Technology shapes all we do. As it progresses, consumers everywhere expect more from their experiences and the role tech plays in those experiences. The same is true in every luxury hotel brand and stay. People expect an elevated experience from a luxury brand and a fresh take on the status quo. Sixty-four percent of U.S hotel guests said it’s extremely important for hotels to invest in technology. So how can you keep up with guests’ increasingly high expectations?
Mobile Check-In
This is nothing new, but the expectation keeps rising. People want the ability to choose their room before they arrive. The luxury guest may want to stop by the front desk to receive their key card, personalized welcome, the perks that make them feel they’re getting their money’s worth and the service they’ve come to expect. But if they don’t want to stop by, they want to let themselves in with their phone.
Choices afforded by technology will continue to shape your guests’ expectations.
Wi-Fi
You need to do better than simply providing Wi-Fi, that’s a given. Luxury hotel guests expect the Wi-Fi to which they have access to be quick and without issue. Make it free, easy to log in and as good or better than they’d get at home. People cite this as the number one factor in booking a hotel, so don’t skimp on quality here.
Smart Mobile Travel Assistants aka Hotel Smartphones
Hotel smartphones offer a completely different and personalized experience. Eighty percent of consumers are more likely to purchase from you when they feel you’re personalizing the experience for them. These smartphones don’t just distinguish the guest’s experience, they revolutionize it. Each guest has a hotel-provided smartphone at their disposal that allows them to make free international calls with 4G connectivity. It goes beyond hotel app room integration because these phones can be used as the room phone, smart TV controller, door opener and entire room automation control.
The best part for you? You become their tour guide, even outside of the hotel. You’ll have geotracking on all your devices, allowing you to personalize their experience even more, depending on their location.
An Android OS can provide personalized tourism content, ticket booking, travel tips, food and drink hot spots and much more. There are platforms that allow you to recommend and promote your services and those of your partners. You can also push direct messaging to your guests. What’s better after a long day on their feet than a visit to your spa and to know your dinner specials? This gives guests technological and personalized experiences they’ve not been exposed to before.
Remember Their Preferences
Whether using a hotel smartphone or your hotel app, tracking your guests’ digital patterns is a great way to get them to come back. Eighty-three percent of millennials say they’d be fine with a brand tracking their patterns if it meant a better and more personalized experience. They’re looking for things like a bottle of wine from a vineyard they visited last time, re-booking of a spa service or new restaurant recommendations in their favorite part of town.
Differentiate Your Brand
In the rapidly expanding luxury hotel industry, delivering an impeccable and state-of-the-art customer experience is the best way for your brand to keep a greater share of the market. Technology facilitates memorable customer experiences, but waiting too long to get on board with certain innovations can get you lost in the status quo.
Step out in front and build an even broader loyal customer base by showing them what’s possible.
