Hotel technology is designed to streamline operations, enhance the guest experience, and drive revenue—but that’s only the case if it’s user friendly! Ease of use is critical for both staff and guests. As of 2022, 73 percent of guests said they were likely to revisit a hotel that satisfied their technological needs… It really does make a difference whether or not they can figure out the TV!
User-friendly hotel technology boosts guest loyalty and optimizes tasks, but clunky, complicated tech does the opposite, increasing workloads and alienating guests. Here’s how to tell if your technology is supporting you—or standing in your way.
Set Clear Goals
When investing in new tech or evaluating existing systems, define your property’s goals and know what your technology has to accomplish in order to meet them. How will it impact revenue, staff productivity, and guest satisfaction? What procedures will you regularly use it for? Be specific. A SWOT analysis can help ensure nothing is overlooked.
It’s important to consider not only what functions a system performs but how those functions fit in the context of your business. Software that is intuitive for one property may be cumbersome for another, depending on their specific needs. To evaluate your technology effectively, know what it needs to accomplish.
Evaluate Customer Support
Robust customer support is a strong indication that the software provider cares about the user experience. Help should be easy to access and responsive.
WebRezPro offers support via multiple channels, with real people ready to walk you through any issues. Eighty-nine percent of issues are resolved on the first call, and the average call response time is 25 seconds. Support is complimentary, and clients also have access to a comprehensive user manual and training videos.
Prior to purchase, browse the provider’s reviews to get a sense of support quality. You can even place a test call yourself to see how the provider responds (and if you have to yell “representative” five times).
Assess the Onboarding Process
The installation and onboarding process may also reveal how user friendly the software will be in future. If onboarding is reasonably straightforward, chances are the product itself is as well. However, if you experience unexpected issues, or the provider seems disorganized, it could be a red flag. Be aware that there is a caveat: if you do not deliver to your provider the information they request, you are responsible for any resulting delays.
It’s customary for providers to offer training as part of the onboarding process. WebRezPro includes five complimentary hours of training with one of our inhouse experts. Our anonymous client onboarding surveys consistently report a user satisfaction score of 10/10.
Look at Upgrades
Regular updates are critical to both performance and security and are part and parcel of user-friendly hotel technology. They should also be convenient for your property and come free of charge. WebRezPro recently added a self-upgrade feature to make transitioning to newer versions even easier. Of course, our support team is always available should any questions arise.
If upgrades are more stressful than helpful, check in with staff and review the system’s overall usability.
Count the Clicks
Your systems should have a pleasing and intuitive design with well-organized menus and the functions you use every day placed where you would expect. Minimizing the steps required to complete routine tasks improves efficiency and the user experience. Dashboard shortcuts are a must, allowing you to access key functions and data at a single click.
Track Key Performance Indicators
Review key performance indicators that let you know if your technology is delivering:
- Adoption rate: Are staff and guests using the tools provided for them? As of 2022, nearly 40 percent of hoteliers said their staff used property technology less than anticipated. If this is the case, investigate why.
- System downtime: Has your tech been unavailable when you needed it most? If this occurs routinely, it’s time to find a replacement.
- Digital conversion rate: This KPI applies to your guest-facing tech and measures how often guests complete a desired action from digital tools like your booking engine. For example, WebRezPro enables you to track online bookings as well as online check-ins.
- Guest feedback: You can measure guest satisfaction with technology through surveys and reviews. Always include a review request in your post-stay messaging!
Evaluate Integrations
User-friendly systems perform well together in addition to functioning on their own. Disconnected systems lead to inefficient data silos, time-consuming manual data entry, and costly errors like overbookings.
WebRezPro integrates with over 150 software partners, from OTA and GDS channels to payment processors, revenue management systems, digital keys, and more. This flexibility allows properties to build their custom tech stack with the systems that best match their needs.
Communicate with Staff
Maintain an open line of communication with staff and check in regularly to ensure that your technology is supporting—not hindering—their workflows. Your staff are your eyes and ears; they can’t report issues if you’re not there to listen, and you won’t know what works without an understanding of their day-to-day experience.
Though no system is perfect, following these guidelines will help you select user-friendly hotel technology that improves both the staff and guest experience. Know what you need, do your research, and ask questions before you commit.
