As technology prevails in the tourism industry, the trend of custom hotel applications is becoming way more common. This tool has come as a savior for the tourism industry, providing amazing benefits to not only the customers but even to the hoteliers!
With these applications, be that mobile or web applications, the process of bookings has become stress-free for all the entities involved. It eliminates the need for the bookers to stand in never-ending queue, makes the process of booking and payment quicker and efficient, and rooms can be booked just by a single tap. While it makes the management of bookings super easy and helps the hoteliers to connect with their customers directly, also helps in tracking down the customers. All in all, this tool is exactly what the hoteling industry needs!
Custom Hotel Applications are on a roll in this era and even in 2019, this tool will serve as the key factor in engaging with the customers! Here are the top features that can be included in a custom hotel application, making engaging with the customers easier, efficient and meaningful.
1. iOS or Android?
When it comes to designing a mobile application for any industry, including the tourism and hospitality industries, the first thing is to decide whether a business needs an iOS application or an android, as these are the two dominating operating systems in the mobile world.
This depends upon the type of guests, how many booked a hotel through an Android phone and how many used an iOS-operated phone. Based on this, the hotels can either make a hotel booking engine for Android or for iOS or even make both, if the budget allows. With this approach, the hoteliers can provide a top-quality user experience to its customers and will give them a reason to return. User experience is one of the key factors that can build or break a reputation of the hotel and by providing a phenomenal user experience for mobile users, the hotels can work towards better engagement with their customers.
2. Incorporating CRM:
CRM or Customer Relationship Management is one of the most prominent features of a hotel application. It is a perfect way to build strong and long-lasting relationships with the customers and pave way for the success of the hotel. Every business has its own requirements and when it comes to CRM in custom hotel web applications, hoteliers can get it customized to suit their needs as well as the needs of their customers.
With CRM the hotels can engage with their guests by providing pre and post-stay emails and stay connected to them. This tool provides all the necessary information a hotel needs to target the guests and engage with them regarding the offers, discounts or any other updates regarding the hotel.
3. Loyalty Programs:
Another way through which the hoteliers can engage with their customers is through loyalty programs. Travelers tend to choose hotels that provide high-quality services and provide them consistent value, with a reason to trust them. Through loyalty programs, the hoteliers are doing exactly that.
Every time your customer books with you, award them with loyalty points that they can use to avail several services. This kind of engagement builds trust in the customers for your hotel and they keep returning to you every time. Make sure you make these loyalty programs an integral part of your hotel booking engine this year to give your loyal customers enjoy the perks of choosing you every time!
4. Connect to Social Media:
Social media plays a much more important role in the tourism industry then we think. In a world where social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram are the most widely used mediums, neglecting them can be drastic for any business, including hotels. This is because a majority of travelers head to the social media platforms, mostly Facebook to make up their minds for their tours including hotel bookings.
Your Hotel Web Design must incorporate links to your social media platforms so that the potential customers can go make a quick decision. It is a great way to engage with the guests as you can post updates, offers and discounts on your social media platforms and the potential customers can navigate to your custom hotel application to make their bookings.
These 4 factors make the custom hotel applications the key in engaging with the customers because through these methods, hoteliers can get connected to their former guests and potential customers in an improved manner. This kind of engagement brings new energy to your hotel web design and the hotel booking engine, thus, attracting a significant amount of customers to your hotels! By incorporating these features into your hotel application, you will establish for your business a strong and a trusted image, which will in return provide phenomenal results!
