Queuing up to get a ticket plane, queuing up to pass
the security check, waiting in the boarding room, waiting in the plane before being
able to disembark, waiting for the luggage, taking a cab, arriving at the hotel
after this long trip and queuing up again to check-in… This is the everyday
life of numerous business men and women across the world. And they are lucky when they do not have to
go back to the reception before having the opportunity to enter in their room
because the key does not work.
One of the main characteristics of the business
customers coming to a hotel is that they have no time and let-alone time to
lose. Thus, to better answer their needs in particular and to generally provide
a better service quality to every segment of customers, Micros – the provider
of the hotel management software Opera – developed a new application called
“MyStayManager”.
This application offers customers the possibility to
book reservations and to customize their hotel stays among others.
First step for clients is to download the app on a
hand-held mobile device, or look directly for it on their Smartphone
application market, or on a laptop via the
chain’s website where a link is available. Then, they just have to sign up
thanks to a specific ID and password. Once connected on the app, various options
are available.
Indeed, it enables them to access to the following
services:
“ • Find hotels based on city, state, or other address
information
• Find hotels near the guest’s current location (on
hand held devices with GPS locator services)
• Make new reservations
• Change existing reservations (for example, to extend
a stay)
• Cancel future reservations
• Secure deposit payments
• Change the credit card payment methods on stays
• Check in and check out
• View folios
• Order room service
• Retrieve messages
• Manage guest preferences (e.g., newspaper, type of
pillow, smoking/non-smoking, etc.)
• Add packages to a reservation
• Update guest locator details
• Look up hotel events
• Request housekeeping, turndown, laundry and bell services
• Set green/non green preferences
• Make table reservations at restaurants attached to properties
(via GuestConnect)
• Make golf and spa reservations (via OpenCourse)
• Manage guest profiles when connected to a CRS/ORS
• Schedule a wakeup call
• Wireless Door Key option
• Access third party online services (for example to
find nearby theaters and restaurants).”
(Micros, 2009)
Thus, the client becomes entirely independent from the
staff and the reception of the hotel. No more need to queue at the Front Desk,
to make several calls to get a spa appointment or to wait for the Concierge to
be available when in need of information.
Every potential need of the hotel’s guests can be directly dealt with
through the app.
Benefits are obvious for the guests as it is
convenient, time-saving, and accessible from wherever they may be. They can
interact with Opera in real time to manage future reservations or any detail
regarding their current stay.
However, the advantage is also for the hotels
providing the MyStayManager service to their guests. Indeed, this application
adds a unique value to the brand and is a way to encourage guests to enjoy more
the hotel’s amenities like spa, restaurant, room service, as it facilitates
their access and their use. Indirectly, it means an increase in the hotel’s
revenues linked to customers’ extra-spending. It could also contribute to
increase the hotel’s revenues incentivizing bookings by extending last minute offers,
special packages and loyalty rewards especially for the apps’ users. Moreover,
through potential partnerships with other trusted web communities (as cultural
or restaurants’ websites), MyStayManager can extend the information delivered to
customers beyond the hotel’s own services, offering them “timely information,
special packages and useful local knowledge”. Those elements will contribute to
make the guest feeling more comfortable, independent and welcomed. Great
benefit for the hotels providing this service to their customers is to
encourage and gain their loyalty.
Thus, this application appears as revolutionizing both
leisure and business hotels’ customers’ experience, transforming all the
traditions and making every step easier for the users. Guests would feel more
than ever in their “home away from home”, depending on no one other than
themselves and the application. However, until today, human relationships were
a significant part of the “customer experience” and guests were more willing to
remember it and to come back when they had large smiles and warm greetings from
the staff in memory… However, this application would probably fit better the
expectations of business travelers as they are less sensitive to those aspects
of the experience. Indeed, they usually are in a hurry and because of the
habit, they have no more enthusiasm going to a hotel. Thus, stake for hotels
using the application will be to rethink their intern organization as they will
probably need the front desk staff to be more behind a computer than behind a
counter to treat the guests’ demands. They will also have to avoid the
experience to be completely dehumanized and ensure that guests could always make
the choice to interact with something - or rather someone - else than a device.
Key words: smart phone app, Micros Data Center, connectivity, real time access, custom-design travel-management tool, web communities, guest loyalty
Reference: Micros. (2009). Opera
- MyStayManager, Product Overview.
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