today.

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Learn how hotels can prevent staff burnout and elevate guest experience during the post-lockdown holiday travel season.

As the holiday travel season gets underway, hoteliers across the globe are preparing for a busier season than last year. Guests who were unable to travel for the holidays in 2020 are planning to make up for lost time. As the hospitality industry continues to recover and return to full-capacity, here are three ways hoteliers can prepare for a possible wave of holiday guests.

1. Avoid Staff Burnout With Back-of-House Ticketing 

In years past when guests poured in for the November and December holidays, hoteliers and their staff had to handle a more than normal workload. But this holiday season, with many hotels, resorts, and casinos still facing major staffing shortages, there may be a higher risk of staff burnout.

Whether it’s work orders, dining orders, or service requests, one of the most effective ways hoteliers can support their staff is by utilizing automated ticketing systems. An automated ticketing system allows hoteliers to capture a guest’s request or order within an app, and keeps track of the request automatically, eliminating manual labor and reducing mistakes. Plus, management can create work order priorities that update instantly, facilitating greater efficiency at every level. For room service and service requests, a comprehensive ticketing platform enables back-of-house staff to move from task to task, removing confusion and keeping items from falling through the cracks.

2. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

This can’t be stressed enough. With many hotels, resorts, and casinos still working at reduced capacity or limited hours, communication with guests must be top priority. This year more than ever, hoteliers need to keep guests in the loop about new hotel policies, hours, and amenities at your property.

Before their stay, sending a friendly and informative welcome email to a guest can set the tone for their entire visit. Your welcome email can inform guests about your hotel app, how to use the app and, if you are working at some kind of reduced capacity, make them aware of current dining or activity hours. During a guests stay, a hotel’s staff can also use the hotel app to communicate with guests on a one-on-one basis or to a larger group. Communication shouldn’t end when guests end their stay either; follow-up emails, surveys, and personalized promotional offers for future stays are key in encouraging guests to return and becoming loyal customers.

3. Provide Mobile Convenience

Over the last eighteen months, consumers of all ages have become accustomed to using their mobile devices for every aspect of their lives. They now expect that same experience while staying at a hotel. Providing a mobile guest experience will give guests the convenience they seek and the best in-room experience possible.

Enabling guests to use their mobile devices to check-in as well as open their rooms, offers them a smoother and simpler arrival experience.  Plus, as more guests pivot to using their mobile devices throughout the duration of their stay, the front desk will have more time to focus on delivering a good guest experience.  Beyond check-in, the hotel’s app can act as an information hub as well, where guests can learn about hotel activities, dining and pool hours, local hotspots, and more.

Now is the time to adopt a mobile app, before the holiday travel season kicks into high gear, so guests can have a better and more convenient experience. The more access and control they have from their phone, the better their guest experience will be in every aspect.

Want to learn more about how to leverage tech for upcoming travel seasons? Let’s chat.

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