The year 2018 is just a few weeks old but it has brought in a lot of exciting changes to the hospitality industry. From 2016 technology was playing a big role in the way guests interacted with businesses; they were not content with simply having an experience, they wanted to share it with their followers online. Below are exciting trends to expect in hospitality this 2018.
Internet of Things (IoT) Integration
The contribution of technology and its attendant innovations means that more and more devices get connected to the Internet of Things (IoT). Therefore it makes sense that the hospitality industry begins to deploy that data to improve customer experience. Having the data makes it easier to know what guests like and avoid pitfalls. After all, the more they know about their guests, the better they can please them. If the collated data tells them the customer has visited their resort every year for the last three years, the resort can automatically send a message proactively asking the guest if they’d like to make another booking this year. You just saved your customer a step—and guaranteed a booked room—without ever lifting a finger. The same principle comes into play when utilizing information about dietary choices, tours, and in-room amenities and this creates endless opportunities for up-sells and better customer experience.
Big Data
As the point above shows, data is going to play a huge part in the new era of hospitality and tourism helping hotels, restaurants get insight into their customers’ behavior. AirBnB is a prime example using customer data to determine that guests who chose not to book were doing so because they were put off by hosts who failed to respond to their inquiries. By offering an instant booking feature to guarantee their reservation, they helped alleviate many of the customers’ concerns and helped automate what had previously been an incredibly stressful part of their business model. Data gave them an insight in what was not working in their business model and how to resolve it. It didn’t just improve customer experience, it improved the bottom line, as well.
Reputation is The Name of The Game
Now more than ever reputation is a dicey ball game; hard to build and easy to destroy. The fact that guests can book instantly also means they can share their opinions instantly via Facebook and other travel review websites. Smart hotels and restaurants can use technology to focus even more on providing quality customer service. But there is no doubt the trend is now in favour of the customers – moving towards better service for guests—not just a better return for operators.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is all the rage now and it is not limited to the world of video games anymore. Virtual reality has expanded to destinations. Whether it’s a hotel property, museum, or a tourist destination, guests can now take a look without even leaving the comfort of their living room through the power of virtual reality. The bottom line goal is either to offer a preview of what guests will experience—or offer the next-best-thing to visiting at all. (For instance, would you rather pay $4,000 to visit Paris in real life, or $200 to take the same trip in a virtual world?) This isn’t mainstream yet, but some major operators are offering guests the chance to experience at least a taste of their travel experience—offering greater piece of mind especially to those planning a visit to a faraway destination. Destinations like the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MOMA) are already offering Virtual Reality installations as part of their exhibits.
The common thread in these trends is technology as it is a daily part of our lives. It’s becoming a brave new world in the hospitality business!
