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If hotels want to succeed in a digital economy, hotel managers and marketers will need to embrace the key principles of e-commerce and apply them to their hotel websites. These principles include user experience, conversion triggers, and the travelers’ booking journey.

One of the first major principles of e-commerce for hotel websites is perfecting the user experience. This isn’t just about having a pretty website—it’s about how the user utilizes and interacts with your website.

Mobile bookings have increased tremendously in the last few years, making it crucial to have a mobile-friendly website and booking engine.

Since millennials are helping to steer technology trends, hotels are increasingly adopting technologies to differentiate themselves, attract loyal customers, and increase revenue.

some hotels are offering free Wi-Fi, beacons and digital signage technologies as a way to communicate with guests through smartphones, tablets and screens.

beacon technology, used in tandem with other technologies, can improve the guest experience and the hotel's bottom line.

McDonald’s noticed a juicy opportunity to upgrade their drive-thru technology, which drives 70% of their business, and swiftly bought the group that makes the AI software.

Golden Arched giant and its franchisees to increase average check, cash flow and quickness of service.

Self-service kiosks are also making their way into the spotlight and have been warmly welcomed by customers everywhere.  The most attractive aspect is that new cloud-based POS systems are able to be updated with a press of a button, and no restaurant downtime.

the top hotel tech trends for 2016

1. New Security Measures

It’s past time for a change, and 2016 will (hopefully) mark a new initiative in the industry: innovative tech security.

Most of my clients asked me this question before, “What differentiates a good event management platform from an average one?”. Then I told them about data management. If you have an one-off event and decide that you will never have another similar event in the future, then you need not read further. However, if you are keen on event marketing and want to leverage events for generating business, you must not miss this article. An event management platform with integrated CRM will be key to your success. CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. A CRM software, therefore, helps you manage relationships and interactions with your current and future customers. In most cases, your event attendees are your potential customers. Hence, it’s vital to integrate a CRM with the event software so that the sales team can take control and take action in time. Here are a few suggestions on how you can leverage an event CRM software to drive sales revenue. #1 Engage with your attendees as a pre-sales activity Pre-sales is very important as it’s about prospecting, qualifying and nurturing leads. Every time you spark a conversation, be it an email, a message, a Facebook comment, etc., you will want to record it and evaluate the sales-readiness of the attendee. #2 Easy access to information for Sales The marketing team’s effort in attendee nurturing shouldn’t be in conflict with the sales team’s lead nurturing. Your sales people need to know what events their clients or their leads have attended. Events could be about informing customers of a new product or keeping customers updated of the latest technological happening. Keeping a list of all the events that each of your client has attended will help Sales engage in an intelligent conversation with their client. That’s why there should be a data center that sales people and marketing people can access. With cloud-based CRM platforms, information is always available. #3 Store data for future use It doesn’t make sense to me if I use a separate platform for managing my event data. The data don’t only hold value to the event per se but also to customer analytics and remarketing. An integrated CRM allows you to look at a list of potential invitees and then select them as targets for event registration forms, so they are always aware of upcoming events and feel valued to be contacted. This may make them more likely to feel loyal to your brand and register. At the same time, your Sales team would have a better view of the customer and predict their behaviors. #4 Everyone is on the same page Not only marketing or sales need to nurture the relationships with customers. Customer success definitely needs to know what events their clients are attending. Human resources sometimes want to check if a candidate’s ever been to a company event. You want to make sure the people that need information to drive productivity and business get it easily.   In Conclusion… You as an event marketing professional must look for an event management software with integrated CRM now. Keep in mind that it must be a single platform that allows both your sales and marketing teams work effectively together. Email campaign reports or attendance reports are not CRM. If you want to find out more about this, send your questions to us by clicking the “Ask us a question” button below!

Over the past few years, a new fixture has popped up on restaurant tables next to the ketchup bottles and salt shakers: tablets.

Applebee’s installed tablets at its restaurants in 2014, and they’re now found on every table at all of its nearly 2,000 U.S. locations.

There’s been a fair amount of concern that tablets would put human servers out of jobs, but thus far Outback and other casual dining chains say they are using tablets as server’s assistants:

Along with various other design elements, technology is continuing to evolve and change the hospitality industry for the better. Smart technology is one of the key elements that hotels implement in order to not only meet, but exceed, expectations that will ultimately boost the overall travel experience.

In 2020, we anticipate more hotels offering this high-level technology to allow guests to easily adjust these settings. A few hotels have already implemented Amazon Echo and Alexa into their designs, making it as easy as the push of a button on a phone to turn off/on and set these devices. In fact, more advanced versions of the Echo and Alexa are being tested and gradually incorporated into hotels, which allow guests the same device-setting abilities through voice activation. 

