Whatever it is, hotel guests want it at the touch of a button.
A study by research firm YouGov that was commissioned by ALICE, a hotel operation platform, tells us that guests’ preferred devices vary, but their core concern doesn’t – they want their hotel at their fingertips. The Hotels’ Digital Divide provide some valuable insight into how hotels can leverage the guests changing expectations with more personalized experiences and offerings.
A home away from home
The modern hotel guest really wants to experience a home away from home with relaxing, personalized, sophisticated and seamless service offers.
Guest are preferring amenities similar to their home;
- 59% wants a better Wi-Fi connection that current offered
- 38% want their preferred coffee/tea selection in-room
- 33% want their preferred toiletries in-room
- 22% wants a white noise machine
- 18% wants an option too to select their room’s layout
- 16% wants a selection of books to read at their leisure
It is important today for hotels when implementing new technology, relaxing, personalized, sophisticated and seamless service offers to put everything into a relevant context.
Don’t be tech savvy just for the purpose of being tech savvy or because ‘everyone’ is doing it. It is more important to focus on value innovation and provide technologies that can be used to elevate your hotel team’s ability to serve.
The hotel industry should welcome new innovative technology, skills, and talent but never lose sight of the core values.
Guests want room-tech, not robots
Hotels guest prefers more advanced technology, but not all tech is desired at the same level;
- 52% would be interested in touring the Hotel in AR or VR
- 56% said they did not want to interact with robots during their stay
- 43% want in-room technology that can be integrated with their personal devices
The study also discovered that the desire for in-room technology was so strong, that many guests would be willing to give up other amenities in exchange for it, including;
- 34% would give up a business center
- 27% would give up a fitness center
- 24% would give up spa
- 15% would give up room service
- 11% would give up fresh towels delivered every day
- 11% would give up later check out times
When using technology to add new high-values to the hotel experience, make it as easy as you can to help guests communicate their needs and have their requests met in a timely, effective and friendly manner.
Providing diverse experiential recommendation
New hotel technology and applications have proven very effective creative a more diversified personalized experience.
The study found that hotel guest are interested in diverse experiences such as:
- 40% want to experience food tastings/food tours of local cuisine
- 36% want to experience guided tours of the town they are visiting
- 33% want to experience a learning center to learn more about the culture/life of the city they are visiting
- 27% wants to experience spirit/wine/beer tours of local distilleries/wineries/breweries
It is important that hotels look at the big picture make sure you understand what adds the most value to the customer experience as a whole. Educate yourself about every micro-moment across all interactions with your hotel brand. Understand the customer journey, and you will position your hotel to serve the customer with cost-effective high-value solutions.
