While it may seem like technology is taking over the hospitality industry, it doesn’t have to replace human interaction. Balance digital offerings with service from real humans to match current guest expectations. 

The rise of hotel tech

It’s no secret that hotels have been utilizing technology to increase operational efficiency, drive direct booking, and just plain “keep up” with guest expectations.

In fact, in 2017 smartphones accounted for 43% of travel-related requests. When surveyed, 24 percent of hoteliers worldwide said that they are utilizing technology to improve the guest experience. Forty-three percent of hoteliers identified mobile guest engagement as a top spending priority in 2016.

But humans are social animals, and research shows that mixing tech with social interaction is the preferred route. Increased technology doesn’t have to mean compromised connection!

Staying human-centered

Instead of just implementing a ton of contactless technologies at properties, hotels should keep in mind that most consumers still prefer some form of human interaction in tandem with virtual communication. 

In fact, in a PwC Consumer Intelligence survey, 75% of consumers mentioned wanting more human interaction in the future. 

The key to integrating technology with human interaction is making the experience seamless, and allowing guests to choose their journey. A good and bad example of this is hospitality guest messaging versus chatbots—hospitality messaging allows guests and front desks to communicate via hotel texting seamlessly, interacting between real humans on both sides—while chatbots are completely automated and remove the human element entirely.

Top messaging solutions like Kipsu are built hand-in-hand with hospitality leaders, helping service professionals extend their top-notch service via digital channels. Instead of fully automated messages, this hotel texting service allows front desk teams to communicate digitally without compromising quality.

Curating the guest stay

When mixing technology with face-to-face service, it seems to come down to curating the guest stay. Give the consumers the choice! 

What is the right offering for the guest at that moment? Do they prefer walking up to the front desk and having the option to text, or do they want to completely check in and out via their smartphone?

Hotels should gather data points on guests and serve up offerings that fit their preferences, to ensure technology is being used in a human way.  Whether it’s personalized welcome text messages or QR codes in the hotel gym, properties can offer a variety of technologies and take note of which ones different guests prefer. 

One of these is hotel texting with Kipsu, a platform that gives guests a richer experience through digital messaging channels. Reducing guest anxiety to speak up about their stay and increasing front desk efficiency, hospitality messaging has shown to elevate the guest experience without sacrificing human elements. 

Learn more about digital channels that hotels around the globe use to connect with guests.

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