When it comes to changing trends, every industry has it’s own battle to fight each year. Hospitality is no different. While 2016 saw mobile marketing and mobile commerce take center stage, 2017 comes in with it’s set of trends that will impact the hotel industry.
Also Read: How are Traveler Trends and Guest Expectations Changing on Hotels?
Here’s taking a quick look at the top 5 for this year:
Technology rules, still: For those who haven’t joined the tech bandwagon yet, it’s safe to say that they have missed the boat. For those who have, it’s critical to keep up and optimize especially when it comes to streamlined user experience, customer engagement and payment gateways. Use of smartphone features and app to provide facilities to their customers such as room service, locking or un- locking rooms, room controls are some of the tech services being provided by major hotels. In an endeavor to take customer service to another level leveraging tech is and should be top priority for businesses in the industry.
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Focus on Loyalty Programs: The one critical point to understand when it comes to creating a loyal customer base is that the job does not end with just enrollment. It’s substance of that enrollment by providing loyalty incentives ha are attractive, offer instant gratification and are easy to redeem that serve as excellent hooks for customers to stay loyal to a brand. Given the competition, there is nothing stopping a supposed loyal customer to check out other hotels and its’ not always price that holds the key. Engagement based on little things like knowing your customer and offering incentives that are customized to their needs is one major strategy point to note.
Services beyond the hotel: The game is no longer just about the experience of a customer within the premises of the hotel. It’s important to understand and raise the bar to incorporate experiences that occur outside the hotel. Offering tours, special itineraries and finding new ways to create a complete 360 experience for the customer is the need to the hour. The approach has to be more inclusive and holistic and the lens for that needs to include not just delivering on services within the hotel but also incorporating ways of serving customers when they are outside.
Also Read: HOW HOTELS CAN LEVERAGE ON LOCAL CULTURE TO ATTRACT MORE GUESTS
Leveraging Data Intelligence: This one ties in very closely with the technology piece. It’s imperative to have solid data intelligence and to top that also to have the means and methods to be able to use it for optimal results. Data is collected at several different points during a customers’ stay. Understanding how to use that data sensibly, in a non-intrusive manner and ethically that holds the key to engagement and an enhanced customer experience. Little things like adjusting ambient temperature conditions based on last times’ visit, specific needs being pre arranged for, whether it’s special fragrances, softer towels or an extra pair of slippers all add up.
Redefining luxury: Luxury redefined in a way that it is leaner and way smarter is to be watched out for. Opulence was once the standard form of luxury but the millennial customer while wants something comfortable and good value for money is also looking for something more authentic, trendy, useful and out of the box. Service that is personalized, branding that has a story and a story that fits in with the overall essence of the environment that the guest is in, that stuff matters.
Jaypee Hotels 