Reduce Customer Friction and Elevate Guest Experience In Hotels This 2022

Dealing with customer friction in the world of technology is difficult. With mobile check-in and –out, personalization, and several strategic mobile touchpoints around the property, your hotel’s technology is cutting-edge. You have a website and a mobile app, and guests can make reservations directly with you.

With mobile check-in and –out, personalization, and several strategic mobile touchpoints around the property, your hotel’s technology is cutting-edge. You have a website and a mobile app, and guests can make reservations directly with you.

So, why aren’t they making reservations on the spot? Why aren’t many of your previous customers returning? Your customers may be experiencing too much friction.

What is customer friction?

When a problem, or a sequence of minor issues, negatively influences the customer experience as a whole, this is known as customer friction. Customer friction does not have to be related to technology—waiting in a long line is a sort of customer friction—but technology is especially prone to it (think broken links, sites crashing). Consumers buy almost everything online these days, from airline tickets to bedroom furniture, and a bad experience with one site can quickly lead them to another.

The good news is that by using technology like our software to improve the guest experience, you’ve already removed a lot of friction, or “customer pain points,” from the travel lodging process.

“All of this is now possible and simplified by smartphone-based applications and technology, whether it’s browsing for a hotel room, booking one, selecting a certain room layout, opening the door to your room with your smartphone, checking out, or providing feedback on your stay. It’s there at your fingertips, and it’s an excellent way to eliminate friction.”

Elevate Customer Service: Put the Customer First

So, what can you do as a hotelier about it? One technique is to ask yourself, “What will make my customers’ experience as simple and faultless as possible?” Of course, the best method is to gather data directly from customers, inquiring about any issues they may have had and any improvements they would want to see. Focusing on technology or the hotel’s goals, begin with the guest and strive to understand the experience from their perspective.

Customer experience data is difficult to obtain, but the payback in terms of customer satisfaction and repeat business and the chance of more positive internet reviews can be enormous. While some may be concerned that research and data collection may be intrusive to customers, a 2015 Forrester poll indicated that more than half of passengers are prepared to volunteer personal information in exchange for improved service or rewards.

5 Ways to Improve Hotel Guest Satisfaction Through Text Messaging (Hotel Technology)

When running a hotel, excellent customer service is critical. When you employ text messaging, you give your hotel guests a handy way to contact you.

When it comes to running a hotel, guest satisfaction is a top priority. The most efficient way to increase contact with hotel guests is to text them. Many hotel guests prefer to communicate by text, which you may take advantage of. You can offer customers exclusive deals or last-minute upgrades when your hotel has available rooms. Overall revenue will increase because of text messaging, and customers will have a better experience.

1. Make special offers to hotel guests.

If you’re using text messaging to reach out to hotel guests, create promotions that are only available to those who have signed up to receive messages from your hotel. Consider how a current guest at your hotel may benefit from an upgrade, then send an SMS to those staying in a standard room offering a discount on an upgrade. If you use the proper technologies, you may reach the ideal guests in your hotel.

2. Text Messages Can Be Used To Confirm Reservations

Sending a simple text message to a hotel client to confirm their reservation provides them peace of mind. You can also send a message the day before your visitor arrives, asking when they plan to arrive so that you can be ready to give additional services. In addition, if a guest makes a reservation at your restaurant or spa, they will receive a short text confirming their reservation. You can also send your guest a text reminder to let them know their reservation is coming.

3. Share What’s Going on at Your Hotel or in the Neighborhood Hotel 

Guests may be interested in learning about future events at your hotel or fun things to do in the area. If you have booked events for the week, you can send a text message to your guests to let them know what’s going on. If you learn of something intriguing to do in town, inform your guests if you believe they will be interested.

4. Use text messaging to place room service orders.

Set up text messaging for room service at your hotel so that clients may order food by text. This simplifies ordering and sends a text message to confirm the order. You can send an additional text while the order is delivered to the room. Some customers prefer to order via text rather than by phone. This is a straightforward method for improving the efficiency of your room service system. 

5. Customer feedback is important.

To receive user input from your guests and make it easy to contribute information on their stay, you may send out a survey via text messaging. Customers may easily submit a survey if they receive a text message while waiting at the airport. If you get a bad review, your hotel’s management will be able to rectify the situation quickly. You might ask the customer to submit a review online if they are highly delighted.

Next Generation Trend: Technology in Hospitality Industry

Excellent customer service is a major requirement in managing a hotel. When you employ text messaging, you give your hotel guests a handy way to contact you. Customers can receive text messages with limited-time deals, accommodation upgrades, and event information. You’ll be able to build a link with your customers, which will increase their satisfaction and loyalty.

In previous generations, customer dissatisfaction was caused by missed bookings or receiving a busy signal when making a request. Many seeming problems have been solved thanks to technology; today’s difficulty is to make appropriate use of that technology.

Is it possible that your app or website anticipates people sending an email rather than visiting the site directly? Is your user interface user-friendly, allowing customers to quickly find the information and links they need? Is it required for customers to re-enter information from previous trips, such as room selections and special requests, or data from the same transaction, such as addresses and payment information? Do you have a lot of problems with your website’s technical aspects? Your clients are most likely experiencing friction if you replied “yes” or “I don’t know” to any of these questions.

It’s fantastic to include technology in the customer experience, but that’s just half the story. To complete it, hotels must view the process through the eyes of their guests, get customer input, and keep the process up to date. The rewards, as well as the loyalty, will almost certainly follow.