Use Interactive Displays to Improve Guest Engagement
Thanks in large part to the pervasive use of smartphones by those age’s preteens on up, people have grown accustomed to two things every hotel needs to appreciate: People want to control and people want interaction.
Hotels that deploy interactive digital displays provide guests with great experiences, and also, encourage guests to spend more time on the property, write favorable online reviews and return for another stay. Here are important ways hotels can make use of interactive displays.
Effective Ways to Use Interactive Displays
- Information kiosks.
- Publicize amenities.
- Local Information.
- Emergency communication.
Two things guests are sure to have: luggage and questions. Making information kiosks available in common areas such as the lobby, elevator banks, dining areas, and swimming pools allows guests to keep control by having accessibility to check-out times, how to schedule a spa visit, airport shuttle schedules, meeting room schedules and directions to onsite locations.
Also, information kiosks take the burden off the concierge staff, giving them time to concentrate more on those really special requests — and reducing wait times for guests in need of a concierge.
You’ve got an Olympic-size pool, the top-rated spa in the area, a fresh Chilean sea bass special, a 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. “happy hour” with free hot appetizers. Promoting hotel amenities on digital displays helps you reach more people, and makes the message stronger and more engaging through the use of strong visuals and color.
In this interactive application, the variety of digital options is a real plus. Small screen displays are effective and unobtrusive in elevators, outside and inside meeting rooms and in washrooms; large screens and wall screens provide powerful communication in lobbies, large meeting rooms, dining areas, and indoor or outdoor pool areas. Digital communication is far more likely to capture the guest’s attention and hold the guest’s attention than brochures and paper signage.
Information kiosks and interactive displays are perfect for helping guests find local information. For instance, by displaying icons of nearby attractions, screens enable guests to simply touch the item of interest and be shown details, photos, video, and directions. As with on-site information, digital displays take the burden off the concierge staff and make it easier and faster for guests to find what they need when it comes to local attractions, restaurants, entertainment, travel times, directions, etc.
These displays also add to the guest experience when they provide a scrolling local weather report, headline news, and sports updates.
Extreme weather events such as tornadoes, floods, forest fires, and hurricanes are unwelcome intrusions to be sure but are a fact of life for which every hotel must be prepared. An important component of emergency preparation and response: digital displays. The two most important advantages of a digital emergency communication plan are speed and coverage. In terms of speed, emergency information updates, and instructions for what guests should do can be conveyed in real time or near real time, enabling guests and staff to act based on accurate information.
In terms of coverage, digital networks can display emergency messages on wall screens, big screens, small wall displays, in-room TVs, and even on Web pages accessible to guest and staff mobile devices. In an emergency, it’s important to reach all employees and guests wherever they are on the property; digital communication greatly extends the reach.
Digital communication networks integrate hardware and software that can be customized to fit the requirements of hotels based on size, facilities, and budgets. Having a solid communication plan before diving in makes for a fast and efficient implementation — using digital displays to improve guest engagement and satisfaction should be high on a hotel plan’s list of objectives.
Are your Hotel taking advantage of state of the art technology to improve guest engagement?
Surprise and delight are what makes dreams come true.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT AND FACEBOOK ADVERTISING FOR HOTELS
Facebook Native Advertising will help Hotels redefine the customer experience. Take advantage of new innovative strategies that will improve your Hotels ROI.
FREE access to our Hotel Social Media Community – Get more insights and training about Facebook Native Ads for Hotels!
Our Social Media Management team has refined these processes to help Hotels. Contact us today to learn more.
Join our Free Hotel Social Media Community on Facebook for more in-depth insight.
Try something new it will magnetize your Hotel!
Be flexible and identify new ways to make guests happy.
As guest behavior and pattern continues to evolve, expectations will continue to rise. Navigating these changes can be challenging. Learn more about how we can help your Hotel.
About the author
Are Morch is the founder and owner of Are Morch – Hotel Marketing Coach. Get more from Are on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Instagram| Podcast
