The days of having to ring a bell to get assistance in a hotel have long passed. Rapid advancements in technology have streamlined the way that professional hospitality providers are taking care of their clientele. Technology has developed that decreases the amount of busywork required for each employee while also further guaranteeing customer satisfaction. As the concierge tech market expands and advancements are made exponentially, we can expect to see hospitality technology begin to increase workplace responsibility. Let's examine some of the current functions that hospitality tech is already fulfilling.
Contactless Customer Care
In the era of COVID-19, hotels have had to exercise additional caution in direct interaction with their guests. The danger of contamination causes both sanitation and liability concerns, which hamper the traditional interpersonal interactions that can be had with customers.
As a result, many hotels have turned to app-accessed interfaces to bypass direct contact. Facility managers can now receive instant digital notifications about problematic issues, which are automatically sorted through a system instead of disappearing into an endless queue. Drinks and food can now be ordered and paid for through apps without any human interaction. This is similar to assisted living technology used in retirement homes to monitor resident needs. Hotels are using this type of customer care to remain personable and personable while obeying social distancing guidelines.
Direct Personal Care
Besides alleviating health concerns, concierge tech usage has been used to make the hotel experience all-together more personal feeling, even without direct contact or face-to-face interactions. Front-desk visits have been replaced with direct messaging systems that interlink with the user's messaging app of choice. This has allowed for everything from 24/7 toiletry requests to higher-end hotels replacing their local attraction pamphlets with call-lines that can offer customized recommendations based on the guest's preference.
Telecommunication Training
Hotel employees often have more training procedures to go through than an outsider may imagine. Everything from basic healthcare instructions to specialized training on how to correctly identify sex traffickers on hotel grounds can now be taught through interactive live streams. This cuts down on the cost of bringing in outside experts to train in hospitality while relieving managers from feeling the need to train every individual employee in areas that are not their expertise.
Booking, Arrival, and Service Streamlining
Centralized concierge databases and software can be used to expedite the preparation for a guest's arrival. Through filling out a form during inquiries, room reservations can be instantly locked-in or canceled, cleaning can be scheduled in advance, returning guests can verify their information, digital room keys can be assigned, and reception can be prepared for specific guests at certain ETAs. Software can also attach notes regarding incoming guests who have special needs or require special assistance due to handicaps. Managers can view the relevant information for every guest at any given time while respecting their privacy. The digital nature also guarantees flexibility, allowing guests to update their needs after arrival without hassle for the staff.
Guest Reviews
Dreaded in-person confrontations can be avoided by attaching feedback features to apps or scheduling mid-stay or post-stay emails that can be used to outline a detailed review. By curating the environment through which feedback is received, hotel managers can substantially boost the incoming feedback's quality.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader