The ability to deliver on demand is now seen as great customer service – and as a consequence more and more services are moving to a select service model (or face being left behind). Fuelling the demand is mobile and digital technologies that continue to redefine experiences and change consumer expectations everywhere. Consumers have become trained to expect instant gratification. PWC (2015) estimates that the five key sharing sectors – travel, car sharing, finance, staffing and entertainment – have the potential to increase global revenues from roughly $15 billion today to around $335 billion by 2025.
With the rise of on-demand economy, companies of all sizes need to adapt to the changing landscape of business by offering equivalent immediacy and personalization – and hotels are no exception. However, the hospitality industry is more than well primed for service on-demand and some have already begun responding and adapting to what customers want.
Big chains such as Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Tru by Hilton, Cambria (Choice Hotels) have begun launching subsidiary brands and a new breed of hotel has also emerged such as Citizen M, Zokou, Yotel etc. both of which focus on guest centric design, placing more emphasis on designing smart, practical hotels instead of adding in lot of unnecessary frills and aimed to appeal to the need for speed and efficiency that many mobile travellers now desire in their hotel stays. “We start with people, they have certain needs, certain frustrations, they have certain requirements and first we create a concept around those needs and requirements and then we go to designers.” Hans Meyer Zoku.
Traditional front desks are being swapped out for cosy, one-on-one welcomes or for virtual check-ins through kiosks or mobile devices. Lobbies are being transformed with the emphasis focusing on social spaces. Room service is no longer; instead guests can avail of a 24/7 grab-and-go market, take a seat at in-house communal canteen or try out the barista. And where Wi-Fi is concerned, there is no need to worry about connectivity here.
And while guests certainly want more convenience and flexibility, new technology is rising up to serve that need. With Cloud technology, select service infrastructure seamlessly facilitates mobile check-in and keyless entry. It integrates with other services easily creating an environment that allows you to improve overall operations. It gives hoteliers the opportunity to generate ancillary revenue while delivering better service and it can also be used to deliver experiences from your partners. All of which help to deliver that all-important on-demand, complete and personal experience – and all of which increases overall guest satisfaction, increases revenue and loyalty.
