Not so long ago, all the hotels had the same checking procedures, the same TV channels, and delivered the same experience in general. However, it couldn't last forever and the age of digital technologies introduced new standards of service. People are looking for customization and automated solutions. One-third of all hotel guests in the world are millennials, and experts predict that they will make up over 50% of clients in two years. They want to make reservations from their smartphones, they are looking for a stable network and convenient minimalistic design. The hospitality industry as we know it is going to change forever, and if you want your business to withstand these changes, you need to catch up with the latest trends.
It's impossible to ignore the latest hi-tech solutions when you want to please your customers. For example, AI technologies conquer more and more industries every day. We still cannot relax and drink cocktails while AI is searching for a hotel and making reservations, but artificial intelligence is a new technology which has proven to be promising. Hotels that don't want to lag behind have already started using it.
A great example is Hilton Worldwide. This company introduced an AI-driven concierge in 2016. They called this robot Connie. It's based on a powerful IBM computer Watson. Connie can help visitors in many ways, describing features of the hotel, making dinner recommendations, and suggesting attractions. It greets guests, answers questions, and constantly learns. The more it interacts with the customers, the smarter it becomes, and the more useful its suggestions.
Jonathan Wilson, vice president of Hilton Worldwide says that their team is "focused on reimagining the entire travel experience to make it smarter, easier and more enjoyable for guests." Rob High from IBM notes: "This project with Hilton and WayBlazer represents an important shift in human-machine interaction, enabled by the embodiment of Watson's cognitive computing. Watson helps Connie understand and respond naturally to the needs and interests of Hilton's guests — which is an experience that's particularly powerful in a hospitality setting, where it can lead to deeper guest engagement." If now you can talk to the AI concierge, what else should we expect from the hospitality industry in the nearest future?
Today's hotels are focusing on customization, local experiences, and inspiration. Modern travelers put these factors above all, and the hospitality industry changes to meet their expectations. New technical solutions not only allow hotels to attract more guests but also create a completely new, memorable and genuine experience.
Original Article - https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4089375.html
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Repeat business is one of the best ways to help your company grow. You want customers who will return for future needs, while also sharing their finds and experiences with their friends. Word of mouth is free and effective advertisement. But how do you manage that? How can technology help to keep your customers coming back?
It’s All About the Engagement
Your customers need to feel like they’re important to you and that means engagement. They need to feel like you value their time and money spent in your store or place of business; that they are all that matters to you every step of the way.
Technology is one of the most powerful ways to engage with your customers and make them feel wanted. With pagers, you make it easier for your customers to get in touch and stay up to date. They can get one of the waiting staff to see to them right away, without looking around for someone. When they need an update on timings for open bowling lanes or for golf club rental, a pager allows them to wander around but still remain up to date.
This level of engagement gives them the positive feeling of the business. They don’t have to sit around while they wait for their turn, so they feel like they’re having more fun throughout the experience.
Surprise them with Technology
Another way to keep your customers returning is through surprises. Make their first visit something they never expected. Pagers certainly do that. This sort of technology won’t be something your customers expect, especially out of a restaurant setting. They don’t expect to get a device that keeps them informed and makes it easier to get in touch with someone within the building.
This is a good surprise, as they now know they can enjoy their time on your premises more. They get the chance to explore, go to the bar, or even go to the arcade with their children. They’re not trying to keep their children sat down while they wait for a free bowling alley or a table because they need to keep an eye on reception or for their name to be called.
Make It Easy for Customers to Get in Touch
While after their experience, customers will want to get in touch, you also want to make it easier for them to get in touch during their visit. This is where the engagement comes into play and will help to keep them coming back. When there’s a problem, you want to make it easy to rectify it there and then.
If your customers are looking around for a member of staff due to the wrong dish served, an issue with the bowling alley, or a missing item, then they’re less likely to get in touch there and then. They won’t waste their time looking out for someone who has other tables to wait or other jobs to do. The minute they realize there’s nobody free, they decide not to say anything and take their complaints online. After all, they don’t feel valued.
When you use PagerGenius technology, you open the communication both ways. With a press of the button, a member of staff is alerted that a customer needs something. The customer doesn’t have to look around and hope they catch a staff member’s eye. They sit back and enjoy the rest of the meal or event until someone comes over to them.
This type of engagement helps to avoid issues afterwards. Your customers can go online to say how their complaints and issues were resolved while they were there. They know you care about them when there is an issue, so they return another time.
Engage Afterwards
The use of technology can also make it possible to get email addresses for future conversations. You can send vouchers and deals direct to your customers, opening the chance that they will return in the future. When people are given the choice, they’re more likely to keep that communication open, especially after a positive experience.
