Staying ahead of the curve with technology trends has become an important aspect of almost any type of business, and when even supermarkets without cashiers are becoming a reality, it is not strange to expect that even the smallest hotel business would have to overhaul their approach to doing business if they plan on staying relevant in this age.
Any smart hotelier will tell you that the competition is growing at an increasing rate, and that even companies that do not actually possess any actual rooms, can be quite successful if their business model is well defined. Changes in demographics are forcing innovation at a pace that has never been seen before, and we all agree that, nowadays, you either get on with the program or get off the train. Free soaps are simply not enough and introducing technological advancements such as hospitality software that could benefit not only your customers, but hotel owners and staff as well – these are a priority. So, what are some of the technologies that will come to dominate the hotel landscape in the future? For such a prediction, we will not even have to look very far: 1. It’s Mobile Phones All the Way Down Let’s face it, our smart-phones are constantly with us, in our hand, and making use of that is only a natural move. Why shouldn’t your hotel introduce digital keys that can use NFC technology that is built into every mobile device and use that as for everything – from check ins, payments to serving as room and facility keys? Not only will this allow better tracking of where each customer currently is with the phone’s GPS, but you will see what facilities are used and when. This technology has already been in use for quite for some time, so it is cheaper than ever to introduce it to your business, for your convenience and those using your services. 2. Automation Never Tires The benefits of hotel management and automation software are well-known. They allow you an immediate insight into everyday processes that happen, how to optimize them and create a truly “smart” experience that will put you in control. Most of the data gathered this way will help you analyze costs and show you how to increase your ROI – in turn increasing the efficiency your hotel runs at. This starts with the process of booking itself and ends with generating receipts and invoices for your customers when they leave. This also includes software solutions such as a Hotel Channel Manager that will make sure the room availability is synced across all platforms, such as your apps, different specialized websites (online bookings), travel wholesalers etc. Manually managing such a big number of channels (a number that is only growing) can only lead to errors, reimbursements on your part and a negative customer experience. Therefore, hotel managers need to start moving away from old systems and move on to new, modern systems that offer better integrations and accessibility, not to mention the latest technology and features that are based on current trends and needs. 3. Environmentally Friendly Increasing customer satisfaction without being wasteful is a big problem hotels face. Energy costs with all these improvements are also on the rise, and in order to shift to more sustainable practices, some measures will have to be introduces. The same automated software we’ve mentioned in the last paragraph will also be designed to consider whether a room is heated or cooled based on the physical presence of guests. This information can be taken via different sensors that in no way endanger privacy, such as passive infrared sensors, or based on the position of the guest’s mobile phone. Furthermore, this will create an illusion of a perfect welcoming experience. When a guest comes into a room, the light will turn on, as well as the TV, while the AC has predicted that the guest is approaching. This can create a lot of savings for you; and despite seeming like a much more luxurious experience, it will actually be a more economic (simply put: cheaper) experience for guests. 4. Vocal Experience It is only natural to think that all the rooms will have voice activated commands in the future. Guests will be able to use simple commands that are already in use such as Hey Siri or Alexa, to turn off the lights without having to leave the bed. Not to mention that this will allow a much more seamless integration with hotel management. Do you have a problem? A request to talk to the staff? Too hot or too much light? Just say the word and the thermostat will reduce the heating or draw the drapes. This might not seem like a big step, but it is a step in the right direction nonetheless. This only creates a better experience for guests, and as you well know, that always translates to a bigger profit for hotel owners.
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Coronavirus pandemic has changed everything from shopping online to the way travellers travel. Few industry experts suggest life would never be the same has it was before 2020, especially when it comes to technology everyone are adapting to the new normal (Contactless technology) that is helping us to maintain the social distance that is only way to save us from contacting a deadly virus and to break the pandemic chain.
