Many hotels today are missing the mark with implementing a new and improved communication strategy. Überblick provides a new unique way to create communication strategies that will help your hotel improve service quality while saving time.
Überblick, in English “Overview”, is a hotel’s own communication channel, their very own and private messenger service that connects the whole hotel from GM to any team member.
The name suggests that by using Überblick, the management and the employees alike will improve their communication and get a better overview of the daily operations.
The importance of communication in the workplace
One of the effects of COVID-19 is that this pandemic has expedited the importance of improving your hotels’ communication skills.
A report from Stanford told us that an incredible 42 percent of the U.S. labor was work full-time at home by mid-summer 2020.
And the work at home employees accounted for two-thirds of U.S. economic activities. The majority of these transactions were done through various digital channels.
Work at home employees used communication channels to stay up to date with their companies, and at the same time used the same tools to educate themselves.
For hotels is key to identify cost-effective solutions that meet this new unique demand.
Simple and effective communication strategies
Hotels often experience challenges in the customer recovery process due to a rigid or complex communication structure.
Employees in many hotels are required to follow a check-point process to find a resolution for a customer service inquiry. For many, this process can be quite overwhelming, and it ends up making the customer more frustrated.
Today with new advanced technology and tools like Überblick it adds more flexibility and helps to simplify the customer service process.
Improving the hotels’ internal communication is a concern for many hotel owners and teams today.
Security is one concern when looking at simplifying communication strategies.
GDPR Compliant
Überblick is GDPR compliant and meets all requirements imposed by the European Parliament to reflect its businesses’ needs for safe use and private communication. And it is hosted on German servers that guarantee the highest level of security.
And Überblick has developed its service with a focus on improving effective communication.
The Dashboard
The Dashboard is divided into three parts.
There is the Info-board on the left column, which takes roughly one-quarter of the screen, there is the task management board, taking the further ¾ of the screen, and there is the chat module on the bottom right corner.
The black bar on the top of the screen entails tabs that permit the user to navigate through each module individually.
The Information Board
The Information board is basically a digital billboard and is primarily designed to share company news top-down.
It can be the general manager sharing the quarterly statements or the human resource manager complimenting the jubilee for his achievements.
The information board, however, offers much more. Polls can be created within seconds to find out about the staff`s sentiment. The general manager could ask:
– Are you afraid that Corona will weaken the hotel?
– Or: Do you like our new experience offers?
In the hands of the hotel marketing department, the information board will be a powerful tool as it can be used playfully as well. Shopping vouchers and gift cards could be sent to the employees or games organized.
One could ask which team would become the next Superbowl champion. Anything that can motivate employees and increase company satisfaction. The possibilities are endless and offer an unprecedented way to lift company communication.
The Task Management Board
As the name suggests, the task management board is designed to delegate tasks across the company. It goes in both directions, top-down as well as down-top.
The task management board is particularly interesting for the service personnel that is constantly walking across the hotel. A cleaning lady, for instance, can send from her phone a task straight to the genitor and tell him to fix a light bulb in a particular room.
To make it even easier for the housekeeper, she could take a photo out of the app and mark the issue.
No task will ever be forgotten anymore. Jobs will be done much faster, transparent and traceable.
Feedback from clients that are using Überblick indicates due to improved communication, they can save about 120 working hours per month at hotel sizes between 80 rooms and 50 employees.
Chat
While its focus is set on task management, Überblick also offers a chat module. The advantage, compared with traditional messengers like Whatsapp is, that Überblick is GDPR compliant.
No data is shared with third parties and thus, can’t be analyzed by tech giants like Google or Facebook. By using Überblick the company’s secrets are safe and guaranteed out of reach by foreign authorities.
Überblick is an autonomous, closed system that doesn’t rely on any third-party service provider
The Knowledge Area
Thanks to the boom of cloud services, intranets are becoming obsolete. Überblick offers an integrated cloud service that makes it easier for majors to share hotel knowledge and for employees to access this information at any time – straight from their smartphones.
The Überblick Cloud service accepts all common data formats like pdf, jpeg, or video files.
How to improve your hotels’ communication
Effective communication will help improve your hotels’ productivity.
With today’s advanced technology and tools, hotels can now simplify the communication process.
1. Choose your communication tools
I have demonstrated here in this article how your hotel can take advantage of a tool like Überblick to create a new and improved communication strategy.
2. Collaborate with your hotel team members and customer
Hotels have to establish encouraging two-way communication processes. Empower your employees to help create a new and improved communication strategy.
New innovative communication strategies also involve input for customers.
3. Catch your employees doing things right
Make sure you tell and celebrate employees doing good things daily.
4. Give accurate feedback
Your employees will require accurate feedback on what is going well, and what needs to be improved.
5. Flexible ad-hoc changes
Use your communication tools for a specific quick change. Flexibility in your hotel’s communication strategies is essential.
6. Use communication tools for new innovative team building
Team building is proven to build engagement and productivity. Engaged and happy team members will help your hotel generate more revenue.
Benefits of Überblick
Time Saving / Better Service
– Important information reaches its destination in time.
– Tasks will be done and never forgotten anymore
Transparency / Real Time
– Overview of what is being done in the company
– The whole company is connected
Documentation / Employer Branding
– Time-saving due to improved communication
– A solution that is as simple to use as possible
Conclusion
Today we live in a digitalized world. Travelers depend on their smartphones to make hotel booking decisions.
And today they expect an easy communication process that helps them solve their immediate problems.
No matter the position within the hotel team communicating ideas and solutions is essential today.
Effective communication and the right tool to do so is what will secure long-term success for your hotel.
Related article: Tips to Ensure Successful Communication
*SPECIAL* for Are Morch – Digital Marketing Coach readers
If your hotel mention “aremorch” when you subscribe for Überblick you will receive 10% discount on a yearly subscription, and 15% discount on a two year subscription.
We are in this together!
I need to let you all know that we are in on this together. If you need to vent, talk, cry, or just have some to talk with then I am here listening. Since I am working part-time at the local Kroger, I will to the best of my ability to work it out around my schedule.
But you can reach me here:
Email: hotelblogger@aremorch.com
Also, join us at our Facebook Group – Hotel Social Media Community
We will get through this unprecedented event together! #hotelstrong #hospitalitystrong
For any specific information on COVID-19, I recommend go to CDC, WHO, AHLA, AAHOA, and HSMAI. Also, follow information from your local authorities.
NOTE
We are starting to reopen some hotels again (Yay!!!). Make sure you follow their guidelines and say THANK YOU to those that now show a unique spirit to serve, and helps us all get through this!! #hotelstrong #hospitalitystrong
About Are Morch
Hi, I am Are Morch. Your Digital Marketing Coach and Customer Experience Expert specializes in creating effective digital customer experience offer for hotels while growing and scale customer acquisition and revenue.
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