Technology has been driving CX in the hospitality sector – here’s how
The past couple of years has been significant in terms of the near-ubiquitous technological leap that industries like hospitality and retail took in order to manage the effects of the pandemic. Mitigating and optimizing on the go, hotels have had to learn, train, and incorporate elements of technology into their everyday operations. While some chains like Hilton have been adopting innovative tech-first business models much before the pandemic, this era certainly posed new and exciting challenges for smaller players in the hospitality segment.
Here are four technology advancements that have been helping improve customer experiences and operational efficiency in the hospitality business:
Cloud for technology infrastructure
Basing the technology infrastructure of a hotel on the cloud saves not just effort but significant time and cost. The cloud also makes it easy to accommodate growth and scale with the needs of the organizations. Finding a cloud expert who has a background of working, especially in the hospitality industry, can greatly help with identifying the best fit for the particular hotel, leading to optimized results.
Contactless connections
Along with payment, there are a bunch of other points of interaction that went contactless last year. Contactless check-ins, for instance, allow check-in formalities to be completed over a mobile application. There is also the case of using bots to assist at the front desk so that the best information can be delivered in no time. Again, an interesting point about these points of contactless connections has been that they free up time for members of the staff to engage the guests in meaningful interactions that go beyond mechanical form fills or data gathering.
Improved mobile communications
It has become imperative for hotels bring the best of their information to communicate with their customers via text and other chatting platforms. Personalization on the front has also gained much attention since the sheer amount of data flowing through cloud applications make it easy to paint a clearer picture of the customer. Considering that mobile devices are the most preferred devices, it is also important to optimize all web communication for improved efficiency.
Cybersecurity
With everything moving online, businesses are expected to make sure that the customer data does not come under the risk of being lost, hacked, or otherwise misused. Ensuring data security is a tremendous factor in the trust-building process for businesses today. Following best practices and transparency in the field is extremely important.
Final thoughts
The adoption of these technologies, along with IoT, voice control, and the like, are enhancing the complete experience surrounding the guest's stay at a hotel. It is, however, important to keep in mind that technology should empower the existing pro team handling the hotel operations with the right training and introduction to these additions. Otherwise, this might lead to a further rift between possibilities and realities in the management of the establishment.
