To stay ahead of the competition,how should the industry shape itself this year to meet the growing needs of informed customers in 2005?

What will work best for the hospitality industry in 2015 and how should the industry shape itself this year to meet the growing needs of informed customers?

Here we discuss some new trends in hotel and travel industry that are expected to rule the hospitality industry and also share strategies that hotels can adopt to give them an edge in hospitality and enable customers a unique experience that can benchmark against the best in the business.

Focus on Millennial Customer Segment

Today’s jet setting globetrotting senior management executives either on an official trip or on a family holiday will settle for nothing less than a unique hospitality experience and are willing to pay a price for it. Millennials as they are called are the most happening segment for the hospitality industry and are key drivers behind all the innovative trends in service.

Hotels that have innovative lobby designs, unique bars and restaurants that offer a gourmet experience will surely enjoy more customers in 2015. The hotels which can offer a combo experience for work, relaxation, wining and dining are sure to stay on top of the heap in 2015.

Mobile Apps and Technology

If it is possible to check in to a hotel through a mobile App, reviews for such a hotel will rate it extremely high in the hospitality realm. Such places will have more customers engaging with them. Millennials use technology adeptly to get their work done swiftly. If they can use their smartphone to look for places to eat, checking in and paying bills, it is all done so conveniently and quickly. Moreover, customers use reviews to find the best places to stay and do not hesitate to give their views on their stay at a hotel.

Innovative technology which certainly includes the ability to check-in via a mobile device and flawless connectivity across platforms will be the icing on the cake for the hospitality industry in 2015.

Customer Service that Encourages Self Sufficiency

Hospitality in the present day means catering to guests’ need quickly in a way that nurtures independence. A service that is aware of what they need not only in terms of comfort, food and ambience but that which helps them to be self sufficient will rule the roost in the hospitality sector. Today’s travelers embrace technology and accomplish a great deal on their smartphones. Highly intuitive and proactive service which caters to the hi-tech traveler and values their time to go beyond all expectations will be the benchmark for distinctive service.

International visitors are expected to increase significantly so the hospitality industry that is sensitive to the culture, trend and expectation of the foreign visitor will be of high value. A bit of homework, analysis, plan and strategy can offer that unique service that exceeds expectations. In the United States alone, the annual growth of international visitors is expected to increase by 4% which is more than 80 million visitors. Most international visitors are used to making their own travel arrangements and nearly 80 percent are known to access the web through the mobile device. This makes it all the more crucial for the hospitality industry to provide services that support this trend to avoid any inconveniences to the busy international traveler.

Strategizing Online and On-site Data Management

Managing so much data is an overwhelming task for the hotelier. When the data is not organized well, the whole purpose of assimilating it becomes futile; and when this data is managed correctly it can help hotels understand the behavior, likes/dislikes of guests which enables better decision making, better returns on investment and improved guest satisfaction.

Hotels are expected to find a way that ensures they are able to better leverage guest intelligence in conjunction with technology systems such as PMS, CRM, Business Intelligence etc. Efforts should also be made to analyze semantic data, for instance the language use by guests in online reviews. This will give greater clarity in understanding the guests satisfaction levels. Hotels can also take a step forward by creating customized online guest satisfaction surveys to understand guest satisfaction at various levels.

Online reputation management tools can also be used to analyze reviews from various sources. This will facilitate hotels managers access and management of online comments, reviews, ratings and guest survey results through a single integrated platform.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is the trend in the hotel industry, slated to gain momentum in 2015. Traditional marketing along with real time marketing will be a heady mix for the hotel industry in 2015. Hotel industries must take care to include guest-generated content, especially via social media. The hotel’s Facebook page must ideally function as a second website. If customers can use the Facebook page to connect with hotel employees to make reservations this will be the ultimate in customer convenience.

Mobile apps that can effectively connect to the booking and reservation saves time and provides the convenience required without too much of a roundabout. The Facebook page of hotels must be designed in such a way to leverage custom apps that can bring out the special services offered by the hotel and other unique features.

Renovations will be Welcome

To stay ahead of the competition, hotels are not hesitating to bring upgrades to their brand image. Big brand hotels are refurbishing their design styles and even changing their guest bathrooms and room layouts in accordance with the demands of their discerning guests. More hotels, in order to match up to the changing standards and expectations of their guests are expected to bring renovations in their hotel rooms.

Gone are the days when customers walk in to check room availability. Today, it all happens through mobile apps. Social media can be employed wonderfully by hoteliers who can use powerful video campaigns to interest customers. The overriding service which can give hotels a unique distinction is technology innovation and the use of customer-friendly apps in mobile technology that will be trending in 2015.