To ask ‘ Which is Working besT ?’ perpeTuaTes The idea ThaT one is superior To The oTher . The more appropriaTe quesTion may be ‘ hoW are you leveraging each To Their maximum poTenTial ?’
Technology
journey , you ’ ll drive higher engagement and loyalty ,” DiStefano says . “ Moving forward , personalized content in the travel industry will only become more common , especially as analytics tools grow in sophistication and travel brands learn to better track content performance .”
Designing mobile web pages and apps also requires a keen eye toward both the aesthetic of the device in use and the time , place and other factors at play at that moment of use . The goal is to match the content with the user , based on a number of criteria , in both mobile apps and mobile web design , as well .
“ For content and advertising to be effective , marketers need to know what the customer ’ s needs are at that particular time ,” says Montbriand , whose company has been developing its Radisson , Radisson Blu and Radission Red apps . “ A potential guest browsing on a mobile device likely has different needs than a person on a desktop . Being able to meet those needs and customize based on the device is a key component to success .”
Visuals are a huge draw , too , according to experts . To this end , Starwood has been beefing up the photos in its SPG app and creating a host of new photo-related features added to its content platform . Hotel images , guest photos and social media content are all converging into one visual package for a given hotel .
“ We ’ ve leaned into photography on the SPG app , offering members a robust , easy-to-navigate collection of images of each property so that they can book their trips confidently and knowledgeably ,” Atkinson says . “ Similarly , we integrated guests ’ Instagram photos and videos into hotels ’ desktop websites through the Guest Galleries from Instagram portal . This has been a popular tool for those interested in taking a deeper look at other guests ’ firsthand experiences at Starwood properties before booking their travel .”
To ask ‘ Which is Working besT ?’ perpeTuaTes The idea ThaT one is superior To The oTher . The more appropriaTe quesTion may be ‘ hoW are you leveraging each To Their maximum poTenTial ?’
– Todd davis
H : Will that balance remain in the future ? TD : Moving forward , we believe that mobile booking channels will continue to eclipse desktop traffic . As consumer patterns skew more to their mobile devices , brands will need to innovate and find ways to lower mobile booking friction . For instance , the integration of voice and natural language search could help customers discover dynamic , relevant experiences rather than the traditional approach of locating a hotel near a static point of interest .
H : What does it mean to be “ mobile-first ” today ? TD : In the past , to claim a mobile-first approach , it was good enough to make sure desktop web pages rendered well on a mobile device . The stakes are much higher now . Our view of mobile-first involves highly tailored experiences across web and mobile applications that leverage a wide set of tactics involving responsive web design , when user experience and user intent directly transfers from a desktop to a mobile web environment , and adaptive design , when the mobile web experience needs to be tailored to match user intent .
Our mobile-first maturity is also reflected in our mobile application approach . We have recently migrated from hybrid to fully native iOS and Android applications to create the highly polished and optimized experience that mobile application users demand .
H : Are you spending more on mobile development than in recent years ? And what kinds of new mobile tech are you budgeting for ? TD : Creating contextual app experiences where the user interface reflects relevant capabilities and information is where we are seeing large investments , not only within the mobile application , but more importantly , within the backend systems that provide an aggregate 360-degree view of a guest through data .
H : What ’ s next in mobile ? TD : While the current investment focus is on macro-guest context , there is a significant amount of experimental budget focused on the micro-guest context when on property . This includes everything from using Bluetooth beacons and other similar technologies for indoor location targeting and wayfinding , mobile keys and reducing front desk check-in / check-out friction , to designing mobile apps that behave differently when a guest is in their room , to potentially control the television , lights and environment systems . Those brands that find a way to unlock this level of contextual value and utility will be well positioned to meet their guests ’ growing expectations .
54 HOTELS March 2016 www . hotelsmag . com