5 ways to boost your hotel revenue

With the ever increasing advances in modern technology it is easy to become bamboozled and lose track of the latest innovations in the hospitality sector. Furthermore, the constant strive to offer premium service to hotel guests leaves hoteliers with little time for thorough technology research! Therefore, technology providers, operating in the hospitality industry, need to focus on ‘why’ as opposed to ‘how’ these innovations need to be used. That way hotel managers and owners can quickly understand the benefits of what is often a significant investment.

In addition, the average guest now arrives equipped with a range of devices, from smartphones, tablets and laptops to Wi-Fi connected cameras. Therefore, hotels not only need to provide content as compelling as that of smart devices, but also offer entertainment that is superior to what guests receive at home. To help hoteliers find the best way to keep on top of technology trends, we highlight 5 key drivers of additional revenue, which should be considered as part of a current technology upgrade:

1. Drive powerful, relevant marketing messages in an engaging format whilst guests are resident on site

The days of paper based marketing are well and truly over. With the prices of hardware continually falling, it is more cost effective than ever to install large digital signage displays throughout all public areas with dynamic messaging and rich visuals. In fact, 63% of people report that digital signage catches their attention and 59% of people who were exposed to digital signage in multiple locations later wanted to learn more about the product/service. Therefore, digital signage can be one of the most attractive and efficient methods of enticing customers and boosting your hotel revenue.

To get the best out of your digital signage, you can incorporate an interactive signage system. Control your content centrally and update in real time with relevant hotel offers. That way you interact with your guests without the costs of designing and printing marketing materials.

Furthermore, signage is not all about selling products. You can use it as an information screen for the general public or in conference meetings. Considering the fact that Digital Signage has a 47.7% effectiveness for brand awareness, using it effectively can bring more to your business than you can comprehend.

2. Premium Wi-Fi

It goes without saying that all hotels should be offering free Wi-Fi to guests with an acceptable speed that allows for e-mail and basic web surfing. In fact, 94% of people choose Wi-Fi as the most important feature of a hotel, yet only 64% of hotels offer it free to their customers. Therefore, high-speed internet needs to be on the top of your list when considering technological upgrades.

Furthermore, some guests need high-speed connection for downloading multiple data streams across more than one device as well as bandwidth consuming HD video content from services, such as Netflix. In this case, it is perfectly acceptable to charge a reasonable price for this service.

This premium upgrade could provide another revenue stream and help cover the cost of the internet infrastructure! Providing tiered access which can be charged to the room bill is now something which can be achieved at relatively low cost.

3. Drive repeat visits

Wi-Fi access is more than just a service that allows customers to get online. It can now be a comprehensive visitor tracking and marketing tool to tempt a repeat visit with targeted offers.

Data logged from guest devices, such as smartphones and tablets, can provide insights into visit frequency and duration onsite. This can then be combined with Wi-Fi login and social media data to capture e-mail addresses and phone numbers for SMS and e-mail marketing.

How about creating an automated e-mail campaign sending an offer to guests who haven’t been back for 6 months as soon as they hit this time frame?

Go one step further and target females between the ages of 18 and 35 and offer a specific 2 for 1 spa package! These are just few of the many opportunities to sell your services if you use your hotel Wi-Fi portal wisely. Our Wi-Fi solution incorporates advanced data capture and fully customisable platform to help you better engage with your customers and increase your revenue.

4. In-room purchase

With the constant technological innovation and increased use of mobile devices, hotel guests are becoming more and more dependent on their portable devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.). Therefore, digital devices have become a strong tool for targeted sales and marketing.

Have you ever thought about using the TV as an electronic point of sale tool?

Customisable, interactive TV systems offer a great opportunity for hoteliers to tailor targeted messages to their customers. Guests can browse hotel products and services at their leisure through the TV and, with the click of a button, effortlessly make a purchase. This could be:

• Late check-ins
• Spa treatments
• Vouchers for repeat visits
• Room service
• Gift vouchers
• Special offers

…and many more.

TV platforms, such as Unyk hospitality, link seamlessly with the hotel PMS to enable product purchase whilst offering an enticing large screen sales brochure in room. Therefore, an interactive TV System can help you encourage guests to buy of different onsite products and services.

5. Offer location based promotions

With Wi-Fi tracking it is now possible to trigger marketing campaigns based on guest movements within the hotel to encourage them to make use of the hotel facilities. On arrival, why not send them a text message welcoming them back? (for repeat visitors) Or promote the specials available in the restaurant later that evening? With full presence awareness switched onto the Wi-Fi, there are countless ways to engage with guests to inform with subtle promotion.