Personalized guest offerings create new revenue for hotels.
MONTREAL – GuestDriven, a leading hospitality mobile solution provider, announced a partnership with Estimote, developer of Beacon sensors, to deliver iBeacon technology to the hotel industry. Growth forecasts put beacon installs across all industries at 5 million within the next four years, for a 287 percent increase. GuestDriven and Estimote are the first mobile technology providers to deliver iBeacon technology to independent hoteliers throughout North America. Guests opting in to the Beacon push notifications can access these messages from both iOS and Android devices.
“The iBeacon technology has been extremely well received by our hotel partners in our global deployment,” said Anthony Zebrowski-Rubin, CEO of GuestDriven. “While the retail, transportation and sports industries have been using Beacons to direct fans, navigate and improve traffic patterns for travelers and deliver special offers with product ratings and comparative pricing for shoppers, the hotel industry now has the ability to personalize and deliver richer guest experiences with real-time promotions that drive new revenue and engagement, deepen customer loyalty and elevate their brand.”
Estimote Beacons are small, intricately designed sensors that can be strategically placed virtually anywhere in a building or the outside grounds. Through the tiny radio signals broadcasted by the Beacons, guests can receive a variety of push notifications such as welcoming, promotional and informative messages regarding their hotel stay direct to their mobile phones as they walk through the property.
“Partnering with Estimote opens new opportunities for our hotel clients to differentiate their brands and create memorable experiences for their guests,” added Anthony Zebrowski-Rubin. “Whether guests receive a welcome message when they walk through the doors, a special offer to upgrade to a suite upon arrival or a message with in-room food options for guests checking-in past dinner time, Beacons provide a way to market, engage and upsell customers, while driving repeat business. We plan to announce several new hotel deployments in the coming weeks as we aggressively expand Estimote’s iBeacon technology into more of our clients’ sites throughout North America.”
The baton has been passed to a new generation of hotel guest. Nearly half of all hotel guests are under the age of 36 and 94% of them carry a smartphone, according to Atmosphere Research Group. “Hotels must be mobile-centric in how they sell, serve and support guests,” said Henry H. Harteveldt, Founder/Travel Industry Analyst, Atmosphere Research Group. “Smartphones are as essential to guests as the air they breathe. Mobile-centric guests may view a mobile-focused hotel as more convenient, and may be willing to consider paying a higher rate for that convenience. This new generation of guests will pay as much attention to hotel mobile services as they will its bedding.”
GuestDriven is helping hotels capitalize on this shift in the market by providing a Mobile Guest Engagement Platform that allows hotels to engage with guests via mobile devices in order to create stronger customer relationships, build brand advocacy and drive revenue. Last month, GuestDriven launched GuestDriven Express which equips hotels with Mobile Check-in and Upgrade capabilities and adds new revenues while engaging guests at the pre-arrival stage.
“GuestDriven is closing the gap when it comes to the guest experience,” said Jakub Krzych, CEO and Co-founder of Estimote. “They continue to launch innovative and affordable mobile turnkey solutions to give hotels the opportunity to engage with guests on a deeper, more intimate level. We are very excited to align our technology with their offering to further improve the customer experience, while creating new revenue channels for hoteliers.“
Benefits of iBeacon Technology for Guests
- Heightened personalized service
- Recognition for loyalty and repeat business
- Upgrades and perks for engagement including discounts on rooms, restaurants, in-room dining, spa and other amenities
- Tailored offerings connected to your profile
- Educational messages about hotel services, artwork and specials
- Directions to various property locations
Benefits of iBeacon Technology for Hotels
- Provides onsite personalization
- Connecting guests and hotel for heightened experiences
- Added value tools to retain customers and build engagement
- Opens new revenue channel for upselling amenities
- Merchandising of add-ons during guest stay
- Capturing CRM data to better serve guests
- Fast and easy installation and maintenance.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