Another key piece of technology that we expect to see more of in 2020 is interactive maps, which can be incorporated into the guestrooms or public spaces. They allow guests the ability to download an app, which will provide advanced digital concierge services accessible from virtually anywhere.

Moving travel company software to the cloud has proved tricky, some travel technology executives said this week in moments of candor. Absent strategic thinking, shifting systems from mainframe computers to public internet-based services from Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure can waste resources

he executive bluntness is a counterweight to recent industry hype about cloud services

Advertising campaigns have promoted the cloud’s potential cost savings for companies as they switch from investing in, and maintaining, servers to buying the computing power as they need it. But they ignore some practical challenges. Travel executives have found that they must shift their services over to the cloud in stages, and the phased shift can lead to escalating cost

“We see more people ordering a second, and a third glass of wine,”

“We’re also seeing a 10% uptick in dessert orders.” Which makes sense – it’s hard to resist a dessert that’s staring back at you from a digital tablet.

eMenu International, which manages menus and wine lists in restaurants in 15 countries worldwide, says customers have seen increase in their average check from approximately 3% to 9% since implementing the digital menu to their operations.

The hospitality industry is changing, and is rapidly becoming super high-tech.

On arrival at their destination, guests no longer need to wait in line for the key to their room. They can now check in and out using electronic kiosks, online and mobile check-ins. Automated payments and the use of smartphones for keyless entry, making requests, online purchases, or even placing room service orders makes self-service an attractive option.

With the advent of technology, however, many activities previously performed by live humans have been replaced by automated methods, mainly in the attempt to streamline functionality and improve service

To achieve that balance, a hospitality professional must understand this most important audience, beginning with two fundamental objectives:

Create an excellent event: This includes making registration easy, managing the event properly, and creating a unique experience. Remember, attendees are spending valuable time and money to participate – make it memorable so they want to come back the next time.

Achieve the company’s business goal: Perhaps the point of the event is to train employees, or network around emerging trends. Maybe it’s a regional get-together designed to rally the sales troops for the next quarter.

The beauty of the cloud-based POS format is how scalable and customizable it is—it can work for single-location full service and quick service restaurants, multi-location restaurants, and restaurant groups alike.

Most cloud-based POS systems also update with new features as technology improves across the industry—something you’re unlikely to get with a legacy POS system.

Cloud solutions facilitate faster, easier, and more extensive business insights, which can help you make strategic decisions. By connecting what’s happening in the back of the house to the front, restaurant operators get a holistic picture of how the business is running

hotels are incorporating a combination of cutting-edge technologies to improve customer confidence and mitigate losses

Technology features originally intended as novelties are becoming necessities during times when some people are wary of even stepping outside their homes.

the hotels associated with his group have tweaked the regular processes and activities to ensure that least human contact is required.

While room booking has been highly modernized, the same can’t be said for the activities and services offered by the hotel.  Experiences such as spa, tours, and excursions play a vital role in the guest’s overall experience. Modern travelers like Millenials want to dive deep into the culture of the location they are visiting and experience it at its fullest. Even a great hotel room and good service are no longer enough.

By having all activity bookings in one organized, online platform concierge teams and hotel staff can enjoy a much better collaboration. All knowledge and bookings are shared through the software.

A big part of the concierge’s role is the development of meaningful relationships with the hotel’s guests in order to better understand their needs, enhance their experience, and delight them.Unfortunately, due to inefficient activity booking methods, concierges often lack the time needed to do that. With a hotel concierge software, all activity bookings can be done with a click of a button (literally) , and thus they have more time to come closer to your customers, assess their needs, and emphasize on the personal touch. 

From virtual maps to quirky digital experiences, hoteliers are creating fun and memorable guest experiences using AR. By investing in AR solutions, they hope to exceed the expectations of guests and make their stay unforgettable. Best of all, hoteliers don’t have to commit to expensive and permanent changes when they’re experimenting with AR.

Hotels can also use AR to create virtual maps, especially if the place is quite large. They can get information about amenities, prices, maintenance issues, housekeeping schedules, and more.

AR can bring marketing collaterals like brochures, catalogs, and magazine spreads to life in new ways.

Hospitality marketing is centred on thinking about the business in terms of customer needs and their satisfaction.

If you want to attract more customers to your hotel or travel business, you need to efficiently advertise on different digital channels and be where your niche audience is.

One of the most significant hospitality trends to be aware of in the wake of COVID is the importance of highlighting safety procedures, hygiene policies and other decisions intended to protect your customers.