It’s 2017 and it has become obvious that accommodation properties have to meet new demands coming from modern, connected and tech-savvy travellers. No longer is managing inventories, bookings and rates the main goal of hoteliers. In a rapidly changing online and mobile environment, the challenge is now to use modern digital channels that allow for new upsell and engagement strategies. Thankfully, cloud hotel software comes to the rescue with new build-in functionality and guest-facing features.
Mobile front desk
One of the main benefits hotels see when employing a cloud PMS software is mobility. Reception is no longer the lonely island where guests must go to if they want to be attended by staff. Thanks to the SaaS delivery model, the software can be run on any device, anywhere in the property, thus letting the front desk officers to approach guests everywhere in the property and communicate with other departments if this is needed to complete a service request. As a result check-in, check out, invoicing, upgrades and any front-desk-specific task can be performed away from the physical reception desk but closer to the customer. This also saves time and lets employees be much more productive by switching roles on the go.
Digital guest engagement
Not so long ago, before cloud hotel software kicked off, the relationship between guests and hotels was limited mostly to in-house face-to-face interactions. Modern hotel systems completely break this pattern. With a versatile cloud PMS that incorporates guest-facing functionality, the active two-way relationship between travellers and hospitality businesses can flourish and lead to increased revenue, loyalty, brand advocacy and repeat visits. What is more, the time to work on such fruitful relationship is largely extended as it starts with the moment of booking and ends long after departure or never.
To achieve the mentioned results the hotel can automate the sending of regular emails with useful content and some sales offers. A hotel app boosts the experience even more as it lets guests book and buy extra offers received via email, send requests to the hotel, check-in or checkout online, pay securely and even draw an invoice. A virtual concierge is like a digital guide that tells customers more about the property and its amenities or what’s hot and new in the area. A digital room service within the hotel system means that guests can order food from their mobile devices and have it charged to their room folio with a few clicks.
Humanity remains untouched
Hospitality is a service industry and where there are services, human touch can never be ignored. The digital services in a cloud hotel software are designed to drive engagement but it’s all about how they make guests feel. Having data from different channels synchronized into one single database enabled service personalization. Keeping guest details updated allows for email recognition in the web booking engine and the hotel self-service app , room number or service suggestions based on previous stay, tracking of purchase behaviour and sending of personal offer that match the guest’s preferences. All these are digitally delivered personal messages that give the feeling of being known and recognized as a valuable customer.
About Clock Software
Clock Software is a global provider of cloud-based property management systems (PMS), integrated online distribution, online & kiosk hotel self check-in solutions and mobile & in-room guest engagement systems with customers in more than 65 countries.
