There’s no quick answer when solving the loyalty equation, but with business travelers today carrying an average of 2.68 devices, digital and mobile services certainly need to be part of the mix. Guests are increasingly turning to mobile to get more value out of their travel experiences, from booking hotels online to checking social media reviews.
Guests expect the same level of service at the hotel during their stay, but often find the in-hotel digital experience is lacking. In fact, a recent study by MCD, found that the hotel industry ranks below many other industries, including banking, retail, airlines, and restaurants, when it comes to using mobile to enhance their services. The MCD study also found that hotels who provide an enhanced digital experience and mobile-friendly services garner more repeat business than those who do not. From the study, we rounded up 3 tips for improving your guests’ digital experience:
Optimize Your Website: 70% of guests said the quality of the hotel’s website and app impact their decision to stay. Furthermore, guests said they felt that their experience with the hotel’s digital offerings directly impact their perception of their overall experience with the hotel.
Personalize Your Amenities & Services: 74% of guests said they would appreciate proactive acknowledgement of guests preferences based on a previous stay. Guests were willing to provide information in exchange for a more personalized experience, such as bed and pillow type, newspaper delivery, diet, and billing preferences.
Offer Online Access to Local Attractions: 78% of travelers said they would engage with maps of the local hotel area and 68% of guests prefer viewing concierge tips about local attractions on their mobile devices rather than going to a concierge desk.
Some additional digital services that guests wanted are:
80% wished to view amenities offered and hours of service
73% prefer automated check-in
62% ordering room service and other amenities
Offering guests personalization with the convenience of access to digital services is an increasingly important way to enhance guests’ experiences and differentiate your property.
See the full study here.
What do you do to increase your guest loyalty?