THE MOBILE APP
Hospitality technology company GoFindIt worked with Sofitel the Palm Dubai to create a bespoke mobile app, which went live in February 2015. One of the company’s requirements was an e-vouchers system to drive events and generate guest loyalty. “E-vouchers are an exclusive offer for
app users, and are one of the smartest ways to drive downloads and engagement, and generate revenue,” says GoFindIt chief executive Thomas Martensson. The app is promoted in-house, via social media and the mobile website, and data collected from the browsing habits of guests using the app gives the Sofitel team an understanding of their needs and interests. This, in turn, lets them personalise direct guest messages and offers, and develop loyalty. For instance, staff can notify guests in real time when their room is ready, or suggest regular guests try a new cocktail if they are in the bar. “Today’s consumers have a concierge in their pocket. If a hotel launches a bespoke app promoting its own assets, such as restaurant, spa and photos of the team, not only is it useful for guests, but it makes the staff proud, leading to fantastic engagement rates,” explains Martensson. Since February, the app has been
a few quick steps. To reassure guests that the website is secure for online payments, there must be a visible security certificate. Tom Beasley, chief executive and founder of specialist hotel marketing agency Wired Media, says: “Users should see how to book clearly and this should be prominent across all pages. Many sites do not do this and potential guests are confused as to where they can book, which can ultimately stop them.”
Social media
Like it or loathe it, social media has a cru- cial part to play in reaching out to customers, creating awareness of your website and trouncing the OTAs. For more information on using social media, turn to page 46.
Drive bookings to your website OTAs continue to swipe online booking busi- ness from hotels, charging big commissions. They are also consolidating, which makes it tougher still when it comes to negotiating fees. One reason why people go to OTA sites is that they are easy to use. To compete success- fully, ensure your website evokes trust, sells your property and makes booking simple. “OTAs are here to stay, so there is no point fighting against them,” warns Evans. “In fact, they provide a valuable service to potential guests who don’t know which hotel they want to stay at, so it is important to work with them.” Ensure that the text OTAs use reflects your
values and that any deals they offer are in line with your image. “Commissions paid by hotels generally to third-party agents have grown from 1% of hotel
18 | Technology Prospectus 2016
downloaded 41,000 times across Android and iOS worldwide. In just one month, it had 4,641 downloads. Considering that the hotel has around 2,500 to 3,000 guests a month, this means it’s had more downloads than guests. On average the app has 175 users a day with an average dwell time of two minutes 16 seconds.
turnover in 2000 to 8% in 2015 – and this has eroded hotels’ overall profitability,” says Evans. One way to reduce your reliance on OTAs is to plan marketing campaigns using radio, adverts, mailshots, social media and so on. Peo- ple can then find your website through your marketing, rather than through an OTA. Cou- ples over 55, for instance, are happy to receive print, so mail out good-quality newsletters, bro- chures and postcards flagging up your site. “Only 35% of people open an email, but 95% of people will open a good mail-out in a non-logo envelope. So keep money in the budget for postal shots,” advises Evans. Once you have people on your site, you need them to make a booking – it is pointless getting thousands of website visitors and only 20% of bookings through it.
“It is all about making the site sticky, so people are drawn to it again and again,” says Evans. “Flashing up that only two rooms are left keeps the pressure up. You also need ‘book now’ buttons on every web page so they can make a booking in just three or four clicks – plus telephone numbers so they can ring you.” As well as creating a sense of urgency, you need to ensure your rates are equal or lower
than OTA rates, and to add value. For example, include a welcome afternoon tea, or a room upgrade that they wouldn’t get through the likes of
Booking.com. “Think about what you can offer to poten- tial guests that is easy to give and doesn’t cost you lots of profit,” says Beasley, “whether that’s entering them into a prize draw for a free upgrade, or a free glass of Prosecco on arrival.” Similarly, encourage previous OTA cus- tomers to book direct for their return visit by sending out post-stay cards or emails offering special rates or packages. Implement widgets such as Price Check from Triptease (
www.triptease.com). This gives your customers live pricing across the OTAs and if they see that your rate is the same or cheaper, they will have no reason to book elsewhere.
Beasley also suggests flashing up positive reviews from, say, Feefo, TripAdvisor and so on, to instil trust. “The more your potential guests trust the site and what you say about your hotel, the more likely they are to book,” he says. Last but not least, analyse the results. “It is important to evaluate everything, just as you did when using newspaper advertisements,” says Evans. “For this, all you might need is basic Google Analytics to track where the traffic is coming from and the number of Twit- ter followers compared with the competition. Make sure you monitor it every month.”
What’s hot
If you operate a small hotel, you need to invest your budget in the right places. Good-quality images are vital as they give the first impression
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