The meteoric rise in the use of mobile phones and mobile apps has made it imperative for industries to make the necessary changes to adapt to market conditions. The hospitality industry too has undergone changes to meet the needs of the digital age.
Hotels, to remain competitive, must embrace technology in keeping with the changing environment. How the hospitality properties are adapting digital technology not only helps them to stay competitive in terms of their customer satisfaction, but can also influence their market positioning.
Ashok Malkani takes a look at how the Indian hotel industry has adapted new technologies to help create an environment that is in line with the needs of the tech-savvy generation of guests.
A significant number of hotel guests these days are tech-savvy, and to attract them, hotels have to adapt technologies which would add to their comfort and save their time. According to research done by marketing technology firm Criteo, mobile travel sales in India are expected to rise at 67.1 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2017 to 2020.
According to a Goldman Sachs report, online travel market is expected to grow from 11 billion USD in FY16 to 18.9 billion USD by FY20. The hospitality industry is aware of this and is adapting technology know-how to satiate the guests’ demands. Not only hotel booking can now be done online but one finds that technology is used to advantage even in hotel rooms.
No wonder, many hotels and hotel brands are creating smartphone apps to help guests manage their experiences while on the property.
Technology to the Fore Rajan malhotra, Director of Sales and marketing, Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru, declared, “The hospitality industry in India is witnessing a significant digital transformation, though there is still a long way to go when compared to the west. To begin with, technology has made inroads through restaurants with digital menus replacing paper menu cards, and tablets being used to make reservations, leave restaurant reviews and give feedback. Digitisation is playing a game changer role in the hospitality sector and Indian consumers are taking to digital platforms and mobile applications to make bookings.”
Rajan rightly thinks that “Technology helps provide instant solutions, enables proper documentation and reduces human errors, which eventually help lead to guest satisfaction.”
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