The hospitality industry is defined by its rating standards and the quality of the experience each guest receives. Hotels must provide their guests with access to everything they may need during their stay, even if they don’t use it.
Basic features like a landline, WiFI, a television with cable and pay-per-use content, and other services are the norm in the industry. All of these services are costly for hotels to maintain and directly impact a hotel’s operating expenses and profit margins. Introducing a softphone to the guest experience can both improve ratings and cut operational costs for management.
The emergence of new communications technologies like voice over IP (VoIP), smartphones, and other wireless technologies have enabled companies within the hospitality industry to reduce their expenses by amalgamating their services into one convenient and cost-effective service package.
Guests still expect traditional amenities, but companies now have flexible options that are far cheaper than hardwired landlines and other outdated media and communications platforms.
Acrobits has worked with major companies in the hospitality industry, such as the City Lodge Hotel Group, the development of OceanPhone for MTN Satellite Communications, and Regency Centers. Our industry expertise has resulted in the deployment of over 150 million endpoints throughout our lifetime.
The Cloud Softphone SDK offers unparalleled functionality that hospitality companies can use to improve the user experience by leveraging modern technology to provide their guests with the features that will make them want to come back.
White Label Cloud Softphone Apps
Hotels are rated using the hotel rating star-based system. In general, hotels with higher rating are believed to offer a superior experience. Many factors are considered when determining these ratings. Some of these factors include things such as the basic amenities included, the quality of hotel customer service, food and drink, the appearance of the hotel, and much more. There are certain standards in the hospitality industry that hotels are expected to provide. Traditionally, this included offering a dedicated landline in each room, televisions with basic cable and paid programming, and other on-demand services. In many cases, a hotel or motel cannot rent out a room if something as simple as a phone is broken. Despite this, hotel guests tend to avoid using in-room amenities like landlines because of how expensive they are perceived to be. These systems are costly to maintain and cut into a hotel’s profit margins. Most of these services are licensed by third-party providers who charge a substantial markup on everything provided. Additionally, hotels need to hire additional staff to maintain network cables, televisions, and other devices as they depreciate and deteriorate over time. All of these costs add up, and, more importantly, are no longer necessary when more efficient and agile mobile technologies, like softphone apps, are readily available.Cut Costs, Improve Operational Efficiency
Operational expenses are just another part of doing business in the hospitality industry. However, with costs on the rise and so many expenses to account for, hotels need to find innovative new ways to cut costs without cheapening the quality of service they offer.
Cloud Softphone enables your organization to build a mobile application that is designed to cut costs and improve your operational efficiency. By building one that caters to the needs of your business, you will be able to provide fast and effective service to your guests. a platform that appeals to both recreational and business-class guests.
A mobile application is designed to provide your organization with the flexibility it needs to enable memorable guest experiences. By now, it’s safe to assume that the average guest owns at least one smartphone, tablet, or laptop and that these devices will accompany them during their stay.
With how readily available these devices are, users are increasingly interested in connecting to your digital services through their own devices. We’ve already seen this with industry-wide WiFi adoption, the rise of streaming through over-the-top (OTT) media services like Netflix and YouTube, and the popularity of VoIP platforms Skype and WhatsApp.
How VoIP Benefits the Customer
It’s often difficult to determine what features your guests want. Cloud Softphone enables you to develop your own white-label VoIP apps, so you can offer premium features such as VoIP, app-based media and bring your own device connectivity. You can create a feature-rich platform that appeals to both recreational and business-class guests. Here are a few ways your mobile application can improve the guest experience:- Improve customer satisfaction with self-service systems: While some guests may prefer speaking with a staff member, others wish to interact with a self-service system. A VoIP platform reduces wait times by giving your customers direct access to the information and services they need through automated messages, menus, and ordering systems.
- Implement or develop a customer loyalty program: Research shows that consumers actively use loyalty programs. According to Synchrony Financial, 80 percent of Americans belong to a loyalty program. Of those, 44 percent value monetary rewards, 23 percent enjoy members-only pricing, and 4 percent like receiving special recognition. Cloud Softphone makes it easy for you to integrate your existing loyalty programs into your mobile application.
- Transparent booking systems: Hotel guests like to take advantage of the additional services offered by the hotel. A sophisticated platform lets your guests see what appointments are available, manually book their own appointments, and make changes as needed.
Migrating Your Hotel From Landlines to VoIP
We’ve seen the many benefits of embracing a VoIP system and mobile app, but how do you go about migrating to the new service? Let’s explore a brief overview of the process:- Plan the migration with management: All decision-makers need to be involved in the process. Evaluate the available infrastructure, such as a robust IP network, before proceeding. Optimize your network for VoIP if necessary, as voice data is more intensive than standard data.
- Pick the right provider: To reap all of the benefits we’ve explored above, you need the right provider for the softphone. Explore different options and evaluate pricing, capabilities, and uptime ratings.
- Develop an implementation plan with management: Once you have all the technical aspects in place, how will you implement them and migrate to them? This will look different for every hotel and motel, but typically will be an incremental roll-out rather than switching everything over at once.
- Test, test, test: Before you begin the migration, set up a test environment and make sure the new VoIP system is working properly before it interacts with live calls and real customers.
Exceed Guest Expectations with White Label VoIP Apps and Premium Mobile Functionality
A VoIP system is designed to improve your operational efficiency in many ways, some of which include:
- Automated Customer Service: Streamline your customer service during busy periods by automating common requests like wake-up calls and other concierge services.
- Wake-Up Calls: Simplify the wake-up call process by allowing your customers to schedule them through your mobile application.
- Call Forwarding: When things get chaotic, your staff can step away from the front desk and still receive important calls from your guests and staff.
- Voice Mail: You don’t have to worry about missing calls with a robust voicemail system.
- Versatile Calling: Streamline the communications process with a system that can handle SMS, voice, and video calling.
If you wish your organization to enjoy all these features and modernization, don't hesitate to contact our sales team. They will guide you through all of the questions you can have in a free 1 hour demo. See you on the video room!
