SALES & MARKETING
Contributed BY RON GLUCKMAN
APPINGUP
HOTELS ARE RAMPING UP APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT TO RESPOND TO COVID- RELATED CONCERNS .
Booking hotels long ago went online , offering endless options in marketing , price comparison , and mapping tools to nearby attractions In recent years , hotels increased connectivity via hotel applications that put a wide range of service right in the pockets of customers . COVID has only upped the ante , as contact concerns have accelerated development of service at a distance .
“ At warp speed , the hospitality industry was left with little choice but to be drawn into a mobile-driven contactless culture ,” says longtime hotel executive Terence Ronson , who runs IT consultancy firm Pertlink in Manila . Hotels have been slow to embrace applications , because of a traditional emphasis on personal service .
“ The pandemic has forced minds to change ,” Ronson adds . “ And it has been seismic .”
The shift is sensible , even without the current emphasis on safety , says Luke Doherty , head of technology for Bangkok-based Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas , which launched its new app in mid-December . “ So much of what we do is on this small square of glass we all have ,” he says . “ It just makes sense to be there .”
Making the leap requires coordinating content with functionality . Most hotel companies use an independent technology firm for development . Six Senses worked with one firm in Bangkok , on a project that took over a year . What began as a tech initiative became a team effort that involved dozens of staff .
Six Senses is renowned for high-end properties in exotic locations , from the Maldives to Bhutan , and bold initiatives on sustainability and environmental sensitivity . Doherty describes a lot of feedback from the task force to not only get the app services working , but to make it fit the brand ethos .
Besides pairing rooms to offer keyless access and in-room control where possible , features include the ability to interact with staff , book meals and excursions , plus destination information handy in holiday planning . And the quirky appeal of Six Senses shines in activities like “ Hole in One ”: This Bali golf package offers the thrill of pounding a packet of golf balls into the Indian ocean — with zero guilt . The balls are biodegradable and filled with fish food .
Doherty says a natural appeal to applications from the business side is enhancing efficiency and
34 hotelsmag . com January / February 2021