What is a virtual concierge or by its other name, eConcierge?
A virtual concierge can exist in any virtual realm, you can choose to develop it within your mobile application or and on your website. A virtual concierge serves guests in the same ways a typical concierge would. Hotels that use an eConcierge often have increased loyalty, reduced turnover and increased ROI.
The Common Misconception!
The most common misconception is that having an eConcierge will replace or make the on property concierge less relevant. This is not true, and although your guests can use the eConcierge on property too it will be beneficiary both for the guests and your staff: The guests can use it before their arrival allowing the actual concierge to help the guests more efficiently.
Let’s look from both the guest and management perspective of having an eConcierge, taking as an example Hotech’s eConcierge
What can your guest do with an eConcierge:
- Change a room reservation
- Spa or restaurant reservations
- Specific requests like towels, room service and so on
- Contact hotel departments such as house cleaning
- Look at the entertainment options both within and outside the hotel
All of these and more from the comfort of their own smart phone.
Because the on property concierge is already familiar with what they need to do to keep the guests happy, it will be easier for them to get familiar with the new technology and use their networking circle to plug in all the necessary information. It will simply provide you with more time and cost reduction as the eConcierge is eliminating the delegation of tasks to the in-house employees.
What can the hotel get out of the eConcierge:
- Ease of communication with the guest
- Upselling opportunities
- Questionnaires
- Eliminating the stress associated with planning, booking, coordinating and room blockings related to events
These are just a few of the perks that come with having an eConcierge.
Industry leaders strongly believe that eConcierge is the best way to reach the new millennials and global travellers as it showcases your property, enhances the guest experience and improves the business image. Not only that it will increase your rating but it will also make you stand out from your competition.
Some amazing benefits
Needless to say, the smartphones are a dominant force. As the guests are taking their smartphones everywhere, we should be expecting further integration of all kind of services. This wave is offering hoteliers the opportunity to offer luxury services at a fraction of the price.
- Build Trust – your guest won’t have a shortage of options
- Information source – if your guest has a question they can easily obtain the answer at the tip of their fingers
- Marketing tool – a powerful resource for upselling and small advertisement, that the guest can access instantly, you can even tailor it according to the guest’s preferences or previous accessed options
Today guests are looking for authentic experiences and easily accessible information. The eConcierge can offer the possibility of keeping in touch with the guest before, during and even after their holiday, going beyond their experience within the property. Choose to implement an eConcierge for your property and be sure you are catching the guests of tomorrow.
