In our 3-part series, we ask our expert Alexander Haußmann, one of the founders and managing directors of straiv by CODE2ORDER, what a fully automated guest journey in a hotel actually looks like, which systems play an important role in this, respectively which solutions have to fit together and why one should start such a project at all.
Why should I as a hotel rely on a digital guest journey?
There are now very good software solutions on the market specifically for the hotel industry that can automate administrative tasks. Processes can be simplified or even completely automated. Tasks such as filling out a registration form or typing out a booking confirmation and then sending it to the guest, can now be handled very well by software solutions, which no longer require manual intervention by employees.
How will the role of hotel employees change in the future?
The role of hotel employees will change significantly in the future. The guest is once again moving to the center of all activities – which means that actual personal care is becoming increasingly important for guests and staff. This creates incredible added value on both sides. With digital solutions, this challenge can be mastered, since one no longer has to worry mainly about administrative tasks, but actually has the time again to take care of guests in the classic sense of lodging.
How will guest behavior change in the future?
This trend is accelerated by the current technical developments, the interfaces and currently existing software solutions are getting better and better and are constantly evolving. Hotel guests nowadays know how to use these solutions, and the trend here will also be that more and more guests will want and appreciate this type of digital support. Especially if, for example, the app download for a solution is omitted, so I don’t have a big obstacle as a guest to open the doors or do the check-in. The usage rates of mobile check-in solutions show that from the customer side, i.e. from the guest, the hurdle of being able to operate contactless solutions is becoming smaller and smaller and guests are willing to use them.