People aren’t likely to remember you right away. Assume that they’ll forget and keep the conversation open to show that they were a valued customer. This encourages them to return and makes them feel wanted.
Technology is your best friend when it comes to keeping customers coming back. You want to open the channels of communication and improve engagement with your customers, giving them the positive experience they need to want to return.
Enhancing Your Customer Experience with Technology
Technology is here to stay. Instead of shying away from it, you need to embrace it when it comes to your business. Technology can help to enhance customer experience within a business, as long as it’s used in the right way. You can get in touch via social media, use pagers to communicate with your customers, and take advantage of growing marketing opportunities. Here’s how technology will improve your customer service.
Get in Touch with Customers Quickly
One thing that many customers complain about is the lack of updates or communication. Being busy isn’t an excuse. The lack of communication leads to people feeling like they’re not worthy of your time or valued enough. You need to boost guest management by getting in touch quickly, whether they’ve asked a question, left a complaint, or shared their positive experience.
You can use technology to add bot responses to the most common questions and messages. One of the best is just letting people know that you’ve received their message and are working on a response. At least consider out of the office responses!
With a wireless calling system from PagerGenius.com your guests will get messages sent directly to them, no matter where they are. There’s no need for them to go looking for someone when in an establishment.
Allow Guests Freedom
PagerGenius.com now has a customer to server pager system can also help improve the customer experience. You’re able to get messages directly to specific guests when you need without them being close by. This is one of the most popular ways for guests to roam freely without feeling like they’ll miss out on anything. It’s a popular option in the restaurant business, as guests can sit in comfort in the bar or step outside for some fresh air while waiting for a table.
You can build on this in other parts of the business. A wireless calling system will allow golfers to spend time out on the course but be alerted if they’re needed for anything inside. When guests are waiting for lanes to become available in the bowling alley, they can spend time in the arcade or in the restaurant instead of sitting and just waiting.
When customers have more fun at the start of their event, they find it easier to relax and enjoy the rest of the day or night. They’re not waiting around for hours and don’t feel like they’ve been forgotten about or ignored. This instantly boosts their perception of you as a business, so they’re more likely to recommend you in the future.
Customers can Easily Get in Touch
One of the worst things for customers in large establishments is feeling out of place. They don’t feel valued or can struggle to get the answer to what seems like a simple question. Technology helps with that and will instantly boost the customer service.
A customer to server pager system makes it much easier for customers to get in touch with you. It’s possible for them to send alerts to your pager, making it clear to you that something is needed. Think of it as a little like a call button on an airplane. There’s no need for someone to get out of their chair or go searching around the whole bowling alley looking for a specific person. They don’t have to look around and catch the eye of someone.
This is also a positive part of guest management for the building. Without customers wandering around looking for someone, you’ll know where they are and make sure certain parts of your business remain only for employees.
This all goes back to making your customer feel relaxed. If they enjoy their time in a place, they’re more likely to give bigger tips to their server and become repeat customers for your business.
Update Latest Prices and Deals
A wireless calling system can also work in your customer’s favor by reducing prices. If you have a current deal suddenly appearing, while the customer is on the premises, you can send out a quick update. Your customers are more likely to buy while they are already there. Your profits go up, because they can buy extra to make the most of the deal or buy something they weren’t originally going to pick up.
Can’t you just use a speaker in the business for that? Most people will drown out the sounds from speaker systems. They’re just so used to hearing music. Plus, more often than not, the speaker systems aren’t that clear. People miss the offers because they didn’t hear them. When you have a pager system that pushes the information, you can make sure they get the latest deals and prices straight to their hands.
This can also work for alerts on closing hours or limits on items left. You can send out alerts on how long they’ll have to wait for a table or bowling lane. It’s possible to send out information on event opening times or other events that they may be interested in, while the customer is currently in the mood or frame of mind.
You customers will feel more at ease when in your place of business. They are more appreciative of the extra steps taken to improve customer service.
It’s Time to Make the Most of Technology
Technology will help to improve customer service and guest management if you use it in the right way. A wireless calling system can be one of the most beneficial options for all types of business. Whether you’re in the restaurant business, a hotel business, or you’re running a bowling alley, consider setting up a customer to server pager system to keep your current guests informed and easily open all channels of communication.
Relaxed guests will share about their experience on social media. They can take pictures while there of the food or the views they get from the golf course. They’ll share their experiences with friends, which builds a better customer base and quickly spreads the word about your business. Contact the experts at PagerGenius.com today and let us help you find