Use Mobile DNA to Build Better Relationships with Customers

Stay In or Go Out?

There are few things travelers value more than convenience. While smartphones and tablets have become indispensable travel tools, travelers must still research, plan and figure out the best areas to visit, things to do, and places to eat. By taking advantage of context-driven engagement, hoteliers can conveniently provide such information directly to the traveler. Hoteliers can use time of day, location, area dwell time and even app usage to provide relevant recommendations and offers to their clientele for onsite restaurants, cafes, bars, spas and other services.

For example, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., location services – such as beacons – detect hotel guests dwelling near lobby couches and the lobby bar, while on-device software detects the Urbanspoon app being accessed. These combined events indicate that guests are waiting to meet people for dinner. This real-time context (time of day, area dwell time and app open) triggers a proactive message to be sent to guests' devices about restaurant offers, chef specialties of the day, or a new wine list to persuade guests to remain at the hotel for dinner.

Not only is this an opportunity for hotels to increase total revenue against total available rooms (TRevPAR), but it also represents an opportunity to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. The convenience of staying onsite and getting a special deal (or special treatment) in response to a mobile offer could be exactly what travelers or guests with little time want most. For guests who prefer to eat out, hotels can monetize recommendations through restaurant partners who are accustomed to paying for ad placement in magazines, Google AdWords™ and reservation systems such as OpenTable.