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t’s hard to find much to argue with when it comes to cloud-based solutions. By storing and accessing programs via a more power- ful host on the internet instead of their com- puter’s vulnerable hard drive, hotels of all sizes can easily access data at any time from any location and on any device. It lets them work more flexibly, communicate with staff and guests more effectively, become more cost-effective – and enjoy peace of mind. There are countless examples of improved efficiency. “The cloud gives an opportunity for a different level of interaction, both internally and with customers,” says Jo Stanford, EMEA and Asia at Amadeus. Whereas previously, an event planner on a site visit might ask detailed logistical and financial questions that the manager would have to go away to do some research on, a cloud solution lets the manager respond to
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the prospective customer immediately. “You capture them while they are engaged rather than let them walk away and maybe change their mind,” says Stanford.
This mobility also means, for instance,
that a manager can respond to an issue wher- ever they are rather than wait to get back to their desk, because they have access to all the information on their device. Stanford cites a PhocusWright study finding that 72% of first responders win the business. “Someone who can respond immediately with details, whether they are at their desk or not, will lever- age business and increase revenue,” she says. The cloud also facilitates greater commu- nication within and between teams, such as the catering and operations departments, or housekeeping and maintenance, which ultimately improves the guest experience. For instance, if a housekeeper discovers a
bathroom is leaking, a cloud-based system enables them to use their device to submit a work ticket direct to the maintenance depart- ment. With a laborious manual system, the guest may have checked in by the time main- tenance knows about the leak. The ability to sort the issue out before the guest discovers it increases efficiency and customer satisfaction. “A top priority for an hotelier is to solve an incident before it impacts on the guest,” says Ransom. “So you can proactively resolve incidents and work to increase customer satis- faction scores, making cost savings and lead- ing to revenue increase.” Statistics back this up. According to For- rester Research, a one-point increase in the customer experience index score generates another £5 in annual revenue per guest. So a brand with two million guests can generate more than an additional £10m a year.
Technology Prospectus 2018 | 23
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