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Offer something free:

the ring can advertise its site more widely and in higher-profile media venues than a single operator could.

Get involved in discussion sites related to your specialty:

auction-style sales

E-mail newsletters and promotions:

One solution is a "destination" Web site that is informative, catchy, and fast

You can identify characteristics (location, age, or interests, for example) of high-value customers, guiding future marketing and advertising

get exactly what they want because they get it themselves.

Customer relationship management is about retention, conversion, and loyalty. Possession of customers' personal information is a privilege, therefore gather it selectively and use it wisely.

E-mail has become the circulatory system for national and international inquiries and reservations  used by most tourism operators, regardless of time zones

Email gets the most attention of any hospitality eMarketing effort because intuitively it makes sense—since email can create direct revenue opportunities with past, present, and future customers.

By category, travel relate

Low cost

ssion-based email marketing is the second-generation email approach that goes well beyond guerilla email marketing, known as email spam.

Permi

Precision e-mail marketing is the next, third generation email approach that dynamically "reads" customer profiles, purchasing habits and history to create highly personalized emails.

  Reach:

Hotels must employ new strategies to take advantage of these opportunities to capture this Internet market. 

Protects brand integrity:

Personalization:

Instant gratification:

Rich Media:

  Results: Outcomes based, from knowing who opened the message, clicked on which links, how much time spent viewing each page, completed a transaction, or forwarded the email.

There are three main groups of email audiences: consumers (leisure or business), travel intermediaries (travel agents, wholesalers) and corporate clients.

Hoteliers are in a unique position to build a robust list from existing customers. Using a list built from existing customers, the conversion rates can be ten times greater than any standalone rented mailing list because the targeted group already knows and has experienced the product first-hand. In addition, the hotel can stratify the customer list by specific characteristics, communicate and offer value in the message, and send targeted and rele

vant mailings frequently to the intended audience, an audience that even anticipates these messages announcing hotel specials.

d email marketing retains a loyal audience, especially if it offers the recipient value, accurate communication, relevance, and familiarity.

Travel agents that use the Internet and email are exactly the travel agents hoteliers must reach.

Collecting the right information is essential to not confuse long-term marketing plans

Recent trends in email technology and services include:

A total email strategy addresses every aspect of the email marketing process. It's organized to leverage a hotel’s existing and future client base for ongoing and upselling opportunities. This includes matching the right messages with the intended audiences for ongoing customer relations.

In conclusion, a total email marketing strategy serves as a springboard to launch various email campaigns, to boost ongoing customer acquisition, relationship management, and increased bookings on and off line.  An experienced eBusiness hospitality consultancy can help you navigate and utilize the Internet to its fullest potential.

Businesses will differentiate themselves on the uniqueness of their products, competitive pricing and the quality of their service operations.

As customers demand more from their e-commerce Web sites, their preference for consistency while shopping online must be satisfied.

What's interesting here is that 53 percent of best-in-class merchants list Web 2.0 technologies on their road maps for development initiatives in the next 24 months.

Forty-two percent of all retailers strive to improve data integration processes by centralizing databases and sharing information throughout their enterprises, according to the study.

Leverage the use of analytics to determine online customer behavior, buying patterns and habits

Adoption of online tools should facilitate interaction by customers -- e.g., interactive product imaging and site search.

Effective personalization and use of analytics as a dynamic function can lead to increased customer conversions, higher customer satisfaction and strengthened brand loyalty.

A new Web site named Taobao—meaning “digging for treasure”

Knowing that most small business people would rather watch TV than log on to the Internet, Ma secured advertisements for Taobao on major TV channels.

Unlike eBay EachNet, which charged its sellers for listing and transaction fees, Taobao was free to use.

According to a Morgan Stanley report, Taobao was more customer focused and user friendly than eBay EachNet.

Taobao had also better terms for its customers: it offered longer listing periods (fourteen days) and let customers extend for one more period automatically. EBay EachNet did not have this flexibility.

Today's hospitality outlets are utilising new payment functionalities that remove the traditional, time-consuming ritual for customers of waiting for service staff to bring them the bill.

with the right POS system you can help your customers pay quicker and more efficiently, even during peak times.

The best POS systems accept contactless cards and Apple Pay for a seamless and satisfying customer experience.

