Let us ask you. How many mobile apps do you use in one day? Well! let’s take the US here as an example. American adults spend nearly 18 hours a week on their smartphones. And worldwide, any smartphone owner uses 30 apps each month. So, let us ask you another question, can you imagine using a smartphone without any mobile app? Of course not! Mobile apps have made everything just a tap away. They have made our lives so much easier than now a smartphone user doesn’t feel comfortable using products that have no mobile apps.
Like many other industries, the hospitality industry has also accelerated its business with the usage of mobile apps. According to 2019 statistics, Travel is one of the leading mobile app categories for both Android and iOS. Every traveler today has a smartphone, and they want every service at the tip of their fingers.
The hospitality industry is a service industry and it has to be exceptional when it comes to providing services to its customers. And this article focuses on how the hospitality industry is transforming with the use of mobile apps.
Hotel mobile apps can increase occupancy rates
According to 76% of travelers, their smartphone is the most important travel companion. Imagine you have a visitor to your hotel. After a long 7-8 hours of journey, the customer is willing to rest. But he has to go through the tiresome process of check-in that would easily annoy him. But if you have a hotel app, the visitor can check-in through his mobile without waiting at the front desk and have a delightful experience.
And this amazing first impression of your hotel makes him want to come again and also recommend your hotel to his friends and family. In fact, 81% of business travelers expect hotels to use virtual, reception-free check-in processes in the future. Meanwhile, 79% predict that using VR tech for accommodations will become the norm in the next 10 years.
Hotel apps are also being used for ordering the food and can be updated in real-time to enhance the customer experience. Hotels can also use the mobile app to update customers about nearby attractions or other significant information. It can keep them informed, attended, valued, and happy – just everything an ideal service industry should do.
Hotel mobile apps can save money and time
There’s an annualized employee turnover rate of 73.8 percent in the hotel industry. It sums up to more than 6 percent of staff leaving every single month. And every time someone departs, someone new is hired and trained which is a waste of money and time. Imagine you have a new staff and you have to take them through the entire training process which can take days to understand.
With in-app tutorials, they can easily learn and have a day of practice and yes, they can be ready to face guests. It also assists to cut on training costs and allows new hires to speed up with the hotel’s method of assistance much quicker.
A hotel app can also give real-time information to the hotel staff. It can provide all the data like, which room has to be cleaned? What are the check-in timings of the guest for a room? What special amenities have to be added in a room? And while the employee is in the room, cleaning it up, he can enter the estimated cleaning time for other staff members to know. With all the accurate real-time information or any hotel update, hotel staff can be more productive and provide an unforgettable experience to the guest.
Hotel mobile apps increase bookings with a loyalty program
Using a hotel app, you can introduce customers with a loyalty reward program. Whenever a guest book a stay with your hotel, you can provide them with some points or fascinating deals within the app. This will encourage users to keep using your services and every time they do it, they are rewarded.
Image Source: Hotels.com
Furthermore, a hotel app allows you to send push notifications to your customers whenever you have a great deal going. This will prompt users to make a booking with just a tap and build a trustworthy relationship between the guest and the hotel. Hilton updates it’s app 13 times a year according and Hilton also receives 20% of booking through their mobile apps.
Hotel apps can help to achieve customer’s trust post COVID-19
This pandemic has turned our lives upside down. People are just moving touch-free. The situation has hit the hospitality industry as the world is staying at home. But this is no end. Mobile apps can still help hotels stay connected with their guests. Hotel apps can be used to update guests about hygiene and safety practices – update videos of your cleaning methods, etc. Hotels like Marriott have already started sharing information about their technological changes.
How can TechAhead help you to stand out?
TechAhead is a leading Application maintenance company. From discovery to post-launch maintenance, TechAhead is your one-stop partner for all your needs. With over 10 years years of experience, we have worked with over 500 clients. We understand the value of each app we develop and believe to make it a success. Get in touch with us and we will provide you with an incredible hotel app development experience.
TechAhead has vast technical and design expertise in developing apps for the hospitality industry. We have created apps to manage guest experience, room bookings, managing loyalty reward points, dining reservations, payments, bills management, etc.
Final Words
With the advancing technology, every hotel is now re-evaluating its practices to reduce risks and serve the clients better. Post COVID-19, people will get more careful about their travel choices and limit human touch. A hotel app here can be the core to attract guests.