The shift towards contactless technology in hospitality
The shift towards a contactless era is fast spreading owing to COVID-19. Hotels around the world are scrambling to introduce technology-led solutions to be competitive and relevant with the ‘new normal’. The charge towards providing or delivering a contactless experience is led by the ‘big guns’ in the hospitality industry.
Hotels over the years map their customers’ journey to see how staff can engage and interact with guests to both enhance their stay and create that ‘wow’ factor when attending to their guests. This requires hotels to map the customer journey from the 1st moment the customer sees its website and makes contact with the hotel, till way after their stay at the hotel. A typical customer journey begins with: 1). the idea to travel. 2). Do some research. 3). Decide, book and buy. 4).Stay at the hotel. 5).Post-stay activity.
This is a crucial exercise that enables the hotel to establish what stages the customer goes through during his / her stay and to build a strong customer relationship based upon what the customer experiences during the stay – by engaging with them at various ‘touch-points’, encountered during every stage. In essence, it is a walk in customers’ shoes that can result in showing where the opportunities to improve communications with the customers, exists. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Hotels are now reviewing all those multiple touchpoints between staff and guests in their customer journey to map out areas where ‘contactless’ technology can be introduced to minimise or eliminate ‘person-to-person’ exposure.
Imagine booking a suitable suite or room, paying for it before you even go to the hotel, then check-in, upon arriving at the hotel lobby, find your way to the allocated accommodation via the stairways or elevator, unlock your room door with the hotel’s app on your smartphone, use Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa to find out where the nearest shopping mall is, maybe order some food and drink to the room or have housekeeping send you the extra pillow…without meeting any member of the hotel staff right up until then.
And when it’s time to check-out you can do that online. Want to make some constructive criticism of some things you disliked during your stay or compliment the hotel for an enjoyable visit? You can provide that feedback contactless too. Now isn’t that the perfect contactless experiences the new generation of young travelers desire - at the best price for a frictionless and hassle-free journey?
In marketing, the hottest topic during these heady times has been ‘Digital transformation’. And yet, many hotels struggle to break down their internal ‘silos’, create emotionally meaningful experiences, and deliver high level results. Most often ‘failure’ to do, is attributed to the available technology and the processes as the villains. What if it’s the people behind the hotel’s marketing efforts - which lack the talent and creativity?
Let’s however leave that debate for another day.
Ilzaf Keefahs is a freelance writer who enjoys focusing on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike. He delves into the heart of hospitality to figure out both customer service and consumer trends that impact the industry.
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