Pre-pay. A fantastic time-saver for takeaway outlets in particular, pre-payment systems work by allowing the customer to place their order and pay online.

mobile ordering allows customers already in your bar or restaurant to place their order at their seat, using their smartphone. In a busy establishment, this takes the hassle out of getting served; no more queueing for ages at the bar or trying and failing to catch the attention of a passing waiter.

Arguably the real jewel in the crown of today's intelligent POS systems is the unprecedented access they offer to detailed customer data – letting you view overall trends as well as zooming in on individual customers' patterns and preferences.

faster service, better data, happier customers - it's clear that the latest POS systems hold the key to the future of hospitality.

Successful customer interactions are often determined by how long it takes to resolve an issue or answer a question. The faster you can help, the happier customers will be. This is why more and more companies are implementing artificial intelligence as part of their customer service strategies.

Using AI, chatbots collect and use customer data to offer better service. Best of all, chatbots don’t need to be paid and never take a break. They can provide 24/7 assistance to early birds and night owls alike.

Personalization

5. Increased Focus on Self-Service Options

A simple example is inventory. Companies can use past sales data and predictive analytics to determine how much product they need to keep in stock. Predictive analysis will account for factors like seasonal demand and demographic data to keep the right items on your shelves at the right times. And that will definitely improve your customer experience. Businesses live and die by their customers. While keeping up with new expectations can be daunting, making these six changes can help your business thrive. Make sure you’re prioritizing the customer experience, and the necessary changes will come naturally.

A personalized service tailored to the customer

Virtual reality brings the experience to the customer

Tapping into an increasingly international market using data

Retargeting to chase up lost sales

Virtual and augmented reality is fast becoming a normal part of everyday life, most noticeably in ecommerce.

Many hotels now let customers take a virtual tour of their building right there on the hotel’s website. The Thai hotel and resort chain Amari, for example, offers virtual tours of all its premises, including 360° panoramic views of its lobbies, exterior, and hotel rooms.

By analyzing weather reports, local events schedules and more, Marriott is able to forecast demand and calculate the value of individual rooms during busy — and not so busy — periods of the season.

Ecommerce has blown the international market wide open.

It’s important for hospitality brands to stay ahead when anticipating customer needs, and personalization is an important method of doing so.

Another way ecommerce is impacting the hospitality industry is through the normalization of sophisticated tracking and retargeting.

In a 2017 study published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, researchers demonstrated that touch screens create "experiential and effective feelings" in customers — and, moreover, a greater sense of privacy. In short, customers are happier and more self-assured when using self-serve kiosks, and are therefore more likely to spend more.

Using a self-service kiosk can be a joyful experience, but one that comes at a cost if you're not careful.

QR codes

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

NFC stands for “near field communication

pay at the store with your phone

QR codes are scannable barcodes

the other part is avoidance of cross-contamination, which is a human diligence issue. This technology addresses the complicated part of ingredient identification based on a customer’s unique combinations of restrictions.”

restaurants such as iPad and other touch-screen display devices.

"I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well.

Yet more card-free security systems are on the way.

Many industry watchers are keeping an eye on Houston's largest hotel, the vast 1,200-room Hilton Americas–Houston. The hotel has a facial recognition system that can identify and track guests, employees, and even suitcases. With 700 employees and an annual $16 million payroll, the system offers benefits such as employee time-theft monitoring and prevention for the hotel. But travelers aren't that concerned about employees taking an extra cigarette break. What it means for you is that the system includes alerts if unwanted people are on the property and a response time of mere seconds if there's an incident. Customer service is heightened as well: Returning guests will be recognized and greeted by name. And with 1,200 rooms worth of luggage in transit, the system makes it a lot easier to find lost or misdirected bags.

not everyone wants to be on-camera, all the time. With concerns about "snooping" and a Truman Show-like lack of privacy, might guests feel that systems such as this are too intrusive in our hotels? "