This pandemic situation has rapidly accelerated Hotels to quickly adopt new technologies. Smart Hotel Software technologies such as IoT, contactless check-in/check-out, Mobile Apps that were considered as guest experience add-ons is quickly becoming a mandatory requirement to bring back guests in the post-pandemic hospitality space. Because of health risks created by this Coronavirus, Many governments had to impose travel restrictions, and this created a major economic downturn. Hotels that are looking to bring their guests back need to make right choices in leveraging hotel technologies for guest safety. Here are few technologies we think will help you to survive through the pandemic and safely bring back guests to your property. Switch to Cloud Based Solution To survive in post pandemic situation your hotel property must consider to upgrade to a cloud-based system from a legacy based hotel technologies. Cloud Based Hotel Property Management Software are modern, maintenance free and is always upgraded to latest in technology. This will help your hotel team to stay updated and automate most of the operational tasks and help your staff to focus on guest experience. Contactless Technology Guests are very much concerned about their safety post-pandemic and they expect from minimum to no interaction while they stay in a hotel property. Hotels need to go ahead and adapt contactless technology which will help hotel guests to check-in/check-out using their own smart device without any contact with a hotel staff. Contactless Dining Hotels need to allow guest to check restaurant and service menus directly from their smart phones using a QR code menu. QR Menu will help guests to check menus, create recipes, order and complete payment all using their own smart devices without needing to download a mobile application. Rework on your OTA Channels Reworking on OTA Channel is another important aspect that needs to be reworked like flexible cancellation policy, voucher for cancelled bookings and rates and hotel inventory. An integrated channel manager with your hotel PMS can help you update rates and inventory across all channels in real time. Why mycloud is a best cloud based option for hotels. Mycloud is an award-winning and comprehensive cloud-based hotel PMS that is user-friendly and reliable and secure to manage your hotel’s operations, like direct reservations, contactless check-in & check-out, guest history, feedbacks, easily manage travel agents & companies.
mycloud is functionally rich and offers the latest in technology which helps hoteliers improve revenue and enhance guest experience. mycloud Hotel technology is trusted & loved by 2000+ hotels in 40+ Countries. Want to know more about our solution and how we can help you improve you hotel operations? Schedule a free 30 minutes demo now. Cloud technologies are not exactly new, but hotels have only recently started to harness the power of various cloud hotel management software solutions. Online hotel PMS (Property Management System) solutions are becoming more and more popular, because they are much more convenient for both hotel guests and hoteliers, as Guest can book directly and hoteliers are benefited as they don’t need to pay any commissions.
With the best cloud hotel PMS at your disposal, not only can you delight your customers by providing them with fast and personalized experiences and effectively increase your ROI, but you can also save a lot of time and money, focusing your extra time on turning your every customer’s stay into a wonderful experience that will compel them to come back again. An online hotel PMS definitely brings plenty of benefits on both sides but take a closer look at why exactly cloud technologies are taking over hotels and completely changing the game. Cost-Effectiveness Cloud hotel management software solutions are much more cost-effective than on-premise solutions. There is almost zero investment required to start the system unlike on premise systems which need thousands of dollars towards license fee, cloud solutions allow hotels to start using software at easy to pay monthly subscriptions Cloud systems do not need fancy and latest hardware, operations systems, databases, networks, and many other utilities. Hotel needs a normal laptop or desktop to start using the system thus cutting down on Capex and AMC costs. Hotel incurs zero cost towards upgrades as cloud solutions offer latest version at any point of time Startup time and costs: Cloud solutions allow hotels to go live within 24 hours unlike on premise systems that need days of planning, installation, configuration, testing and training. Great Flexibility With an online hotel PMS based in the cloud, you will have great flexibility to work from anywhere, anytime. Your cloud-based solution will provide you with 24/7 access to all your data, which is incredibly beneficial if you have a chain of hotels because every hotel will always be working with the same data. When one of your hotels updates some information in your system, it will instantly be updated in real-time across all the other systems, that is, all your other hotels’ systems. Not only does this save plenty of time, but it also reduces the risk of human error and helps you keep your hotel guests happy. A High Level of Security Many people are skeptical about cloud technologies due to cloud computing security, that is, their concerns about the lack of data security. However, cloud software vendors’ success depends on the level of security they offer, which is precisely why they provide reliable solutions that keep data safe and secure at all times. Therefore, storing your data on cloud servers instead of storing them on-premise will keep your data safe from any potential security breaches. Unlike on premise systems cloud solutions offer high level of security, data centres are online 24/7, 365 days with backups and mirrored servers, firewalls and encryption is provided, no human access to data, continuous monitoring in regard to hacking and data integrity, not to mention latest security measures to adhere to global security policies. Reduced Performance Issues It’s not uncommon that various performance issues arise when it comes to on-premise software solutions. When performance issues take place, a lot of time and effort is put into quality assurance testing in order to identify any inefficiencies and solve the problems. With the best cloud hotel PMS in place, you don’t have to worry about any performance issues because, even in case one arises, your vendor’s IT staff will resolve them very quickly. They will conduct proper tests and solve all the performance hiccups, fixing any bugs and ensuring that the system keeps running smoothly. Fast and Reliable Upgrades When it comes to system upgrades, cloud hotel management software solutions are incredibly better than on-premise and even hybrid cloud solutions. With single-version development, your software vendor will make sure that your software performs well, without any errors whatsoever, and that all your customers are upgraded simultaneously. Without single-version development, software multi-tenancy and storage arrays can cause many problems. If any issue arises, it will affect all your other hotel operations. If your software is not located on-premise, you may not even notice the problem before your vendor resolves it. Also, deployment overhead is much lower with online hotel PMS solutions, and new upgrades are usually smaller. They are also more frequent, as software vendors are continually improving their functionalities and rolling out new software features. That is why system maintenance is done quickly and downtimes are very short. Cloud hotel management software solutions are definitely very beneficial, so you should find the best cloud hotel PMS that fits your needs and completely transform the way you do business. By moving to the cloud, you will create a flexible and reliable IT environment that is incredibly cost-effective and efficient. Moreover, you will take a huge step towards proactive service, instead of relying on reactive one. You will deliver a fast and personalized service and make sure that your every guest is genuinely satisfied with your brand. Are you considering buying a property management system for your hospitality business? A PMS is a significant component that will keep your business running smoothly. Taking some time to examine the various features and aspects of property management systems will ensure you select a PMS that will do the most for your hospitality business and help keep operations running smoothly and effectively for years to come.
