Technology is transforming the hospitality industry
Technology is transforming the hospitality industry, helping small accommodation providers save time, reduce costs, and enhance the guest experience. Your ability to be seen online is crucial for reaching potential guests at every stage of their journey. Using features such as a channel manager, front desk system, booking engine, and payments solution will enable you to target, sell, and satisfy expectations much more effectively. To achieve this efficiency, control, and simplicity, you need a solution that meets all your administrative and distribution needs in one central location – like Little Hotelier.
Backed by insights from SiteMinder’s global data and research, we explore the key technology trends shaping the industry today. Whether you’re looking to streamline operations or maximise revenue, these strategies will help you harness the right tools for success.
1. Event Travel is Booming
Travellers are increasingly motivated to travel for events, from sports and concerts to weddings and reunions. Monitoring local event calendars allows small accommodation providers to adjust pricing strategies to capture demand and increase revenue.
When demand is high, guests are willing to pay more to secure a room. When demand is low, guests need to be incentivised by great deals to choose your property over other available options. Luckily, technology can track competitor pricing in real time—Little Hotelier Insights offers full visibility of competitor rates, ensuring you can always price optimally.
A user-friendly property management system should allow for quick, on-the-go rate adjustments. However, dynamic pricing should be implemented with long-term relationships in mind. Accusations of price gouging can be damaging, and not worth the extra revenue you make during an event, so keep your rates fair. Offering free breakfasts or early check-ins can also be handy ways to get guests on-side and justify higher rates.
2. Reduce Website Abandonment
SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report reveals that 52% of travellers have abandoned a booking due to a poor digital experience—a figure that continues to rise.
Your hotel’s website serves as the first impression for potential guests, making a seamless booking experience critical. Avoid redirecting your guests to an external site and ensure instant confirmation. Your booking engine should also integrate seamlessly with your website and channel manager for improved functionality and data collection.
Additionally, a secure and straightforward payment process also reduces cart abandonment. Guests should feel confident in completing their booking without technical disruptions or security concerns.
3. Upselling Opportunities at Every Stage
Ideally, guests will be able to make a booking within a couple of clicks and have the options to pick and choose extras and packages that appeal to them. Offering add-ons such as arrival snacks or drinks, in-room amenities, bike hire, or local experience packages not only add extra cash in your pocket, but also increase guest satisfaction.
Any chance to make more revenue is something that should be explored. However, any action you take must benefit the guest first and foremost. Don’t try to push something purely for the sake of profit, because guests will probably see right through it. If you can increase guest satisfaction, positive reviews and build closer relationships, more revenue will naturally follow, so think about how your upsells will actually impress your guests.
4. Communicate Pre, During, and Post Stay
Technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing guest engagement by enabling personalised communication at every stage of the guest journey. This is where you strengthen the relationship between guests and your brand, and follow-up on revenue opportunities.
Automated emails allow you to deliver the right message at the right time, keeping communication consistent and relevant for each guest, enhancing their overall satisfaction and connection with your property. Send pre-stay emails to reiterate the available extras, add-ons, and deals available to guests. Remind guests of the amenities and attractions they can book or buy tickets to. Let them know a superior room has become available if they want to pay a little extra. Post-stay follow-ups encourage reviews, future bookings, and loyalty program engagement.
5. Target the Right Market
If you know that your property is more popular with older travellers, couples, or families, or if you actually want to expand into a new demographic, it is integral to position your property correctly.
Visibility on the right booking channels is crucial. Most travellers start their search on online travel agents (OTAs), so listing your property on relevant platforms improves discoverability. Whether it’s targeting international guests via major OTAs or niche markets through specialised channels, a system like Little Hotelier grants access to over 450 booking platforms, ensuring you reach the right audience.
Remember, the better the guest-property match, the higher the chance of repeat bookings, positive reviews, and increased spending.
6. Improve Staff Retention with Simplified Systems
A user-friendly front desk system is essential for efficient operations, especially for staff with limited technical skills. Prioritise a system with an intuitive interface, making it simple to manage bookings, update rates, track availability, and communicate with guests. The easier the system is to navigate, the quicker your staff can adapt, saving time and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.
By investing in small hotel technology, such as a front desk management system and online booking system with a channel manager, you can minimise their administrative work. This allows them to focus on other high-priority tasks, such as those that directly impact the guest experience at your hotel.
The Right Technology for Your Small Hotel or B&B
If you are on the hunt for the right hotel technology suite for your small hotel or bed and breakfast, your search may end as soon as you discover Little Hotelier. This is the only all-in-one business solution designed specifically for your business. Begin your free demo today, and learn about all the features that will help you and your staff run the best property possible!