Technology is opening new doors to hotel safety, and the way we navigate hotels is set to change in the blink of an eye. Or the swipe of a cellphone. Or the print of a finger. With futuristic systems like scent and iris scanners and digital facial-recognition, hotel security is being taken to the next level. #plain_module { width: 590px; height:170px; border: none; float:left; margin:0px; font-size:12px;} #plain_module img {border:none; width: 13px; height:14; border: 0px; margin:0px; } #plain_module .mini_main { margin: 0px; padding:0px; width:585px; height:220px; repeat scroll 0 0} #plain_module .mini_item_header {padding:10px 0px; margin: 0px 0px; font-size:16px; color: #555555; border-bottom:1px dotted #CCCCCC;} #plain_module .mini_item {padding:5px 0px; margin: 0px 0px;} #plain_module a { color: #49A3CA; text-decoration:none; } #plain_module a:hover { color: #F98419; text-decoration:underline;} span.gray {color:#949494;} .mini_main li{list-style-type: none;background-image: url(http://www.aolcdn.com/travel/bullet);background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: 0 1px;padding-left: 10px;} Those plastic key cards that once seemed so innovative will soon go the way of the actual key. The new thing is contact-less Smartcards and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards that need just be waved to allow room access. Much like the cruise world's one card system, these cards may soon make hotel stays easier by allowing guests to pay for services, as well as to check-in and check-out, through a single device. Travelers may even be able to save preferences on the cards, from pillow type to floor choice. RFID cards are already in use at New York's Plaza Hotel, and Starwood Hotels are considering introducing them into their hip Aloft and Element properties. But travelers worried they will constantly have to traipse back to reception every time they lose their card need not despair. Security systems in some hotels do away with cards altogether. "In addition to Radio Frequency Identification, there are also systems that use a smartphone, such as an iPhone," says Frank Wolfe, CEO of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. "When a guest checks into a hotel and provides their phone number, they get an encrypted sound code via text message." You can then play back the code to unlock your room door.

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well. Movement-activated video-capture systems were showcased in New Zealand in September 2010. Researchers are at work on devices capable of recognizing an individual's gait or walk and even their DNA. Frank Wolfe says, "If you want to go 'way out there', there are some systems being explored that can allegedly sniff someone, and also systems that can recognize the pattern of blood veins on a human being which are apparently unique to the individual," says Wolfe. Quite common in Japan, vascular-recognition systems such as this are still "several years off," according to Wolfe. "I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

One survey found that 80% of consumers are not willing to wait longer than five minutes in a queue.

SSDs enable systems to boot up faster, load data almost instantly and increase overall productivity.

However, the price of SSDs has reduced significantly and they are now widely accessible.

By installing SSDs into your POS systems, you will notice an increase in productivity and efficiency. POS systems are subject to a range of environments where their durability is tested.

They are often prone to shock, bumps and vibrations which could break the hard drive. However, as SSDs have no moving parts there is nothing delicate to break.

Data stored on retail systems is an asset and a liability. Self-encrypting SSDs use an encryption engine built into the hardware that encrypts every file.

Not only will individual POS systems work better, but the organisation will be more efficient. When everyone is working faster, retailers can serve customers more effectively, beat the competition and make more sales.

Point-of-sale (POS) systems are now a vital component of ‘bricks-and-mortar’ retail

(1) 71% were able to track and understand customer browsing and buying patterns

(2) 65% were able to target customers down to the aisle level (3) 59% of customers are more engaged in the store (4) 53% were able to create more relevant and compelling offers in the store (5) 24% saw an increase in sales

Big Data

(1) Optimize the layout of your store by tracking customer walking paths and dwell times. (2) Use saved data like favorited items, recipes, experiences or entrees to direct users to their desired object inside your store or on your menu. (3) Increase staff performance by utilizing data from a mobile survey pushed to customers as they exit your store.

(1) The average clickthrough rate (CTR) for a Facebook ad is 0.119%, according to a recent Wordstream report (2) The average clickthrough rate (CTR) for an email is 1% to 3%, according to a recent report by Mailchimp (3) The average clickthrough rate (CTR) for beacon based push notifications can be as high as 80%, according to the data published by push notification technologist Kahuna

Personalized, data-driven offers can greatly increase the likelihood of your customers responding to them. The financial cost of a customer being fond of your business versus favouring it is huge. Think about it, do your customers have an affinity for your business or have they fully bought into it as Apple loyalists have bought into the Apple brand?Overtime, personalized marketing equates to you building an individual brand relationship with each customer. This has a long-term effect on boosting sales and offer conv

But before you rush out to choose a new POS system with integration, be sure to check it integrates with your existing systems first. Usually, their website should reveal such information. For example, Zettle lists all of its POS and e-commerce integrations on its website. 

Erba Collective, a Los Angeles cannabis dispensary, installed self-service kiosks that accepted cashless payments to reduce wait times and increase customer turnover.

