TECHNOLOGY : MOBILE
GETTING PERSONAL
SoLoMo content and CRM data integration are on the horizon for hotels ’ mobile offerings .
contributed by BRENDAN MANLEY
While many hotel companies have or are in the process of implementing responsive design websites for mobile and creating apps for multiple devices , that is really only the beginning of what they will have to invest in mobile .
The next phase of mobile innovation for hotel companies will harness inherent smartphone technologies like geo-location to drive SoLoMo content customized for the user , while on the corporate level , CRM data is funneled into finely tuned promotions pushed back out to the user . For hotels , that means the level of hotel / guest mobile interaction will only increase , not just enhancing the user experience , but also potentially driving sales beyond just simple bookings .
“ Mobile devices are going to be part of who a person is , and we have to make sure we ’ re present and persuasive ,” says John Burns , president of Hospitality Technology Consulting , Scottsdale , Arizona . “ We have
www . hotelsmag . com April 2013 HOTELS 53