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Hotels here need to take advantage of smart technologies to improve their business and remain competitive globally amidst the fast-changing times, reported Singapore Business Review.
“Today, Singapore is leading digital travel trends on a global scale,” said Far East Hospitality’s CEO Arthur Kiong.
He revealed that 52 percent of people here currently make travel plans with the help of their mobile devices, and the city-state is expected to be one of the world’s biggest digital travel markets by 2020.
“In 2017, Singapore was the 5th most internationally visited city in the world, ranking second for all of Southeast Asia. With international visitors only expected to grow in the upcoming years, Singapore’s hoteliers must leverage modern digital innovations not only to stay ahead in competition, but also to help everyday operations,” said Kiong.
For instance, 24-hour chatbots can field client queries about the hotel, robots can perform room service and simple tasks, while cloud-based solutions can process guests’ requests or monitor daily room assignments.
Another important benefit of smart technology such as artificial intelligence is data analytics, as hotel owners can gain important insights on the preferences and wishes of their guests.
“Data collected allows hoteliers to know whether guests are travelling for business or with a family, checking-in late at night due to a late flight or if they prefer a quiet corner room. These sets of information can be constantly tracked, helping the hotels offer customised services to new or returning guests,” noted Kiong.
With such innovations, hotel employees no longer need to do mundane tasks, giving them more time to interact with guests, tackle complicated issues and fulfill customer requests on time. This is crucial as 73 percent of consumers still prefer services to be provided with a human touch.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
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