Whether you like it or not, technological advances are occurring every day, and the world is changing as a result. Social paradigms are shifting. The way we learn and communicate altering. Industries are having to evolve with the times or face extinction. In this blog, we explore how technology is changing the hospitality industry.
Better Recruiting & RPL Assessments
Gone are the days where you post new positions in the newspaper or in physical recruitment centers and make the most out of the applicants that come your way. A great deal of recruitment is now being handled online. Sophisticated algorithms place your job advertisements in front of seekers who are best suited to apply for them, such as those who have undergone an RPL assessment, refining the hiring process. For this industry, establishments can essentially do-away with many HR tasks, simply by adopting a simple application or online platform. There are even services now that cater purely for hospitality-related roles.
Social Media for Customers & Those with Diploma of Hospitality
Social media has become such an overarching influence on every part of our lives, it was only inevitable that it would become a part of our businesses. In regards to the hospitality industry, social media has essentially redefined the relationship held between establishments and their customers. Whereas in the old days, hotels, bars, restaurants, and the kind would either rely on traditional advertising methods to get their names out into the public or simply run on their reputation built from word of mouth. Today, hospitality destinations must craft carefully curated Facebook and Instagram profiles, displaying highly tantalizing pictures and testimonials not only to lure qualified staff with a diploma of hospitality, but also new and repeat visitors. But it has grown beyond their control. Review websites have popped up en masse, meaning before people book a table at a restaurant or a room at the hotel (but after they are first lured in by snappy social posts), the breeze through the comments previous customers have left behind. The decision ultimately is being made by someone else.
It is important, therefore, that when it comes to social media, you maintain a natural, authentic brand presence to avoid misleading your customers (and hence receive poor reviews) and accepting feedback when it comes your way.
Developing Your Service
Building on from the last point, a perception towards technology being a lucrative chance to develop and improve your service is a far more practical approach operating into the future. For example, the check-in and check-out process can be greatly improved. Airlines have caught on to the trend, allowing people to forgo the monotonous process of queuing up merely to secure their arrival. Hotels can now do the same thing. Save the time and unnecessary hassle experienced by guests and automatically improve their experience before they even walk through the doors by checking in with their smartphones. For added convenience, many hotels even go a step further, putting more control in the hands of the guest with the door keys activated on their phone. After all, when it comes to hospitality, the experience is of the highest importance to the consumer: speed, convenience, attention, and cost; technology is rapidly changing, so it is important to be ahead of the curve on how to improve these aspects.
A Personal Touch
One of the largest concerns with the ever-increasing nature of technology in our lives is the alarming amount of data it collects about us. The more information we freely plug into these applications and platforms, the more they learn about us. But this doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. By increasing the technological presence with our customers, establishments can gain a smarter understanding of the more personal details each guest appreciates. For example, there might be greater demand for fitness equipment than what can currently be accommodated, or for greater insights behind the busy portions of the year. The added knowledge will not only help improve customer experience but also in luring in new customers with directed marketing.