Some months ago,
AccorHotels launched a new version of its mobile application in order to
improve guests experience. They have been rewarded during the "Trophee des
Apps" ceremony.
This Application
enables travelers, whether business or leisure, to optimize their time by
getting all information on the same platform. I do personally use it every time
I travel in an AccorHotels property.
How does it meet
guests' expectations?
Guests have the
opportunity to:
Select a hotel
among a wide range of brands, all introduced on the App
Find information
about hotel location, facilities and services
Book online
Discover the
online City Guide to better prepare their stay
Manage their
loyalty accounts
Learn latest
news and offers of the Group
Since July 2015,
the application is even available on Apple Watch. Romain Roulleau, AccorHotels’
SVP e-commerce and director of the “mobile first” program explains:
“By launching
this AccorHotels application for Apple Watch™, AccorHotels is establishing
itself as an audacious digital hospitality player.”
This application
enhances the huge potential of AccorHotels Digital Transformation.
Of course, we
hope that other features will be developed soon. Some competitor hotels provide
guests with tablets so that they can adjust temperature or lighting in their
room. In order to personalize their stays, customers can even sometimes
beneficiate from an e-concierge which enable them to order breakfast in the
room, make dinner reservations, to request extra pillows…without moving from
their rooms.”
Indeed, the hotel group is doing its mobile revolution to keep one single app.
Customers have on average 23 applications in their smartphone, including 3-4 dedicated to travel: TripAdvisor, one online travel agency, and one to go around. The third or fourth may be the one of a chain hotel. Accor want to be part of this selection. That is why they will have one application for all trademarks of Accorhotels. The group will multippliate the reasons for a traveler to have the Accor Hotel app in his smartphone. Thus they can be differentiated themselves from online agencies.
Indeed, the hotel group is doing its mobile revolution to keep one single app.
Customers have on average 23 applications in their smartphone, including 3-4 dedicated to travel: TripAdvisor, one online travel agency, and one to go around. The third or fourth may be the one of a chain hotel. Accor want to be part of this selection. That is why they will have one application for all trademarks of Accorhotels. The group will multippliate the reasons for a traveler to have the Accor Hotel app in his smartphone. Thus they can be differentiated themselves from online agencies.
The French group
has integrated last years the service Wipolo, the startups they bought in 2014
and already added Uber upon check-in.
Tailored
services are as well offered within the hotel, such as restaurant reservations,
spa, room service ...
Accor wants to offer a complete experience
before, during, and after the stay of the guests.
Mobile,
including smartphones and tablets, attracts nearly 40% of the global audience,
and 12% of direct digital sales. The delta is explained. Travelers often use
their smartphone on the move, in public places. They did not necessarily want
to take out their credit card and enter their details, in transport for
example. To improve their conversion rate, they will adopt the second half of
the 1-Click payment, such as Amazon's bank details are already entered, the
purchase is validated with a single click.
Accor wants its
staff to provide personalized service instead of being bogged down filling out
paperwork to register guests.
Accor’s guests
can do this advance check-in only if they’ve have booked their reservation
directly through Accor or if they are loyalty program members or subscription
cardholders.
On the day of
the stay, guests receive a welcome text message confirming that the room key
and room are available. The text may also provide practical tips about the
property, such as ground transportation information and parking access codes,
for example.
When guests arrive
at the property instead of needing to provide credit card information and fill
out paperwork, “the hotel staff is supposed to greet them immediately upon
arrival in the lobby or possibly even in the hotel bar, hand them their room
key, and answer any questions or handle special requests”, Accor says.
Christine
Pouletty, who managed the project’s introduction, says early feedback shows
that 93% of guests who used the service during a trial period indicated they
would do so again. And, 40% of guests did the advance check-in with their
smartphones, she adds.
“Queues are
diminishing and hoteliers are more available for their guests,” Pouletty says.
“They can devote themselves completely to their passion, the job of host.”
