Leaving for an upcoming vacation requires a ton of preparation on the individual's part. Collecting confirmation numbers from hotels, car rentals, activities and flight information for each party involved becomes a bulky folder. The worst part about this? Losing even one piece of paper may cause a hassle between these organizations.
Mobile-friendly websites and applications have made it much easier for people to find a hotel. Each day, a mobile website can receive 217 new users while Apple receives about 47,000 app downloads, according to Business 2 Community. The only reason why a visitor may book on the computer instead is if the mobile platform was difficult to read or navigate.
What makes an SMS service stand out is that they get an open rate of 90 percent, according to Mobile Financial. Businesses have taken it a step further to utilize text messages to leave thank you notes and last minute offers. In the hotel business, companies understand the reality that nearly half of their guests begin planning their trips and placing their reservations on their cell phones, according to 4 Hoteliers.
Hotel groups like Starwood saw the demand for user-friendly mobile marketing software and can provide great service without physically seeing their guests.
"Because guests are tech-forward and time-limited, we expected them to embrace Smart Check-In, but we've been blown away by the enthusiasm," Brian McGuinness, senior VP of specialty brands at Starwood told Arabian Business. "It's evident there was a demand to reinvent conventional check-in."
If people are a Starwood Preferred Guest member, they are able to download an app that allows their phone or tablet to become an active key card using radio frequency identification technology, according to Arabian Business. Check-in is a breeze because members already received their room information in a text message before their arrival.
Swift SMS Gateway has the developers available to begin a mobile marketing strategy to assist with your guest's accommodations.
