Guest facing applications make hotel guests smile
When a guest checks out, his level of satisfaction will depend mostly on how well he feels he was cared for, and not only during his stay but beforehand and afterwards as well. With guest facing applications such as mobile apps, messaging systems or questionnaire tools, a hotel can specifically influence how a guest experiences and evaluates the hotel’s services.
Clever software solutions can ease booking processes and other technicalities the modern traveler has to deal with, while at the same time keeping him happy with well-timed and relevant messaging. Guest-oriented applications like the hotel app protel Voyager take the next step: they run on the guest’s personal electronic device and allow him to more or less enter into the hotel’s data flow. This has benefits for both sides: the guest can access hotel information and service offers anywhere and anytime, whereas the hotel registers the guest’s actions and can immediately respond to his requests.
protel offers a complete suite of these custom-tailored solutions for communicating with guests. All modules are seamlessly integrated both with each other as well as with the hotel’s central management system. Manfred Osthues, managing partner of protel hotelsoftware GmbH, Dortmund, is convinced of the integrative power of the latest cloud technology: “By making clever use of the cloud modules, the information flows freely between hotels in the same chain, between the departments of a house, between individual employees and above all between hotel and guest. This way, basic data processing evolves into real communication. Under an ideal setting this creates an endless loop, a ‘Guest Journey,’ that covers all phases of interaction with a guest.”
A brief example demonstrates how a hotel might enable more fluid interaction with guests and at the same time make effective use of opportunities for up-selling and cross-selling: The guest finds a positive review of the hotel on the internet and visits the hotel website. He reserves a room using the integrated WBE (Web Booking Engine), and, while he’s about it, books a spa treatment, too. He receives his booking confirmation either via text message (“short and sweet”) or as an HTML e-mail (a longer, more detailed version). Both contain a link to the hotel app that will provide him with information on the latest offers at the hotel even before he checks in. Check-in is taken care of via QR code or iPad — no queuing required. Room service can be ordered conveniently with his mobile phone. And using the questionnaire tool integrated into the hotel app he can speak his mind even before checking out. Should it be glowing praise or harsh criticism – the hotel manager will know right away and can react immediately.