Question

With most customers having a smartphone, mobile apps are becoming an essential tool for hotels and other businesses in hospitality and tourism. If you were an app developer pitching to a hotel, how would you convince them to have one of their own?

Answer 1

For many customers, there is an expectation that businesses in the sector have their own mobile apps to streamline many of the interactions between the business and the customer. There are several reasons for considering making this investment. 

Apps can help build brand loyalty, particularly if they encompass booking and loyalty awards. They allow the hotel to look at real-time feedback and to learn about the needs of customers. It is a practical and cheap way of maintaining contact with customers. It gives hotels a competitive edge and increasingly customers will expect hotels to have an app and may look elsewhere if one does not exist. Customers want convenience. An app will allow instant transactions if they include payment options. Customers can buy and pay using special promotions or offers without the need to hard sell services in face-to-face encounters. An app can be used to personalize messages to customers and provide a direct link between the guests and the hotel. Welcome messages, suggested attractions, places to eat, and other services can be offered. The app can operate as a connection between the customers and the concierge to provide guides, maps, and other information, customers can be prompted to share the experience of the service via social networks. 

 

Mobile apps enhance brand loyalty, offer convenience, personalize services, and facilitate direct communication with customers.