It’s the right solution for today’s consumers: Consumers value their time, and waiting in line can destroy an otherwise great customer experience.

It’s the right solution for today’s businesses: Merchants are facing mounting challenges ranging from rising labor costs to new competition. Self-service kiosks can help businesses do more with the same staff, minimizing the labor required for order taking or checkout.

o provide unattended POS solutions, you will need to speak with your vendors or find new partners that offer the types of hardware you need. It’s also vital that you work with a payments partner with expertise in managing unattended POS transactions.

EMV chip technology will help prevent card fraud.

part of their omnichannel strategies

If your goal is to be a total solutions provider and meet all of your customers’ needs

one-stop shop.”

Hotels are looking for innovative ways to communicate with customers, meet unprecedented demand on call centers, or have contact center staff work from home.

Going forward, all guests – not just loyalty reward members – will likely use a mobile device for reservations, check in and get room keys, bypassing the front desk altogether.

Hotel entrances may include thermal scanning at the entrance, and guest rooms and conference facilities will be sanitized between uses. Connected room technologies would allow guests to control the lights, temperature, curtains, television, entertainment and more in the room with their own smart device or contactless gesture control.

A profusion of devices and wearables, equipped with geographic mobility technologies, that track and provide data anytime, on any device.

More pervasive use of digital labor to augment human staff or automation

interpret and execute more than just transactional, process-driven actions.

Predictive analytics

monetize big data

Enabling technology support will be critical for these operational changes. Hotels will need to constantly track customer feedback and social media response and manage inevitable setbacks and negative reviews with tweaks to their customer experience strategy.

personal safety as well as customer data

Travel and hospitality companies that manage the impacts of this crisis unambiguously and compassionately will generate increased value for their organizations and ultimately emerge even stronger than before.

Chatbots are able to understand simple questions and provide answers almost instantaneously, taking the burden away from customer service staff and improving the experience for customers. Meanwhile, AI’s uses extend into other important areas for hotels too, including data analysis.

The ‘Internet of Things’, or IoT, involves extending internet connectivity to everyday objects, devices and appliances. These devices can then collect data and communicate or interact over the internet, turning previously unintelligent devices into ‘smart’ devices, which are often semi or fully autonomous.

Within the hotel industry, big data allows businesses to identify trends, which can be used for revenue management purposes.

More and more, hotel websites are using 360 degrees imaging technology to allow virtual reality users to experience rooms in their hotel before they book.

Unlike VR, which places users in a digital environment, augmented reality is about enhancing the real-world environment through information overlays.

increase automation and ease the workload for staff

The use of this technology is typically intended to either make life easier for a business’s employees, or to improve the overall experience for hospitality customers.

payments are possible even if customers do not have their wallets with them

improve the accuracy of work

This means failing to keep up could provide rival companies with a significant competitive advantage

widespread adoption of voice search, augmented reality, artificial intelligence

Contactless payments

coronavirus pandemic has accelerated some behaviours

Voice Search & Voice Control

smart speakers in hotel rooms

Contactless Payments

save money as well as time

Robots in Hotels & Restaurants

cleaning purposes

Chatbots

as customers now demand swift answers to questions at all times of the day.

Virtual Reality

During the COVID pandemic, those working in hospitality marketing have a particularly good opportunity to capitalise on virtual reality technology and gain an edge on rivals, because it provides customers with the ability to experience elements of a hotel or to see the layout of a restaurant prior to booking.

Mobile Check-In

WiFi 6

Internet of Things (IoT)

collect data and communicate or interact over the internet, turning previously unintelligent devices into ‘smart’ devices

Augmented Reality

Cybersecurity

Big Data

Recognition Technology

30 per cent faster,

NFT Marketing in Hospitality Industry

Technological advances have played a significant role

have become more popular in retail settings, while mobile check-ins have emerged in hotels, restaurants and airports.

Voice search is a growing technology trend within hospitality because a growing number of guests or customers are turning to voice search in order to find hotels, restaurants and cafes, so it is worth taking the time to properly capitalise on this

. Aside from speeding up payments and improving customer satisfaction, contactless tech is also easily compatible with loyalty programmes.

the rise of robotics and the use of robots to carry out tasks traditionally performed by humans.

d chatbot will answer the most common questions without the need for any human involvement.