mobile-apps-1000-2

Why Hotels Need to Use Mobile Apps to Attract Guests

Using mobile technology in your hotel can help you understand your guests and keep them happy from when they book to when they return.


This is a guest post by Natasa Djalovic.

 

Studies show that by 2020, the number of mobile phone users will reach 4.78 billion globally. Given what these smart devices are capable of, it’s only logical that the hospitality industry would tap into their increasing popularity. Customer service and guest satisfaction are the most important factors in the hotel industry, and mobile devices can be key to their improvement and optimization. Mobile Apps 1000Mobile apps are particularly useful when it comes to attracting your guests and making them happy by placing all the services your hotel provides at their fingertips. The following arguments will make a convincing case for why implementing mobile apps is a must for hotels. 

 

Optimize Your Booking Experience 

Today’s customers are picky, and why shouldn’t they be when they can choose from a wide variety of accommodation options? Don’t forget that millennials, who are the first digital generation, have overtaken baby boomers as the largest generation globally and also as the most influential group of consumers. Their spending is predicted to reach $1.4 trillion by 2020 in the U.S alone. This means millennials comprise a large portion of your target audience, and if you want your hotel fully booked, you need to streamline this process and make it as easy as possible because that’s what the tech-savvy generation expects. 

A mobile app allows your customers to find out everything they want to know about your amenities in no time and make a booking with a couple of taps. Moreover, if your guests can avoid the tedious check-in process, full of paperwork at the front desk and simply check-in and enter their rooms with digital keys on a mobile app, they may be more likely to return. This ease of access is of paramount importance to the contemporary, busy and demanding customer. 

 

Keep the Lines of Communication Open 

A mobile app establishes a direct channel of communication between hotels and their guests. If your customers are interested in clarifying certain things or making additional inquiries about your services and amenities, the best and quickest way to do so is via such an application. Once they download your app, your guests will receive notifications about your new offers, discounts, and other benefits. Helpful customer reps or even integrated chatbots will keep your previous and potential customers engaged and assist them in picking the best room for their needs or even help them plan their trips to nearby attractions or restaurants. 

 

Build Loyalty  

Mobile apps are a great tool for increasing your brand awareness and recognition. Whenever the guests who installed your app use their smartphones, they’ll see your logo and receive your notifications. Apart from that, mobile apps simplify loyalty programs and make it easy for guests to collect points, keep track of their progress, and eventually cash in their rewards. 

Feedback and instant review options can be used to generate social proof, which plays a crucial role in attracting new customers. Generally speaking, consumers are more inclined to trust online reviews written by people they don’t know over branded content. Besides the obvious word-of-mouth value of positive online reviews, you can also benefit from the negative ones – if a customer leaves negative feedback while they’re still at your hotel, hoteliers can try to rectify the problem immediately, thus getting them to change their opinion and review. 

 

Collect Data to Improve and Personalize Customer Experiences

A data-driven approach to marketing will result in getting a steady influx of new customers. 

Companies who adopt this approach are six times more likely to achieve their profit goals year after year.  Accurate and relevant customer data makes this possible, and a dedicated mobile app can be effectively used to collect different information about your guests and identify certain behavioral patterns which you can analyze, and improve your offers and services accordingly. 

Mobile apps can help you understand your guests, their preferences, and needs, especially when it comes to developing your pricing and crafting a tailored marketing strategy. 61% of travelers in the U.S. used a mobile app to book and pay for their trip in 2017, and these numbers will likely continue to rise. It makes sense for hoteliers to start offering guests mobile app to offer them a superb experience. 



About the Author

Natasa Djalovic is a tech writer and a marketing enthusiast with a penchant for cats, shopping, and sneakers. You can always find her online, working on new blog posts. https://www.devteam.space/blog/

footer - homepage

Ready to move
up and to the right?

Ready to move up and to the right?

Grab the wheel and drive profits with Actabl.
Request a Demo