Throughout the years, the Griswold family suffered from their fair share of vacation mishaps -- including disasters with their hotels. Whether they were having difficulty being checked into their hotel in Europe or stuck with a vibrating bed-gone-wild on the way to Wally World, the heroes of the Vacation films never could seem to catch a break. That was all in the past, though. What if the Griswolds set out on "holiday road" today? They'd be expecting a whole lot more from what your hotel has to offer, and mishaps from their previous adventures would no longer be deemed acceptable. Unprepared concierge? They'd be blasted on review sites like Yelp. Malfunctioning massage bed? A video of the incident would go viral on Youtube.
The point is that technology has changed the way we travel, and no matter how prone your guests are to hijinks and hilarity, they still demand a lot from your hotel's services. To prove our point, here's a look at five viable technology solutions that are fit for the Griswolds (and any vacationers, for that matter).
1. Mobile Booking
Wouldn't life have been a whole lot easier for the Griswold family if, instead of driving in the rain looking for a "vacancy" sign, they could have searched for and booked a hotel via their smartphones? A large number of today's travelers think so. Experts are predicting that as many as 25% of all online bookings will be completed via mobile by 2017. This means that it's very important for hoteliers to optimize for mobile viewing and connect with customers through useful applications.
2. Live Chat
It's not uncommon for travelers to have questions about a hotel before they finalize a booking, and these users expect immediate help and assistance when they do. Research has indicated that 90% of customers consider live chat helpful, with more than half (63%) being more likely to return to a site with these capabilities. This means that by deploying live chat, you're more likely to keep travelers on your page and secure their business.
3. Tablets
Tablets can really enhance your guest's experience, from the front desk to their rooms. Provide tablets at the front desk with interactive maps to enable travelers to take a look at the points of interest located nearest to your hotel, or invest in tablets for individual rooms that feature apps to control lights, climate control, etc. Even your hotel's restaurant can increase its relevance and revenue by enabling guests to browse the menu, order items, and pay via tablet.
4. Self Check-In
Check out this scene from European Vacation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VA9p8rgsoM
This whole scene would have never played out in this way if the Griswolds could have harnessed the power of self check-in technology. Savvy travelers can utilize QR codes to capture their ETA and send a notification to the hotel so that they know when to expect their guests. Vacationers can also save time and eliminate errors as users check in and out with their own mobile devices.
5. Door Opening Technology
If your guests are checking in on their own, you'll also want to provide them with easier access to their hotel rooms. Guests can receive a code on their mobile app once they check in. From here, the guest's mobile devices will be able to control the door's locks. This is more secure and more economical than traditional key cards.
VoIP makes it possible for your hotel to quickly and affordably begin harnessing the power of technologies like these and so much more, and even the clumsiest travelers (yes, even the Griswolds) can benefit from it. Learn more by reaching out to the experts at PhoneSuite today. Once you're ready to make the switch, our professionals will walk you through it every step of the way.
