HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW

January FOCUS: Mobile Technology

 
January, 2021

Mobile Technology: Hotel Apps Lead the Way

Despite the overwhelming adversity the hospitality industry faced in 2020, there is reason to hope for a significant rebound in 2021. The promise of vaccines and robust consumer demand should be major factors in leading the way, but hotels will have to adapt to the conditions of the New Normal to ensure the health, safety and comfort of their guests and staff. At the forefront of these strategies are hotel apps. A mobile app is an essential technology at every phase of the guest experience - pre-arrival, arrival, in-room, food & beverage, amenities and departure. The goal is to make guest interactions as touch-free as possible and the app can be used to facilitate communication, reduce physical touch points, provide social distancing measures, and implement safety regulations. The app can also be used to track employee movements for exposure tracing purposes. The January Hotel Business Review will report on how some hotels are using mobile apps to offer guests and employees a superior experience and a sense of safety and protection


This month's feature articles...

Ajay Aluri

The pandemic has now set a new standard of expectations for all guests and for every hotel scale. Additionally, the pandemic has caused digital technology adoption to advance at lightning pace; what formerly took years to adopt is happening in months. This, in turn, will set more and higher expectations for the hotel industry as we settle into the "new normal." READ MORE

Michael Blake

Technology has always driven the hospitality industry with the demand to stay up-to-date on replicating a guest's normal day-to-day life while they are away from home. Given today's world, it's more important than ever for us to shine light on mobile technology that will aid in reducing physical touchpoints and maintaining social distancing measures for guests to stay safe and healthy while traveling. READ MORE

David Abraham

The new remote work era has arrived. Since summer 2020, many companies from Facebook, to Fujitsu and Siemens made remote work policies permanent. In the process, they created a new type of traveler: Anywhere Workers. Those untethered from their offices -- will make up a huge potential segment in the hospitality industry. David Abraham who has developed and run Outpost, a remote worker concept in Asia, will examine this new and growing segment of hospitality industry. READ MORE

Scott  Watson

Industry-specific mobile applications are transforming the way hoteliers manage property portfolios and day-to-day operations. Apps, alerts and mobile communications offer hoteliers remote and secure access to key business data, allowing them to work from anywhere while staying connected in real time. Making back office technology available through mobile devices, hoteliers can save valuable time and boost bottom lines through streamlined operations and powerful data management READ MORE

James Lefcakis

Mobile apps were an exciting option in guest communication for hotels until the low probably of guests keeping the apps on their phone began to hinder the efforts of small to mid-sized hotel brands. In this article we go over some successful alternatives for mobile guest services and the infrastructure that needs to be in place to properly support them. READ MORE

Frank  Vertolli

Smartphones have forever altered, mostly improved, many aspects of our everyday lives, and the travel experience is no exception. From planning and booking through check-in and on property experience, to social sharing, mobile represents a key touch point with our guests that enable connection and hospitality in new and evolving ways. READ MORE

Darren Winterford

The current post-COVID climate has enabled microlearning to adapt the way we conduct employee training and make it more effective and accessible than ever before. This breaking down of information into topical, bite-sized chunks means education becomes much easier to digest, knowledge retention is significantly increased, and hospitality employees can access training from their mobile phone in their native language. READ MORE

Ted  Horner

Does your hotel have the technology in place to capitalize on the trend? Or are you at risk of being left behind? Across industries, around the world, businesses are rapidly adapting to the emergence of new consumer expectations, which are influenced by the mobile evolution. Guests today demand a mobile experience that follows them throughout their entire journey, effectively transforming every touchpoint along the way with enhanced convenience, service, and personalization. READ MORE

Amy Draheim

Just when you wrapped your head around Instagram Stories, IGTV came out. Then came TikTok. Instagram Reels. Now, even LinkedIn is prioritizing mobile-friendly video content on their platform. Short form, video storytelling is the new social media frontier. Simply put, videos create impact that static images cannot. If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is worth a million. This article is a comprehensive and practical guide to getting started. Adapt now, or get left behind. READ MORE

Tim Peter

We expect to see some light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel in 2021. Mobile will play a key role in leading you into the light. Mobile represents the primary way guests interact with content and experiences online, even when sitting on their couch. Here's how you can take advantage of mobile to fuel your recovery. READ MORE

Norm Rose

For the hotel industry, mobile app development has always presented a paradox, especially for smaller chains and properties. Why would a traveler download my hotel's app if they are only staying for a single visit? Covid-19 has signaled a dramatic change in this approach: Mobile apps are now necessary for touchless check-in, check out and all communication with the hotel during the pandemic. Is this a permanent change? READ MORE

Joe Schwinger

2020 forced the event industry to innovate and acclimate to a new way of doing things, and revealed new growth opportunities. On November 9, 2020, Marriott International kicked off Connect with Confidence, a hybrid event with both attendees on property and virtual attendees around the country. The event was not only a showcase for COVID-era safety and hybrid event technology - it was a model for the future of the industry. READ MORE

Coming up in March 1970...