How Apps can delight guests, reduce costs and increase your revenue!

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Over the last few years, Smartphones have become a must have for everyone. Recent studies have shown that the first thing that people look at after they wake up is there phone. From watching the evolution of hotel mobile optimized pages and seeing first hand the increase every year in visitors to the mobile website. It is clear that any hotel wishing to connect with their clients has to base any marketing strategy around the smartphone.

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When devising your mobile marketing strategy, apps have to be a big part of it. Still a relatively new concept with hotels who are still feeling their way through in seeing what the client wants. The most popular is a concierge type app, providing usual information for guests, places to go and visit nearby, things to do, etc, but could hotels get better value with their apps? The answer basically is yes, Apps can be a very powerful tool for any hotel. Yes they should provide usual information for clients to have available at their finger tips but also they can be used to increase your sales! Lets take this example. How great would it be if a client entering into your spa receives a notification that between the hours of 2pm-4pm there is a special discount on massages, sent directly to their phone via push through notification. App push through notifications have 95% readability rates which is extremely high and a great way to connect. It also allows you to reduce your costs and save printing flyers or posters to promote your promotions. What about multi purchase coupons for resorts. Buy 3 bottles of wine during your stay, get the 4th Free. These are both great ways to improve your sales once a client gets to your hotel but what about before they get there?

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A client that is coming to stay at your hotel, is more likely to download your app, so that they can become aware of all the great things you can offer, if your are a resort for example, maybe on Friday nights, you have live music in your restaurant or bar, by providing this information beforehand can become a great way for clients to plan their stay with you. You can also include within your app the ability to connect to some of your providers like car rental or taxis to offer them a one stop shop without searching around the web. Little details like receiving a welcome message on arrival to your hotel, navigation tool to direct them directly to your door as well as unique discounts for repeat visits exclusive to app users, allows your app to start to give you a direct return on your investment.

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The majority of hotels are very good a providing information online which is of interest for their clients. However, by combining the ability the provide useful information as well as sell online will set you apart from your competitors. Hotelient understands that a hotel online strategy is about targeting, capturing and selling online. From standalone apps to ones fully integrated with your PMS, we can provide your hotel or resort with the tools and knowledge to convert more clients booking directly with you as well as develop your online brand. Call us for more information or visit www.hotelient.net or email info@hotelient.net

About the author

John Kearney has over 20 years of Hotel Sales and General Hotel Management experience working for both Independent 4 & 5* Hotels & Resorts as well as with Intercontinental (IHG) and Radisson SAS for Hotels based in London as well as across Spain.

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