Challenges for hoteliers in 2021 and how they should respond to it?

Covid-19 outbreak changes the challenges for hoteliers in 2021.

And now when we thought everything will slowly be back to normal, a second wave hit.

All these have a major impact on the way of handling hotel operations and its marketing.

Another reason for these changes is a change in consumer behaviour and expectations.

Hence, every decision hoteliers must take after considering the challenges of the current scenario.

Below are the common challenges for hoteliers in 2021 and they must respond proactively to gain and retain customers.

Virtual tours

Virtual tours give an idea to your prospective customer what your hotel looks like.

It will create a level of transparency, give insights about your property in detail.

As potential guests are more particular about what their stay will provide post-pandemic.

So, virtual reality is becoming more and more popular as it let the guests see the comfort they have while staying.

It creates a magnificent first impression and builds a sense of trust.

A detailed interactive tour of a hotel helps potential guests to personalize their viewing experience.

They can zoom in and out the property, view it in details, and scroll left, right, up, and down for a better perspective.

Moreover, if the website helps visitors to take interactive tours of the hotel, they can spend more time there. As a result, the bounce rate is lower.

Chatbots

We know the downfall the hotel industry facing due to pandemic.

When it comes to the hospitality industry, customer experience is extremely important.

Hence, a chatbot is a must to look at each potential customer and provide a meaningful experience.

A hotel chatbot works by interpreting or understanding customer interactions.

And providing relevant answers to questions, or relevant information upon request.

Chatbots can be broadly divided into two types: Rule-Based and AI-based.

AI-based chatbots, which are considerably more advanced than rule-based chatbots, are an alternative to rule-based chatbots.

They can understand written correspondence, interpret it, and then react appropriately thanks to artificial intelligence.

Resulting in highly realistic chat encounters that are close to those a user would have with a customer service representative.

Some of the most advanced AI bots go even further, using machine learning to pick up data as they go and change their contact accordingly.

This enables a hotel chatbot to elicit a user’s desires, combine the data, and make an intelligent recommendation.

Contactless technologies

Covid-19 increases the need for contactless technologies to reduce human contact.

Property Management System will allow the property to streamline and simplify its day-to-day operations.

A next-generation PMS should be able to do much of the difficult operations.

Like from housekeeping duties, complex reservations, inventory management, housekeeping, and other facilities operations.

Covid-19 increases the need for contactless technologies to reduce human contact.

Hence, now guests have access to self-check-in in their assigned hotel rooms from their mobile apps.

These contactless check-ins use facial recognition, membership programs and passport information.

Guests can use mobile apps to control room temperature, turning on lights, control the temperature of the bathroom and more.

Thus, guests don’t have to contact touchpoints.

Moreover, contactless payments are possible for food and beverage at kiosks that print receipts just like automatic teller machines.

Cleanliness

It should come as no surprise that there is a need for cleanliness, especially after the coronavirus outbreak.

When it comes to choosing between a more tidy or more luxurious hotel.

The majority of guests will always go for a tidy hotel that follows proper sanitization and gladly forego luxuries.

World Health Organization has laid down guidelines that accommodation providers/ hoteliers have to follow.

These recommendations hotels must follow for safer and hygienic guests stay. 

You can follow these steps for sanitizing your hotel

Regular cleaning of halls, rooms, common areas, elevators is a must.

Give special attention to objects which are frequently touched like handles, switches, elevator buttons.

The regular disinfection of water, air conditioner, laundry equipment, dispensers must be carried out.

Maximize the use of disposable cleaner and discard any cleaning material made of cloth.

If necessary to use a cloth as cleaning material then disinfect it with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution before cleaning other spaces.

Attracting new and retaining old customers

After the covid-19 outbreak, many hotels are rapidly working on their digital marketing strategies and charging concession rates to attract new customers and retain old ones.

Since every hotel brand is proactively promoting their brands on digital platforms and is constantly poring attractive discounts in bookings.

Hence, you must also pull up your socks and track what guests are saying about your hotel and take steps to eradicate their problems.

Moreover, if you want to expand your loyal client base is to run loyalty programmes.

This includes providing visitors with rewards, incentives, and loyalty points in exchange for their membership.

Cybersecurity

Hotels rely on data and they are using Information Technology systems more than ever before post-pandemic.

However, they could find themselves in a much more precarious situation as a result of this.

Hotels in the past have to pay a huge amount of fines in case of breach of data of hotel guests.

Hence, they must take steps to protect data to ensure it is securely processed.

Today’s technology is PCI-DSS compliant and HTTPS safe, resulting in better data encryption.

This would increase your hotel’s reputation, allowing you to attract more visitors.

Conclusion

That’s it that was the challenges for hoteliers and they way they should tackle them.

Adopting these in your hotel will give guests a better experience and priorities hotel’s staff and guest’s safety.

Keeping up with these challenges is vital to go with the constantly changing market demands.

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