We don't need to possess the Time Stone from Dr. Strange to go forward a few years to see what determines innovation in the hospitality industry. Sitting here, looking at the industry from the inside, being a part of it for more than a decade, I feel that there are five aspects or trends which will change the face of the industry for the next 3 to 5 years.
Immersive experiences
To begin with, let us address the hype train of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences. I would say that AR has a better shot at being a major influence in how products and services are delivered than VR. Today, most of us in the industry still find AR as a vanity feature, without actually recognising the problems which AR could solve.
Today, rooms and villas are captured on photo or video. Tomorrow it will be augmented into our reality. We will be able to hover our iPad or smartphone and see the rooms and villas in exquisite three dimensions. Hotels can take this a step further and let guests interact with AR and request for services. Say ordering for extra toiletries by tapping the augmented bathroom or a session of spa by tapping the massage table. The possibilities are endless.
Offline and Online will merge
For quite a few years, we have been made to believe that selling services on digital platforms needs to be separated while we worry about offline efforts to sell more rooms. The trouble is, consumers do see it that way. If your service is bad, consumers walk up to your desk and shout and then go on to write a scathing review on Facebook or Instagram. For consumers, top class experiences are the ones which allow them to express on both digital and offline channels. In the near future, our industry participants will be forced to bridge offline and online and build strategies from the ground up.
Customer segmentation
Not all customers are the same, meaning, each customer can identify themselves as either young (Generation Z - born on or after 1997), or millenials (born between 1981 and 1996) or from a generation older. Not all spend money the same way, not all use the same platforms to express themselves, and not all have the same spending power. So, why do rooms sell at same rates for every Tom, Dick, and Harry? We have to develop this discipline on creating simple customer segmentations and create individual strategies to target each group. The language, tone, medium of communication changes with each group. Hotels have to figure out who their highest and best paying customer segment is and then create a niche.
Consumer trend
Younger people have less time for nonsense. They are from a generation that seeks instant solutions. If they need reviews or photos from the balcony at night, make it available. Every customer segment is different.
Delightful experience as a brand identity
The best hotel in the region. Award winning service in 2019. Best interior for a hotel. All these accolades - thoroughly deserved though it may be - will merely become vanity metrics, because at the end of the day, guests want the best services and more. What is this more? We have come to know it as creating a 'Wow' experience. Something to delight the guest, something to help them remember your hotel which will create your brand identity. Hotels will soon create bespoke services to lure their target segment and build a loyal relationship with guests in the long run. A children's day care centre in the spa. Children’s menu at restaurants. Turning a hotel into a specific theme based on the location and the target market. When online channels showcase your hotel next to another hotel which costs 10 times less and another which costs 10 times more, your identity is diluted - you need to create your own identity. The trend of selling rooms on the hotel's website (not just via online agents) is a good start. And we will see a lot of properties get wind of this trend soon.
Consumer trend:
If you look at the hospitality industry from a consumer’s point of view - there are just too many hotels offering similar looking rooms with restaurants offering the same menu. They demand a differentiating factor. They want to be associated with something cool, yet effective; this is your formula to create a brand identity.
Omnipresent, effective and delightful
The best way to connect with people and generate a lot of business is to be present on all relevant channels. The channels where your consumers spend time - online and offline and subtly add value to their day to day lives. And eventually drive them to your hotel and surprise them with your services and a little bit more. The future in the hospitality industry is easy if hotels are omnipresent, effective in communication, and deliver delightful experiences every time to everybody.
Consumer trend:
People don’t want to be bombarded with images and videos on social media, nor Trivago-like adverts every hour on TV or YouTube. They are willing to give time to brands which are cool and offer something of value to them often. Be that resource.
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