more freely, revenue flow can often run more freely as well. in addition, many such apps can be made to connect to hotel reward programs, which in turn can be tied to existing guest databases, saving precious guest preferences for future experience customization and promotion. enhanced guest-staff engagement One of the many valuable benefits of mobile POS for a hotel is the freedom it can give wait staff. no longer queued up at fixed terminals, staff can help provide a better guest experience as they may have more flexibility to spend time with guests, getting to know their likes and dislikes. This new intimacy can lead to the ability to suggest customized extras like a local wine for an anniversary, a special dessert to cheer up a tired traveler, or a seasonal prefix menu for taste adventurers. Such personalized service can translate into increased guest loyalty. This is because every time a guest is “touched” by the hotel in some way, it is one more opportunity to make their stay more personal and memorable—in other words, better. And in doing so, opportunities for revenue can increase. According to Gallup’s 2014 hospitality report, there’s a very strong link between guests’ feelings of being taken care of and their level of customer engagement. And, also according to the study, this engagement corresponds directly to the amount of money they spend per visit as well as to their overall view of the hotel itself. freeing up management— increasing efficiency Since managers can access real-time information with mobile POS from their tablet or smartphone, they can get a better idea of what’s going on with their F&B business without having to interrupt hotel work flow. When there are the often unpredictable, last-minute customizations to the menu, or changes in seating, or a special-needs request from a guest, a manager can communicate such events to the staff instantly and SPRinG 2016 California Hotel & Lodging Association 11 MAny TeCH-SAVVy HoTeLieRS HAVe ALReAdy discovered how cloud-based technologies found within today’s more advanced property management systems are offering hotels the opportunity to track every aspect of their operations via the internet in real-time using any mobile device. What they may not realize is that the same cloud technology also infuses mobility, convenience, and efficiency into the food and beverage (F&B) function—one of the most challenging areas of hotel management. This is done via mobile point-of-sale (POS), and executed on tablets and smartphones. Today’s cloud-based, mobile POS technology can present hoteliers with an extraordinary opportunity to create brand value, while helping to deliver a more memorable guest experience. Mobile POS can also help to boost productivity among staff and help drive revenue. Freed from fixed POS terminals, hotel managers can now remotely access their property’s F&B activities, giving them a fuller picture of their daily operations from wherever they are, allowing them to set strategic pricing and capture valuable guest data, all while providing the opportunity to achieve a better work-life balance. Meeting the needs of mobile guests As increasingly tech-smart guests manage most aspects of their lives and travel from their tablets and smartphones, more customers today expect mobile-optimized capabilities at hotels for things like check-in and upgrade opportunities. Mobile POS can help meet this expectation for F&B. Orders and requests can be taken and submitted from virtually anywhere on the property, including from the guest’s tablet or smartphone via a roomservice app. Whether from the privacy of their room, a cozy cabana lounge, or in the middle of a couple’s massage, guests are free to linger over colorful menu images and make choices at will. And as guest request flow is kept running discreetly. in addition, comprehensive F&B reports that normally would have to be run at the end of the night (so as to not tie up a fixed terminal) can instead be run at regular intervals throughout operating hours, giving a truer picture of current, actual conditions. in general, remote access can get managers more accurate information quicker, helping them to make better-informed decisions for staff and guests. And since mobile POS information can be accessed from anywhere, restaurant managers can stay on top of things even while on vacation, or at home with their families, helping to enhance a better work-life balance while maintaining hotel efficiencies. Sharing the joy Guests who enjoy the freedom of mobile POS on their tablets or smartphones and who feel they have been well taken care of can also offer additional advantages to hotels beyond money spent and future loyalty. Since they generally have a strong emotional attachment to the hotel brand they visit most often, they tend to promote it among friends, family, and coworkers. To encourage this, mobile POS apps used for F&B transactions can also be designed to contain handy links that allow guests to share their travel experience almost while it’s happening by posting photos, comments, and reviews to social media like instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the all-important Trip Advisor. Making the most of cloud-based mobile POS is more than a trend. it’s a method of hotel interaction that is here to stay. used to its full benefit, it is one that can help hotel businesses not only keep up with guest expectations now, but possibly anticipate them for the future, helping to increase guest engagement and hotel loyalty for years to come. SkyTouch offers a premiere cloud-based PMS solution developed and optimized to provide proven value, scalability, and mobility, delighting more than 6,000 customers for over 10 years with industry-leading onboarding, training, and 24/7 service and support.
CH_LA Lodging News Spring 2016
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