Hoteliers have taken steps during the pandemic to incorporate digital experiences for guests during social distancing; one such tech solution is online check-in.
Hoteliers can utilize this digital tool to identify upsell opportunities such as room upgrades or add-on amenities/services that could increase revenue and customer retention. This strategy can increase revenue as well as build lasting customer loyalty.
1. Increased Convenience
Digital hotel check-in is a huge draw for guests, offering them convenience from the comfort of their own homes to check-in at their chosen hotel without long lines or stress during peak travel hours. This trend among hotels has quickly become one that many travelers expect when selecting their destination hotel brands.
An online check-in process enables your staff to better serve customers by decreasing workload and freeing them up more time to interact with guests. This provides more time for interactions that create more personalized experiences while giving your team an opportunity to understand customer preferences and needs.
Digital check-in systems also give your customers access to a range of add-ons and services they can purchase to enhance their stay, such as room upgrades, spa treatments, breakfast or chauffeur services – an effective way of increasing revenue while supporting marketing initiatives.
Check-ins offer the additional advantage of keeping all guest data safely stored and backed up – eliminating the risk of data loss or security breaches, which could damage your reputation and result in lost revenue.
Digital check-ins are designed with strict cybersecurity measures and compliance with global regulations such as GDPR in mind, making them a great way to promote your brand and increase website traffic. By adding a “Check-in” button on your website, visitors will be encouraged to come visit your hotel and experience its convenience for themselves – not only will this expand customer bases but it will also build brand loyalty and retention.
2. Faster Check-In/Check-Out
Your guests don’t want to wait in line at reception; allowing them to check into their rooms faster while freeing up staff’s time to assist those who prefer in-person check-out.
Implementing self check-in kiosks into your hotel can speed up online check-in even more by enabling guests to register themselves with self check-in machines themselves and enter their names and room numbers directly, saving time once guests have checked in and heading directly back up to their rooms.
Your guests will greatly appreciate this quick and convenient process, particularly after traveling on airplanes, trains or cars, and looking forward to restful rest in one of your hotel beds. Furthermore, this process helps reduce queues in your lobby during busy periods.
No matter whether guests are checking in via app, kiosk, or website, be sure to inform them of regular check in hours and any express check in options if needed (ie if their room won’t be ready on schedule). Otherwise they could approach the front desk simply out of confusion – thus negating any contactless benefits they could otherwise enjoy.
Integrate your hotel with a payment provider who supports contactless payments to speed up the check-out process even faster, enabling your guests to use their phones during online contactless checkout and reduce queues at reception while giving staff more time to assist customers who prefer in-person service. Furthermore, this method reduces credit card theft or loss while at the same time gathering valuable guest data in the process.
3. Increased Revenue
Hotels should take advantage of the online check-in process to upsell and room upgrade services to guests as they move through digital check-in, so as they get closer to purchasing add-on services during their stay. Upselling also can save guests money by providing reduced prices for upgrades or package deals they may have not initially booked.
Digital check-in also allows hotels to collect valuable guest data that can be used in future marketing and sales campaigns, while improving service to guests and maximizing revenue management.
Online check-in can also help increase ancillary revenue for your hotel, such as spa treatments and dining services. Offering these upsells during check-in allows your hotel to increase revenue while still providing guests with an exceptional experience.
Utilizing a customizable commerce platform enables your hotel to easily add upsell opportunities and streamline registration for maximum efficiency. In an ever-evolving environment, responding quickly to consumer needs is vital – therefore investing in technology that adapts with them is paramount to staying competitive.
Consider that customers desire convenience, care and personalization when purchasing from your hotel. Make the checkout process as effortless as possible by keeping customers on your website for their entire transaction; doing this will prevent them from losing trust in your business if using payment methods that redirect visitors elsewhere; instead opt for integrated payments solutions so customers can complete their transaction right on your website.
4. Increased Brand Loyalty
Pre-arrival communications are crucial in creating the ultimate guest experience at any hotel, and online check-in allows your guests to engage with your brand even before arriving, collecting valuable data such as their preferences or special needs that allow you to personalise their stay and enhance the overall guest experience. It also gives you the opportunity to send special offers and discounts prior to arrival.
Brand loyalty is crucial to business expansion. Loyal customers are your most prized clients and the ones most likely to visit your store and promote it to others. Additionally, brand loyalty helps reduce customer acquisition costs since returning customers often cost less than newcomers.
At the core of brand loyalty lies personal engagement. One strategy to foster this connection with your customers is an online loyalty program that rewards them with exclusive discounts or free products; an excellent example would be Sephora’s Beauty Insider program which rewards customers based on cumulative purchases with discounts, sales access and free samples.
Utilizing your loyal customers as brand advocates through social media and word-of-mouth marketing is an excellent way to expand your customer base while saving your team time and effort from having to actively find new ones.
5. Increased Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction has become the cornerstone of success for any business in today’s digitalized environment, and hotels can increase customer satisfaction by offering online check-in/out capabilities on their websites.
Online check-in gives customers an experience tailored to their specific needs. For instance, if a guest prefers firm mattresses they can select this preference during their online booking process without needing to make such requests over the phone; thus reducing friction and frustration that often come from making such requests over the phone and providing for a smoother overall experience.
Online check-in can increase customer satisfaction by offering add-on services such as room upgrades, spa treatments, breakfast, fine dining, late check-out or chauffeur services during the booking process. These add-ons allow hotels to generate extra revenue while simultaneously improving guest experiences and creating long-term loyalty among their guests.
Check-in solutions typically incorporate high cybersecurity standards and adhere to international security regulations, guaranteeing guests’ personal information is protected. In addition, many of these solutions integrate WebChat to allow guests to ask any queries they might have during the check-in process.
Overall, online check-in has become an essential service for travelers aiming to maximize their travel experiences. By offering this convenience, hotels can reduce peak times at reception desks while streamlining operations for maximum revenue generation and brand loyalty.