The Emergence Of Tech-Forward Guest Apps

This is an idea whose time has come. Modern-day apps go beyond basic check-ins to help hotels understand their guest's preferences, needs and desires

- Suman Tarafdar

Apps. And more apps. Your attitude to them may well depend on the generation you belong to. For hotels, however, the choice may not quite exist. Their dependence on apps to attract future guests has increased over the years. Modern wisdom suggests hotels with apps that go beyond bookings and look at the guest experience holistically, are leading the pack in the hospitality industry. Data to this effect is being gathered as you read this. Anecdotal evidence is still divided on the human-behind-the-counter versus no human interaction. Given that the young prefer the latter, apps will be an integral part of the hospitality business in the future.

“Having a versatile application is the need of the hour,” says Arif Patel, Regional Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Hyatt India. “Strong features in the application can create a wholesome guest experience, and help bridge any gap between the user and the hotel. Apps with such features build customer loyalty, which leads to increased referrals and improved reviews on the portal — which ultimately positively impacts growth.”

“Mobile apps help provide relevant information to customers, saving them the hassle of calling or visiting different hotels to inquire about preferred room availability, products and services,” says Simran Dhaliwal, Director - Digital Marketing, Accor India and South Asia. “Guests can simply input or search their requirements such as the date, location, price, amenities and services into the app, and select from the list of hotels that best suit their needs. The experience of booking a hotel room or availing its services has never been easier.” According to Travelport Digital, 53 per cent of the millennial in 2018 said they use mobile applications to search for accommodation.