Mobile Usage is Changing the Hotel Industry
As technology has shrunk the world, the hotel and travel industry seem to grow in an endless upward trend. The two industries are intertwined as companies search for the best hotel management software to field the ever-increasing amount of travel inquiries. For example, more than 50% of people say that they use their mobile device to search for travel-related information.
The result of this up-tick in mobile device usage has changed the way hotel software systems should function. Now, companies are more likely to engage in mobile advertising, use mobile-friendly web design, and cater to an audience that uses only mobile devices. As such, finding the best hotel management software matters enormously.
Good hotel technology can go a long way. Customer satisfaction is the driving force in almost any client-facing industry (secondary to making money, of course), and hospitality is no different. According to a Harris Interactive poll, 86% of consumers polled in 2011 said that a poor customer service experience inspired them to quit doing business with a company altogether. Similarly, an estimated 96% of consumers will actively be disloyal to a company if they felt like a “high” effort level was needed to do business together (according to CEB). This matters extra in the travel industry, where about 75% of travelers say they plan to visit a place they’ve already visited — repeat business is great business.
People travel. More than three out of four people are planning at least one weekend getaway this year, and many are planning a lot more than that. For hoteliers, they are the opportunity. Knowing that billions upon billions of dollars are spent on travel every month, finding the best hotel management software is a small step for these companies to stay competitive. These days, hotels compete more and more with couch-surfing websites or AirBnB, so having a way to retain customers is more than just necessary.
An additional aspect is that finding an inexpensive software can cut costs for a hotel, allowing them to compete in the era of discount-deals at every corner. Young people tend to believe that cost is more of a barrier to travel than older people, but young people tend to have less money, so that makes sense. However, regardless of who they are and where they’ve come from, tracking them and retaining them is why hotel management software helps.