The hospitality industry was quick to take advantage of the internet revolution with fully featured websites and continued investment into smooth online booking processes. But in the iPhone age, browser-based information is no longer enough. Increasing numbers of hotel companies are now beaming information straight into customers’ hands through the development of apps – small programs, offered either free or for a nominal charge, which can be downloaded and accessed through smartphones and tablets.
As apps in general become more sophisticated, users are coming to expect more from hotels when it comes to mobile features. More features, better presentation and user-friendly interfaces are a must. Here we list some of the standout hospitality apps on the market and look into the strategies behind them.
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Omni Hotels app
Launching its app in September 2009, luxury brand Omni Hotels was quick to jump on the app bandwagon. Despite the app’s age, it’s still one of the most fleshed-out apps available. Users can search for Omni properties, book hotels and check in through the app in real-time, as well as check out the latest offers and find out what they’re eligible for on the company’s Select Guest loyalty scheme, a program offering members exclusive perks and loyalty rewards.
The app is currently only available on Apple‘s iPhone and iPod, and will likely expand to other smart devices in order to keep up with the competition. “We want to make it as simple as possible for travellers to wirelessly manage their travel using iPhone and iPod touch,” said Omni’s VP of e-commerce Kerry Kennedy on the app’s launch.
Premier Inn’s cross-platform app
A lack of cross-platform support isn’t a problem for Premier Inn’s app, which was launched in January this year and is available for iPhone, Android, Nokia and BlackBerry devices, the latter of which are extremely popular among the business travellers who form the core of Premier’s customers.
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The importance of maximising platform availability has been stressed by Grapple Mobile CEO Alistair Crane. “It is vital for businesses to think about their target audience and the devices they are likely to be using,” he said. “Working with developers who can design and create apps for all the major operating platforms is now essential in order to obtain reach and scale.” Developed by Fujitsu for the budget UK hotel chain, the app allows customers to check availability and make bookings across the company’s 590 properties.
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By GlobalDataConcierge apps from Fairmont and InterContinental
Beyond providing basic information and facilitating online check-in and bookings, apps can be useful for enhancing a guest’s hotel stay. At the end of 2010, InterContinental released the Concierge Insider Guides app, designed to tap into the knowledge of local concierge teams and provide guests with guides and tips for their destination. Designed for the larger iPad device, the app gives users an interactive guide to local shops, restaurants and culture, including maps, suggested itineraries and streaming videos specific to different locations.
Fairmont Hotels & Resort has adopted a different strategy for its own app, available for the iPhone. Instead of presenting its product as an interactive concierge service, Fairmont is tying its tips service into its online community, EveryonesAnOriginal.com for a more “crowdsourcing” approach. Users can share text and pictures of local attractions, allowing guests to get their inside information from their fellow customers rather than hotel staff.
Brand identity: W Hotels’ “lifestyle app”
Establishing a brand identity that is meaningful to customers is an important part of building brand loyalty in the hospitality industry. Earlier this month, W Hotels Worldwide pushed forward their brand identity with a unique new iPhone app. As well as allowing customers to book hotels, the app is also a platform for new music, offering exclusive content from the likes of Janelle Monae and Cee Lo Green.
“The global iPhone application is a vital new communication channel for W Hotels that allows us to further connect with our target audience, while bringing to life the passions of the W brand,” said Eva Ziegler, W Hotels’ global band leader. “The W iPhone app is another way for W loyalists to stay connected 24/7.” The company’s innovative app is an interesting attempt to further define its identity through new technology, although given its recent release it remains to be seen if such an ambitious strategy will prove effective in the long run.
Independent review apps
It’s not only hotels that are moving into the mobile space. Just as the hospitality industry is unable to control representation of brand on the web, so it has proved on smartphones. TripAdvisor last year made its push into the world of apps, replacing the Local Picks app on Apple’s iTunes store with a new TripAdvisor application.
Impressively, the app is available in 13 languages, allowing it to capture a larger global slice of people looking for reviews on the go while giving users a localised platform. The app gives users the ability to search for recommended hotels and other attractions, and even upload reviews of their own. The app also leverages the iPhone’s GPS capability, allowing users to search for hotels close to their current location.
It’s clear that the dynamic, pocket-sized world of the smartphone has secured its long-term position as an essential tool for guests and hoteliers alike. This mobile technology adds yet another option for customers to connect with their favourite hotels and destinations, and judging by W’s music app, hotel companies are employing ever more radical strategies to capture their attention.
