Hotel technology remains an investment priority this year, with a nod to solutions that help drive guest and employee loyalty. According to the 2024 Lodging Technology Study, 100% of survey respondents (hotel professionals representing more than 10,000 properties worldwide, including luxury, upscale, midscale, and economy brands) say their IT budgets will increase or hold steady this year. Maestro PMS, the leader in All-In-One cloud hosted, private cloud and on-premises property-management systems for independent hotels and luxury resorts, is predicting the largest investments will be in technologies that integrate with the hotel PMS to create more convenient and personalized stays for guests and make operations more efficient for associates.
“Hoteliers are telling us they are looking for newer ways to increase loyalty among guests and employees this year,” said Warren Dehan, Maestro President. “Mobile tools, such as check-in/out, digital room keys, digital concierge services, workflow automation, digital payments, and even robotics are positively impacting loyalty in many ways. That’s why at Maestro PMS, we are continually enhancing our solutions to remove friction along the guest journey and empower staff to act and be rewarded for jobs well done. From enhanced payment security and a fully rewritten AI-powered booking engine to an AI chat concierge and robotic process information, Maestro PMS is driving innovation and taking loyalty to new heights.”
Embedded Payments
Digital payments are trending and transforming the way guests are engaging with services and settling transactions. As the hospitality industry migrates to a digital environment, embedded payment technology – or integrating payment processing capabilities directly into various devices or systems, such as the PMS, mobile apps, or self-service kiosks – will enable seamless and convenient payment experiences for guests.
The benefits of embedded payments include:
- Eliminate third-party overhead and fees
- Simpler transaction workflow with modern payment terminals
- PCI compliance tool with Data Breach Protection included
- Access Payments Dashboard inside Maestro
- Daily emailed Reconciliation Reports
- Direct Support from Maestro (single vendor support)
“Maestro will be introducing an embedded payments solution in Q2 that simplifies implementation, takes Maestro out of payment card industry (PCI) compliance scope, and moves payments support directly to the Maestro team,” Dehan said. “We believe this new solution will enable our clients to thrive in a competitive market landscape.”
AI-Powered Chatbots & Booking Engine
AI is poised to revolutionize the hotel booking engine process, offering enhanced personalization, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Firstly, AI-powered algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, including user preferences, booking history, and market trends, to provide tailored recommendations and customized experiences for guests. This level of personalization not only improves user satisfaction and loyalty, but it increases conversion rates and revenue for hotels.
AI algorithms can optimize pricing strategies dynamically based on factors such as demand fluctuations, competitor pricing, and historical data analysis, ensuring hotels maximize profitability while remaining competitive in the market. Furthermore, AI can facilitate predictive analytics to forecast demand patterns accurately, allowing hotels to allocate resources efficiently and optimize inventory management. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of overbooking or underutilization of rooms, ultimately improving revenue management and operational efficiency.
“Maestro PMS is developing an AI-driven chatbot that can can streamline the booking process by providing instant responses to inquiries, assisting with reservations, and addressing customer concerns in real-time, thus enhancing efficiency and reducing operational costs,” Dehan said. “We are also developing AI integration into the hotel booking engine process to elevate customer experiences, optimize operations, and drive revenue growth, positioning hotels for success in an increasingly competitive industry landscape.”
Overall, an AI-powered booking engine will revolutionize hotel transactions by offering personalized experiences, optimizing pricing strategies, streamlining operations, and enhancing customer service, ultimately driving revenue growth and competitive advantage in the travel industry. For example, the new version of the Maestro PMS booking engine can make suggestions on room selection or upsell amenities based on type of room, length of stay, and the types of amenities and experiences guests prefer.
Mobile Housekeeping, Theme Gift Cards and More . . .
As part of its 2024 roadmap, Maestro PMS will also announce new mobile tools for housekeeping designed to improve the employee experience and boost loyalty in this labor-intensive department. Enhancements to its popular digital gift card program will also be revealed, including offering new “themed” options that enable hotels to customize gift card designs by holiday, promotion, or location. Selling gift cards, both on property and using Maestro’s online gift card feature, redeemable for hotel stays and amenities is a viable way to drive millions of dollars in untapped revenues without impacting service.
Enhancement details will be discussed at Maestro’s Accelerate User Conference, to be held April 15 to 18 at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto. Gold sponsors of the annual conference include integration partners Silverware (point of sale), PurpleCloud Technologies (team and service optimization), and Fetch (guest messaging and engagement). Maestro PMS users can register for the event by clicking here.
