White Paper: Hospitality Redefined
13 December 2011
Hospitality Redefined
Hospitality has long been in large part defined, perhaps over-simplistically, as the degree to which a guest is pampered. For decades, superior guest service at hotels meant treating visitors like royalty. Hotel guests expected personal interactions around every corner, starting with an attentive front desk agent and extending throughout the stay.
But times are changing, and for a large swath of the traveling public, traditional notions of hospitality no longer apply. Ultimately, hospitality is about making travel convenient and comfortable; in eras past, this required hotel staff to wait on guests hand-and-foot.
Technology options have advanced to the point, however, where it is often faster and easier for the consumer to engage in automated self-service than to wait in a queue to interact with a staff member.
Although there will always be a portion of the public who value the human touch over speed and convenience, the vast majority of today’s independent-minded travelers want the freedom and flexibility to facilitate their travel experience on their own terms, be it booking a room online, checking in to the hotel at a kiosk, or ordering room service through an
The Evolution of Self-Service Solutions in the Global Hotel Industry automated application on their mobile phone. A recent Harvard Business Review study proves the point, noting that “customers want control over how and when they interact with companies.” In fact, the study concludes that self-service is the top customer service desire and the most important key to building loyalty in today’s marketplace.
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