Today, computer science has delivered a choice between enterprise technology tethered to a desktop vs. technology freed by mobility, available via tablets or smartphones. Mobile access to the systems that run your hotels sounds cool! That said, what is the business benefit? The hotel industry has seen cool technology before that simply did not offer business benefits to offset the cost and pain of change. Will mobile access for your hotel staff…allowing hotel front desk staff to check-in/out guests from a mobile tablet or putting live room status and update information in the hands of housekeeper…pay dividends?
SO, the basic scientific question is this…is there solid evidence to support the theory that mobility has a positive impact on the hotel business? Multiple studies show that the answer is a resounding YES.
Lets start looking for evidence on the impact mobility has on staff efficiency & savings…the Citrix Study on Mobility in Business is a treasure trove of information. Key findings
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Improved user interface equals quicker task achievement (check-in & out) by staff (front desk staff).
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Access to enterprise system data from anywhere leads to ability to complete tasks “then & now” as opposed to having to “wait until you get back to work station”
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Reduced training saves training dollars upfront and ongoing
Next, lets look at the evidence on the impact mobility has on guest service
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A CDW Study Show a 20% Increase in Positive Ratings in Guest Satisfaction: After deploying mobile PMS tablets at a Major Hotel Chain, guest satisfaction rating soared as did the hotel’s Net Promoter scores.
Finally, lets look for evidence that mobility can improve the hotel’s bottom line
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Increased sales proven at Nordstroms through mobilizing POS: While retail is a different business, correlations are strong. In both, guest service, upsell opportunities and speed of service all aim to increase the size of the bill.
In the end, there is plenty of evidence proving that mobility has a positive impact on the hotel business. In addition to the evidence, common sense agrees. Please let me know what you think!
