Messaging is the new normal because it’s efficient, we all use it, and it’s become our primary way to connect with friends and family.
Consumer expectations and behaviors have dramatically changed in today’s business environment. Chat messaging is common across all generations. Short messaging service (SMS) is a great way to send a brief message, but there can be some drawbacks. SMS isn’t the default channel used in other parts of the world. While common within the U.S., SMS is limited to specific types of data and can often have usage charges. Other social mobile messaging apps don’t charge per message, so they’ve become increasingly popular today (WhatsApp, WeChat, LINE, Facebook Messenger and Viber).
Messaging within hospitality is getting very busy and noisy, and not all messaging platforms are created equal. From a hotelier's perspective, we're seeing more and more solutions incorporating chat and SMS functionality, which is both exciting but can also be a little confusing.
Messaging between hotel and guest is understandably an emerging critical need and everyone wants it, but many just aren’t sure how to implement and manage it. And again, not all messaging platforms are created equal, but messaging is here to stay and will only expand.
Mobile messaging offers travelers a way to easily communicate needs and services, and for hoteliers adds new revenue opportunities, ultimately improving the overall guest experience. The same is true for making it easier for a guests to express frustration or complaints.
While everyone’s digital strategy continues to evolve, consider a partner and messaging platform that is designed to natively adopt new and emerging consumer messaging channels (what’s popular today, may not be popular tomorrow), and has commitment to support your immediate and future needs. Because what can be more personal than providing guests with the means to communicate with you… in the way in which they prefer?
Click here to view the guest messaging comparison chart.
Diane Estner is a frequent contributor to Hospitality Upgrade, and is passionate about mobility, data analytics and guest personalization, Wi-Fi, millennial travel shifts, hosted voice services and sustainability solutions that help reduce costs and work toward creating a consciousness of environmental stewardship. She can be reached at dianeestner@danni-enterprises.com.
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