Briefing: Guest experience is better with latest tech

In a new report from Zebra Technologies, 66% of hospitality guests said that they have a better experience when hotels use the latest technology. Mobile phones and location technology are at the forefront of technology developments in hotels. Smart phone uses range from unlocking rooms, to receiving text notifications about room readiness, to receiving location based offers. The report found that 40% of guests currently use hotel apps and 70% of guests want to use technology to speed up the service they receive.

In these videos four experts discuss upgrading experience with technology:

For a long-time, hospitality businesses have been seeking to create more personalised experiences for guests through technology. The results of Zebra’s 2016 Hospitality Vision Study suggests that guests today are interested in receiving personalised treatment across the room, entertainment, and concierge elements of their stay. 86% say they are interested in having a room selected based on personal preferences such as room/window location and bed configuration. 81% say they would like to receive a personalised list of restaurants/ activities and directions, and 70% say they would be interested in receiving location based coupons and specials.

Hotels are starting to look at what they can do when they have the ability to track their guests’ locations. 74% of surveyed hotels/resorts are planning to implement location-based technologies within the next year. They would be able to track a location when the guest has a hotel app on their phone that they give permission to access their location data – in the same way that a map app uses the phones location to show a route. Then the hotel can send messages and offers that are more relevant to the guest at the time, and would know whether the guest is inside the hotel or out-and-about.”

If you’ve been sent to this page and you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do see here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: No two career paths are the same

There are a great many people who have worked their way up the hospitality ladder to success, but there are also many who find their career path takes them into hospitality through less conventional routes. A recent survey shows that the number one reason professionals would seek a new job in 2017 is that they need a more challenging position. When seeking this challenge, people can find unexpected opportunities.

The week our experts discuss their career paths and how they got involved in hospitality:

According to Korn Ferry, challenge is the overwhelming driver of change with 76% of people stating this as the top reason to seek a new job. There are several other elements that can also influence a professional seeking new employment. The other factors stated in the study are; the professional’s efforts not being recognised in their current job (9%), the professional not liking their company (9%), or their boss (4%), and compensation being too low (5%).

Making career leaps to follow opportunity can involve changing industries or even countries. One very attractive element of the hospitality industry is that it offers great opportunities for travel and working abroad. HSBC’s Expat Explorer Survey found that 43% of millennials who have moved aboard were motivated by finding a new challenge, and 49% of expat millennials say they find their work more fulfilling in their host country than it was at home.

If you’ve been sent to this page and you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do see here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

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