WHEN MINIMAL INTERACTION BECOMES A LAW, DIGITIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY HELPS ABIDE BY IT

We have witnessed the use of digital technology accelerate rapidly since the outbreak of the Corona Virus pandemic. With the pandemic pushing many businesses to the brink of collapse, a pivot towards digital technologies has been a savior for even the most robust operations, emerging as the most logical and cost effective solution in the current circumstances.

The hospitality industry has also accelerated its uptake of digital technology, modifying its digital infrastructure to help supplement a reduced workforce with highly engaging operations-driven tech devices.

Currently, technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud, Blockchain (BC), Machine Learning (ML), and the Internet-of-Things (IoT) are being deployed in the hospitality industry to re-define legacy systems in ways that not only accelerate the digitization in Hotels, but transform the guest journey.

One such technology that many hotel operators had explored pre-Covid-19, but are now viewing as an essential part of their technology stack, is the Digital Hotel Compendium. A digital library of all property information available to guests 24×7, via their own mobile devices. However, effective digital compendium solutions should not simply present paper-based collateral in a digital format, but rather provide a centralized portal to all hotel services, such as digital food ordering, scheduling housekeeping, providing a comprehensive hotel room directory, giving information regarding your hotel or resort, booking room service or accessing other property services.

Resorting to Digital Hotel Compendiums

While most operators now view digital hotel compendiums as an essential part of their guest journey, if you are not yet convinced as to their value, and are wondering why your hotel should switch from traditional paper-based compendiums to digital compendiums, consider the following:

1. A complete contactless solution

Where Covid-19 pandemic demands contactless communication, digital compendiums are the ideal contactless solution for hotels. Not only serving as a single information hub for all hotel information and services, this centralized guest directory is accessed via a guest’s own mobile device, greatly reducing the need to touch foreign objects to receive information vital to maximizing the guest experience.

2. Customizable and easily integrated

Digital hotel compendiums can take the form of a progressive web application, sit within a hotel’s existing mobile app, or be accessible via a hotel website. They can integrate and centralize many of your existing hotel systems to amplify their effectiveness, and are easily customizable to provide a tailored platform that perfectly fits the hotel’s needs, and serves as an extension of their branding.

3. Interactive and user friendly

By going digital and contactless, the digital hotel compendium provides a communication system far superior to its paper based ancestor. With the ability to provide content via, video, imagery, links and attachments, they are highly interactive and can engage guests in ways that increase the uptake off hotel services and help to drive incremental revenue. They are user friendly, interactive, and allow guests easy access to everything at the touch of a button.

4. Saves from hassle of conventional paper compendiums

Digital compendiums can be easily updated in real time, with a central change resulting in updates to all platforms. No more costly re-printing, time consuming page replacements, or laborious cleaning of physical collateral.

5. More efficient management

Add or remove services as and when you want, or even provide services on demand. For example, if a food item on your menu becomes unavailable, you can remove the item instantly and avoid guest disappointment of ordering an item they are unable to get. Moreover, guests have the option to schedule room cleaning via the digital compendium whenever they are comfortable, allowing you to devise your staff’s schedule accordingly, lessen the burden on your employees and keep work allocation challenges at bay.

6. Reduces Operational Costs and drives up revenue

As digital compendiums allow your guests to access digital content seamlessly, while adhering to contactless principles, you can not only reduce printing costs, but save on operational costs associated with cleaning, answering information enquiries and replacing obsolete collateral. Moreover, as services and food menus are no longer printed on paper, but are more appealing and engaging, guests tend to order extra items and available services, improving your profitability.

The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the way we live globally.  Digitization and the use of tech is now common-place, and businesses and industries that resisted this change face dire consequences. If a business is to survive and thrive, it is extremely important to adjust and be open to exploring technological solutions that improve connectivity, guest engagement and operational management.

We hope the above information has provided a valuable insight into the advantages of switching to digitization and investing in upgrades to your tech framework. Digital technology will not only be imperative during the pandemic but will remain a necessity in the post-Covid world. With social and physical distancing being part of the new world order, digital compendiums will serve as a mechanism, which allows your hotel or resort to seamlessly and efficiently manage the guest journey. At SABA Hospitality we will help you select the right technological solution for your property and make sure your it is in a position to thrive both in the recovery and post-Covid-19 world.