Why hotels must offer online check-in
More and more hotels are offering an online check-in solution to their guests. A practice that has been imposed by travelers new needs: Looking for flexibility in their stays and opting, among other things, for a digital check-in without schedules.
Is a fact.Digitalization came to revolutionize the hotel sector. It is bringing a change in the guest experience, who are increasingly demanding personalised services. So, today, more than ever, hotels need to offer solutions to meet their expectations and improve the guest experience.
One solution for your hotel is offering an online check-in process. Discover below why you should implement online check-in in your hotel.
Reasons Why Hotels must implement online check-in?
Online check-in provides the perfect answer to meet the needs of today’s traveller. But also, works to attract the arrival of new consumers, the Millennials.
According to a study by SkidMore Studio, 90% of respondents say they are in favour of an online check-in process. They value the flexibility and convenience that this service offers them in their hotel stays.
It not only about benefits for hotel guests. Online check-in today brings efficiency to the operations of hotels and tourist accommodation.
An online check-in solution allows you to save time, automate manual tasks, reduce waiting times at the front desk and improve the guest experience. In short, a series of advantages that allow professionals in the sector to differentiate themselves and adapt to changes in consumer behaviour.
Here are some reasons that will demonstrate the importance of implementing an online check-in process in hotels.
1. Online check-in to adapt to new consumer needs
As we have already explained above, digitalisation has changed consumer habits and behaviours. They are all in a hurry, demanding processes to be fast, personalised, and available on multiple devices. According to a study by SalesForces, 64% of consumers demand real-time interactions from companies. Therefore, it is essential to offer them an online check-in service that allows them to carry out this operation quickly and easily.
In addition, today’s travellers are increasingly using their smartphones to carry out this type of transaction. According to the same SalesForce study, 88% of adults use their smartphones daily to interact with companies. So offering them the option to check-in online during their hotel stays is perfect. They can do it wherever they want, whenever they want, and using whatever device they want.
2. Online check-in as a new source of revenue for your hotel
Do you offer complementary services to enhance your guests’ stay? For example, SPA treatments, better rooms, late check-out or early check-in, taxis, etc. Online check-in is the perfect time and the perfect way to propose these extra services to your guests.
Official research shows that more than 65% of customers who purchase an additional service do so at the time of check-in. It is therefore very important to propose these additional services during check-in. Moreover, upselling by selling personalised experiences can increase the revenue of your hotel/lodging by 10 to 30%.
With online check-in, you will always be able to offer additional services to your customers, and personalise them, depending on the guest, or the location of the accommodation.
3. Online check-in reduces your workload and that of your staff
Whether you run a hotel or a tourist accommodation, you will always aim to reduce your own or your staff’s workload.
By reducing the burden of manual and repetitive tasks, you can save time and invest it in other, more interesting tasks to increase revenue.
You can now forget about long queues at the hotel reception desk or the hassle of attending to several check-ins in person on the same day. Through an automated online check-in solution, like the one offered by Chekin, you will be able to save time and improve the efficiency of the management of your tourist properties. We automate the entire check-in process, offering: Online guest registration, automatic sending of data to authorities, identity verification, digital key access, Upselling, calculation and collection of tourist fees, online payments, deposits, etc.
4. Improve your guest experience
When does the guest experience start – when they first discover their hotel room, when they arrive at the hotel, when they make their reservation?
The guest experience starts the moment they make a reservation. From this moment on, every contact with the guest is important.
You need to care about the guest experience, not only during their stay, but before they arrive at the hotel. This is what will differentiate your tourism property from the rest.
Therefore, they should understand before they arrive that they are going to receive the level of service that your brand offers. Online check-in allows you to take care of all the points of contact that you will have with the client before their arrival. Create personalised communications that include the link to the online check-in, the characteristics of the accommodation, relevant information and of course, the additional sale of personalised experiences, among others.