Considerations when Buying a Property Management System (PMS) for Your Small Boutique Hotel. Here are 6 factors to consider as you begin the process of shopping for a new property management system (PMS) for your small boutique hotel: Security Features Will it help us protect our guests’ data and support our efforts to prevent any potential security breach? In case of breakdown will it be able to back up the data. Reputation Is the system provider a long-standing, reputable company committed to the unique needs of the hospitality industry? Have they been working in this industry in different countries? Configuration Flexibility While the initial system configuration is important, also important to consider is the system’s flexibility in accommodating your ever-changing business scenarios. Configuration flexibility translates to ease of use, extensibility and a greater return on investment. If the property management system offers limited configuration flexibility, it may cause daily challenges because it cannot accommodate a variety of offerings. Integration possibilities How well does this PMS play with other systems? Software that is limited in integration possibilities will leave operations challenged in going above and beyond in guest service and make your daily tasks more onerous. Functionality What are the key functionalities and features that distinguishes certain software from another? What are the features that will best serve your operations? It is far too easy to be impressed by the bells and whistles and cool features that in the long run do not actually serve in helping you better manage your business and increase revenue. Training & Support Does the company have a strong team with solid hospitality experience? Do they offer online and onsite training as well as crucial support for the transition? What kind of software support can you expect? Hospitality is a 24/7/365 industry; it’s important that assistance is available whenever problems arise to limit disruptions to your business. Since this is a cluttered market of PMS a few names that do stand up and tick all the above factors are companies like Prologic First for a good comprehensive budget system and Micros and i-tesso for hotel who seek more luxurious and expensive system. However both systems almost have the same features and work pretty much the same, leaving it just to a matter of choice and most important finances. Many hotels are interested in switching from traditional or manual systems to cloud based PMS systems. Usually, they face multiple challenges varying from cost, reliability, vendor background, features, data security, privacy and data portability. Sounds like too much of an exercise, well yes it is not easy plus you should not rush in because your complete operational data is going to be on the cloud and it is not easy or advisable to switch systems often. Decision making becomes more hard with a choice of so many platforms mushrooming each day and each one offering a very attractive price and feature list, hoteliers are definitely tempted to try each one and see what new is being offered. My suggestion to all those hoteliers who are looking at adopting cloud solutions is that don’t look at so many platforms and waste time in evaluating each one, yes there can be benefits and one can definitely increase their knowledge but whats important is not what each platform offers but what exactly do you need for your operations and which system/platform will provide data security, promptly answer your support queries and hold your hand in case of breakdown. So as a first step go ahead and create a list of most important features you need for your operations if you already don’t have one, also put down a financial number against it that you feel is easy on pocket towards monthly subscription. Now google for cloud systems and have a look at different platforms comparing features to your list, select the closest one and first check vendors background in terms of industry presence or number of years in delivering applications (can be cloud or traditional hospitality solutions) , industry knowledge and pricing, you need to do this as you certainly don’t want to use a system of fly by or amateur operator, today with so much technology around anyone can design basic system and put it up for sale as opportunity to make quick money, but a efficient system requires experience and domain knowledge and which can only come from years of designing systems and having them used by good industry professionals. Once you are satisfied with credibility of operator and features that are being offered, go ahead and give one or two solutions a sincere try for a week or 15 days and see if it is easy to setup and use, see how good is the online support and can you reach them over phone if required. Ask your staff to update system daily and check for reports and statistics and see if your daily operations data, manual or alternate system data matches cloud based system reports and statistics. Ask staff to email few general queries to the company and see how quick is the revert, let your staff check for ease of operations and also look out for any missing features or statutory requirements like taxes or reports. Ask the vendor for his product roadmap and see what is he planning in terms of upgrades and what all features is he going to add. Check what is minimum bandwidth requirement to access and run application, don’t just believe rather restrict bandwidth through router or modem or plug in your 3G phone and see if it actually performs. You don’t want a surprise when a guest is waiting at desk to checkout and your internet crashes. Check for terms and conditions, privacy policy and very important SLA. Spend some time and go through them and look for clauses related to price hike, upgrades, data security, data backups and data formats you can get, PCI compliance (credit card security) is another major feature to look for and ask the provider about their server location, as different countries have different data hosting laws like in European union, you cant have data-centre located in USA. Make sure you get data backups in readable formats, so that in case you wish to switch vendors in future you can export data and import into new system to maintain your historical data. Also check with vendor what emergency systems or process they have in place to handle your operations if you happen to lose complete internet connectivity. Check for any extra pricing in regard to setup, support, training and product updates. Once you have all this information in hand, it is relatively easy to pull out credit card and use for signup. I suggest try and reach sales department of provider as many vendors often have schemes and discounts which are usually not published on websites. Cloud offers many benefits but also has its own drawbacks, so what pitfalls you must look for and avoid, I will cover that in next blog post. Source: https://www.mycloudhospitality.com/blog/cloud-pms-what-you-must-know-before-you-subscribe Whenever the season is low, discounts reveal themselves as a go-to sales solution for experienced hoteliers. It’s exactly what customers are waiting for an opportunity to enjoy the same luxurious treatment at a fairly lower price. This conversion hack may be very well aligned with your annual sales goals, but it’s still preventing your bottom line from skyrocketing you to the next year’s industry top.
But if not discounts, then what? How can you possibly attract indecisive bookers in a competitive climate if not with lower prices? There are a few effective strategies more, but they’ll need you to step out of your comfort zone. In order to make them work, you’ll have to mingle and network, both with your potential guests and other businessmen from related niches. Though somewhat demanding, they all guarantee stellar results. Cut the Middleman for Double Impact A vast number of hoteliers rely on online travel agencies to take care of their digital conversions. It’s been a while since booking practices have been moved to the online environment, and missing out on this sales channel is no longer an option. Though widely popular, OTAs are not the kings of this realm. In fact, they are nothing but a middleman that stands between you and your customers. Why not cut them out of the equation then? Hotels that do so make a double impact. First, they get to keep all of their sales earning for themselves. Second, they are allowed to build a personalized experience that’s tailored precisely to their guests’ needs and boost both customer relations and ROI. However, the direct booking strategy requires a reliable online hotel booking software. As a centralized system, this software should be able to integrate with your website, social media accounts, and the best cloud-based hotel PMS. How does it drive sales and attract guests? UX-wise, they prefer personalization and demand convenience, which is enough to give you a competitive edge. Get Creative with Omni-Channel Marketing Omni-channelling stands for a marketing practice that uses multiple available communication routes to engage customers. It also includes different techniques, from SEO optimization that helps with search engine visibility and Trip Advisor ratings to social media marketing, whether it’s paid or organic. Whatever channel you choose (Facebook and Instagram are pretty much obligatory for the hospitality industry, as well as Google Adwords & Google Hotel ads (which are great for conversions) and whatever technique you employ, make sure that the message you send out bursts with creativity. You need something engaging and original, but also informative and unfailingly convincing. Of course, you should use google campaigns in regions where you get a big chunk of your business. This can be more effective when compared to OTA at times. Here are some ideas to help you start:
Typically, these kinds of deals imply some kinds of affiliate programs that offer coupons and vouchers for partner businesses a booked hotel room comes with a discount for a nearby restaurant, a spa, or a ticket to the local museum. In exchange, these businesses recommend your hotel to their guests. But, hospitality partnerships and cross-promotional deals don’t have to rely on discounts in order to attract new customers. They can simply team up to tailor a holistic in-destination experience that offers everything from accommodation and fine dining to shopping and adventure, like a Disney World. Special Treats and Irresistible Packages Similarly, to affiliate programs, special packages usually promise a tempting discount. Since you want to avoid them, you can offer an interesting treat that your guests cannot find anywhere else. Holidays are brilliant for such limited offers, but Valentines’ Day and New Year’s packages are not really original. Go back to your hotel’s unique selling point and think about what differentiates you from others. Is it a delicious local cuisine? If so, offer a special cooking class with your chef. Free local tours are another great example, but it can also be something as simple as a chilled bottle of your region’s finest wine. Whatever you choose, contact a booking management system vendor and ask them for a free hotel software demo. It’s always easier to retain an old customer than to acquire a new one, which is why you need to start analyzing booking behaviour and building relationships that will make your rooms full even in the low season. Make an effort to know your guests, and they’ll gladly return next year. Source: https://www.mycloudhospitality.com/blog/how-to-drive-hotel-sales-without-lowering-your-prices |
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December 2021
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