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QR codes that were once seen as cumbersome and outdated have experienced a resurgence due to the pandemic.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.
