Every business is working around the clock to find the most innovative ways to survive, adapt, and overcome the latest challenges that the post-COVID world is imposing on them. We’re going to discuss the effects of COVID on the hospitality industry, how hotel guest expectations have changed post-COVID, and the things hotels can do to personalize their services to ensure each guest receives a post-COVID guest experience that exceeds their expectations.
We’re also going to mention how a hotel PMS system and self-check-in hotel software can help hospitality businesses maintain a personal touch and get ahead of their competitors.
The effects of COVID on the tourism and hospitality industry
Nowadays, hotels invest a lot of effort in finding the best ways to get their operations up and running to start gathering guests again. Since the post-COVID industry brings new challenges, there are new hospitality trends that are reshaping the industry:
● Fewer interactions and remote locations – due to the latest trend that includes minimizing the contact between guests, more and more hotels are now offering remote areas with fewer interactions. Guests are looking for solutions to limit their contact with others and still travel.
● Sustainability vs. takeaway – in the effort to innovate their engagement with guests, many hotels have introduced additional room service options to attract more in-house guests. Takeout has become a vital part of their operations, with various hotels expanding takeaway offerings to external guests.
Since guests are now more into open and remote spaces, hotels are increasingly looking for sustainable solutions to remove single-use plastic from takeaway services and help reduce the impact of their activities on the surrounding environment.
● Local inbound travel – local inbound travel is on the rise like never before. Due to restrictions, many guests started exploring their own countries, helping local hotel businesses prosper.
● Digital media presence – In the post-COVID world, investing in digital media presence has never been more critical. Modern hotel businesses must have a website, run digital campaigns and online distribution channels, and become present on social media to interact with their guests and attract new target audiences.
How have hotel guest expectations changed pre and post -COVID?
Before COVID, hotel guests were simply looking for quick sell offers to find the best deals and low-priced arrangements. Their expectations were low as there wasn’t too much to think about beyond getting a good hotel deal at the season’s peak.
However, the post-COVID hotel industry is an increasingly competitive environment with the most demanding consumers the industry has ever seen. Nowadays, guests have incredibly high expectations that have a crucial impact on hotels’ profitability.
Contradictory preferences, personalized experiences, mobile obsession, and immediate accessibility are some of the biggest challenges hotel businesses face today. Modern guests expect hotels to be quick about fulfilling their demands, anticipate their needs, make their experiences easily shareable, invest in building a long-lasting relationship with hotel brands, and access top-class hotel services wherever and whenever they want.
Guest-facing technology can help hotels enhance the post-COVID guest experience!
With more and more hotels trying to ensure their guests feel comfortable and safe, many businesses have tweaked their services to adjust their activities to new post-COVID regulations and ensure that the least contact is required.
Digital check-in and check-out are already a new standard, but it’s the guest-facing technology and self-service systems that help personalize the guest experience the most. Adopting such technologies allows hotel businesses to improve the entire customer journey and hotel experience by making it more efficient and more straightforward for guests to use their services.
On the other hand, modern technology also allows hoteliers to manage their properties better, improving the guest experience. From contactless hotel check-in capabilities to replacing restaurant menus with scannable QR codes, self-service technology can enhance every aspect of the hospitality experience and allow guests to control their experiences through the tap on a touchscreen of their mobile devices.
This includes touch less appointment bookings, in-app food ordering, delivery services, contactless payments, smart, reserved parking, remote check-in/check-out, mobile room keys, smart room service, and more.
Top post-COVID hotel technology trends in 2021
2020 left no stone unturned all across the hospitality industry with long-lasting effects on how the industry operates. However, this new era isn’t without its opportunities for hotels that embrace modern technology and adopt innovation.
Here are some of the essential post-COVID hotel technology trends to keep an eye on:
● A contactless guest journey – in the effort to make their services as safe as possible, hotels are embracing a contactless guest journey at an incredible pace. This includes online check-in/check-out options, mobile room keys, cloud-connected keyless hotel locks, cashless payment methods, instant messaging with hotel staff, etc.
● Internet of Things – IoT is an excellent solution for fully automating almost every aspect of hotel services. More importantly, it allows guests to control their experience according to their needs. IoT will enable hotels to deliver a customized, seamless experience that matches modern guests’ expectations.
● Hygiene and safety – in the post-COVID world, safety and hygiene have never been more critical. Therefore, transparent measures and maintaining constant communication about the hygiene and safety measures with guests will become vital for delivering a top-quality guest experience.
● Seamless integrations – since modern technology is moving rapidly, modern hotels face a considerable challenge that involves managing the latest hotel PMS systems, self-check-in software solutions, and the other myriad of solutions. Since hotel automation is crucial to providing a seamless guest experience, integrations are vital in keeping hotel guests satisfied.
How a hotel PMS system can help hotels enhance their services
A hotel property management system is a comprehensive cloud-based online hotel software solution that allows hotel businesses to manage their activities, such as travel agents, guest feedback and history, check-in and check-out options, reservations, and more, through a single dashboard.
A hotel PMS system is an excellent tool for automating a hotel’s day-to-day operations online. It also provides a few benefits for hotels:
● A PMS system saves time and enhances the guest experience by allowing hotel management to focus on their operations and vital hotel services.
● The software is fully customizable and allows the user to configure the system according to their specific needs and create informative and actionable reports.
● The system has a built-in credit card processor and allows hotel management to handle multiple payment gateways with ease.
● A hotel PMS system also allows the user to access their property operations anytime, anywhere.
● Self-check-in hotel software allows guests to interact with a hotel in a non-verbal, immediate, clear, and touchless manner, increasing guest satisfaction. The software also includes easy ordering, flexible promotions, personalized service recommendations, and more.
Conclusion
It will take some time before the travel industry finds its balance again. However, hotels shouldn’t leave anything to chance. It’s better to be prepared and rely on modern technology to gather data and make smart decisions to get through these troubling times.
A good start is to invest in a hotel PMS system that allows hotel businesses to automate many of their vital operations and ensure their guests receive the service they deserve. With that in mind, myCloud enables you to try a free demo today to see just how valuable cloud-based software can be. Schedule an online demo and see how this software can help your hotel business.
About The Author
Deepak Chauhan
Deepak Chauhan is responsible for marketing and positioning of “mycloud” platform and is a veteran in the hotel software industry with over 25 years’ experience giving him a strong understanding of the product requirements in the industry. He has very rare mix of working in operations of various hotels and chains for over 10 years and then co-founding a software product and service company, servicing 5 star hotels and chains for 14 years.
Deepak has led the development and marketing of cloud based hospitality systems to meet the specific, business objectives of small and mid-size properties across the globe and has worked closely with a diverse group of hoteliers and hotel technology vendors.
