GSAIR 2023 50
Hospitality tech
By Sacha Sandhar Head of Insights , Ariosi
The rise of the tech-savvy traveller is very much on serviced apartment operators ’ radar when considering how to enhance and evolve their services and products .
61 % of operators agree or strongly agree that the digital nomad ’ s preferred experience will become the norm over the next 12 to 18 months .
A new breed of operator has entered the short stay space . They offer a tech enabled service with an emphasis on a low touch experience , coupled with a high spec physical product .
These organisations are lean , efficient , agile , and above all else , scalable . One such operator is Munich based limehome , whose Co-Founder & Managing Director , Dr Josef Vollmayr says :
“ After countless hotel stays as a consultant at McKinsey , I realised that it must be possible to replicate what we see elsewhere , in the hospitality industry . To digitise interactions , reduce manual processes and hence operating costs , and generate higher revenues whilst providing a seamless , more convenient customer experience .”
PMS just the start
As Fig . 27 shows , 74 % of serviced apartment operators have invested in Property Management Systems ( PMS ) because they are regarded as essential for the efficient running of a serviced apartment operation .
However , to remain competitive and deliver the seamless guest experience which travellers demand , operators do recognise the need to go further .
Our survey suggests that self-service check in has been adopted by almost 50 % of operators , whilst 31 % now offer mobile applications as part of their service and 27 % offer digital access control systems . This shows that automation is continuing to be introduced throughout the customer journey .
As Fig . 28 shows , the benefits of these , and other technologies are varied and extensive . The benefits most cited by operators are an improved guest experience ( 30 %), improvements in process efficiency ( 23 %), and cost efficiency ( 10 %).
Niko Kartsikko , Co-founder and CEO of tech – enabled short stay operator , Bob W . explains his company ’ s strategy . “ We have great services that are easily accessible through our apps . We have a check in that ’ s so seamless that you don ’ t need a front desk . We have amazingly empathetic customer service , which is chat based , and we bring all of that with one on site FTE per property .”
Empathy vs Digitisation
Rachel Angell , COO of luxury stay provider , Domus Stay believes that for some strata of the market , the value of the purchase dictates that trust and a personalised , curated experience trumps the benefits of digitisation .
“ The ultra-high net worth traveller wants things to be as seamless , as easy and as convenient as possible . But I also think that what they ’ re looking for is recognition and an understanding of who they are .”
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are enabling automated empathy . 95 % of Bob W .’ s outbound communications are automated with each guest receiving a message 50 minutes after check-in to ask if they are satisfied with their apartment .
‘ Your last check in ’ ensures returning guests are remembered , so don ’ t need to check in more than once until their ID expires . Algorithms match features of their previous stays with those of available room types to offer guests apartments and to upgrade them where occupancy could be improved by doing so .
Other uses of AI
Limehome ’ s proprietary tech enables a significant advantage in the management of their yield by scanning the rates in the market , coupled with their own occupancy , both on a real time and forecast basis .
Giles Horwitch-Smith CEO of PMS provider , res : harmonics says , “ Machine learning can identify trends such as increased maintenance issues or predict revenues over the next month and even further ahead , freeing property managers up to focus on delivering an enhanced customer experience .”