
Here's a real example: You've stayed at the same hotel five times. Each time, you ask for a quiet room away from the elevator. But every time you make a new booking online, you have to request this again. Why? Because the booking system doesn't know what the front desk knows.
Or maybe you're allergic to feather pillows. You mentioned this during your last stay, and the front desk made a note. But when you book your next visit, the online system still asks if you have any allergies. The information didn't travel between systems.
The Big Problem: Too Many Separate Systems
Imagine trying to complete a puzzle, but all the pieces are from different boxes. That's what most hotels deal with every day:
The website lives in one place
The booking system sits somewhere else
Guest information is stored in another system
Reviews and feedback are managed separately
Email marketing runs through yet another tool
None of these systems talk to each other properly. It's like having a team where nobody shares information!
What Good Hotels Are Doing About It
Smart hotels are finding ways to work around these problems. Instead of relying on website tracking, they're:
Creating better loyalty programs that encourage guests to share information willingly. When you get perks for sharing your preferences, you're more likely to do it.
Training staff to collect and share important guest information. If you mention to the bartender that you're celebrating your anniversary, they make sure the front desk knows too.
Using surveys at the right time. Not just after your stay, but during it, when problems can still be fixed.
What's Next?
Hotels are getting better at this, but it takes time. The good ones are focusing on what matters most: using information to give better service, not just collecting data for the sake of it.
The goal is simple: when you walk into a hotel, it should feel like they know you, even if you're dealing with different staff members than last time. Just like a good friend remembers how you like your coffee, a good hotel should remember how you like your stay.
Hotels need to stop thinking about data as just numbers and start seeing it as guest stories. Each piece of information is part of understanding what makes their guests happy.
The good news? Technology is getting better and cheaper. The bad news? Many hotels are still trying to solve new problems with old tools.
Ready to take it to the next level? Book Your Demo Here
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