These days even the smallest local businesses are presented online. It’s understandable because the Internet offers virtually endless opportunities for advertising. Though websites are almost essential for all kinds of modern entrepreneurs, mobile apps offer a much more advanced level of benefits for both business owners and their clients. Let’s review how mobile applications can open new horizons for businesses in the digital age.
14 Reasons Why Businesses Need Mobile Apps
Let’s face it: people have become addicted to smartphones. There is no other type of portable device that has achieved similar popularity. That’s why many companies use the opportunity to reach potential and existing customers by creating mobile applications. The advantages described below will help you realize the immense importance of a mobile app for business and possibly persuade you to invest in developing an application for your enterprise.
Since the list of positive effects is rather big, it has to be divided for better understanding. While all the listed features will ultimately benefit a company, they are aimed at two groups: business managers and customers.
Mobile App Benefits for Business Management
Companies that have invested in their custom mobile applications may fully employ a number of highly useful perks. These benefits help in gaining a competitive advantage in the market by making the business more productive and flexible. In competitive markets, your company needs to seize every opportunity to be ahead of your rivals. A high-quality mobile app will provide a range of such opportunities.
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Reaching out to larger audiences. This benefit comes from the fact that people spend most of their days with smartphones in their hands. It means that people would have access to your services or goods virtually anywhere. More importantly, customers would easily make an order using a mobile app whenever they are in the mood or feel the right impulse. If your business has a mobile app, in some cases you don’t even have to open “offline” offices to cover new areas. Generally, it is easier and more cost-effective to reach a partnership with a trustworthy delivery company to expand your business to new territories. Larger coverage leads to increased sales and bigger profits.
Optimized sales. The use of a mobile app makes it easier for your sales managers or consultants to reach customers and confirm their orders, set delivery dates, or provide useful information. For example, we have developed app for Harley-Davidson that helps turn exhibition visitors into customers. It is also an efficient way to deliver information about new goods in stock, new features of the app added in the latest update, and so on. Generally, such mobile applications also provide search functionality that allows customers to find required items without communicating with shop consultants.
Better statistics gathering. Mobile operating systems offer a lot of ways to collect information related to the interaction between the user and your software. Personal data is useful to learn customers’ preferences, predict their future needs and suggest an optimal way of delivery. For example, if a person buys a baby crib, your app may suggest other wares for toddlers during the same or the next interaction with this client. Depersonalized data is invaluable for business analysis in order to build and alter management plans, marketing strategies, and so on.
Easier promotion. Your company can announce new merchandise, services, discounts, and other offers much more effectively using the potential provided in every smartphone. Your software can use push notifications to inform users in a less intrusive way than, for example, pop-ups on a website. We have implemented similar functionality in our custom solution for a major clothing retail chain. Another mobile app business opportunity is the ability to promote your services or engage customers via in-app suggestions powered by analytics algorithms.
24/7 availability. Unlike offline shops or offices with specified working hours, mobile apps can be accessed at any time. This means that your company’s services or goods are available for browsing and ordering. This way, you will not lose clients when your offline outlets are closed. Even when your staff is not at work, the application can use a specially trained chatbot to communicate with customers and relay information to respective departments.
Better image. A company-branded mobile app is a certain milestone in business development. If a startup releases a mobile software product, it declares that it has both funds and tenacity to expand its presence on the market. Building and maintaining a mobile application requires a well-planned budget and a thorough business strategy. That’s why it strengthens your reputation and makes your position among rivals more formidable.
Enhanced security. Websites are notoriously vulnerable to hacking or DDoS attacks. Mobile applications are additionally verified by Google and Apple before appearing in their respective app stores. This way, your business operations and interactions with customers are better protected from malicious activities of botnets, viruses, or other digital threats. Additionally, smartphones have built-in means of security, such as face recognition, fingerprint authentication, etc. Those features will make customers feel more secure when using your mobile application, so they will potentially spend more time in it and make more orders.
Benefits of Mobile Apps for Customers
Mobile software will also help your company by offering numerous positive perks to your clients. This will lead to better customer satisfaction and increase their loyalty and trust in your brand. Your clients will love a convenient application that works fast and has a user-friendly interface. Their positive impression of the app will transfer to your brand’s image in general. Simply put, a good mobile application will make users like your company more.
Time saving. A mobile app will ensure easy and fast access to goods, services, and customer support from a smartphone or a tablet. For instance, instead of spending hours browsing shelves in warehouses, users can go through your entire assortment in mere minutes. Similarly, if you are in a car rental business, clients can easily use an application to check the whole selection of vehicles available to them.
Convenience and new experience. Mobile applications are designed to use smartphone hardware to provide a unique customer experience. For example, with the help of a camera and augmented reality technologies users may be able to try on clothes virtually. Regardless of the industry, it is hard to overestimate the potential perks of digital technologies provided by the combination of modern hardware and mobile apps in business.
Delivery monitoring. Using their smartphones, customers can check the status of their orders as they are being processed and delivered. This gives users the feeling of control and assurance that they would get what they want and when they expect. An application can schedule a push notification to appear on the device screen on the delivery day.
Easy access to loyalty programs. After logging in to a mobile app, eligible customers can see and utilize the perks for regular clients. Those perks include rewards, bonuses, discounts, and other tactics to build long-term clientele. For example, your app may recalculate the prices automatically and apply the discount earned by a particular client who uses the mobile device.
Personalization. To increase customer engagement by providing personalized deals and offers, the application may utilize data analysis and targeting algorithms. This will make users believe that your company cares about their needs and may even predict them to a certain degree. The research conducted by Google showed that 58% of mobile users prefer when a company’s app “remembers” them. The software can also have several color schemes to appeal to the personal preferences of each particular user.
Offline interaction minimization. Many people dislike offline shopping because they associate it with long queues, crowded and noisy environments, as well as tedious waiting for their spouses. A mobile application can become a blessing to introverts or anyone who is not overly fond of human interactions. This advantage turned out to be extremely important during the COVID pandemic. The use of mobile apps allowed many businesses to continue their work while minimizing personal contact.
Ability to give and receive feedback. Users of a business mobile app may view comments and responses from other clients. The software may automatically mark the reactions from verified clients and hide messages from unconfirmed users. This way, both positive and negative feedback can only be provided by real customers. This measure will prevent spam attacks where fake users attempt to leave numerous negative comments regarding your services or goods.
Conclusion
As you can see, mobile app benefits for business are numerous and indisputable. They can create an appealing user experience, increase brand loyalty, and make your company more recognizable and trustworthy, in addition to many other advantages. With the help of a mobile application, your business will be able to reach more customers and answer their needs with greater accuracy and care.
However, those positive effects involve certain expenditures and provisions. To make an informed decision, you also need to know how mobile applications can affect the business process in a negative way. Poor-quality mobile apps may discourage your customers from using them. For instance, customers won’t be able to buy from you if your mobile app doesn’t allow them to add items to their cart. And it is only one example from many when something may go wrong.
That is why you need a highly qualified team to develop, test, release, and support your mobile software. Intellectsoft has 15+ years of experience in this field and provides custom solutions for businesses in many industries, like eCommerce, Fintech, Real Estate, Healthcare, and others. Our company offers a wide range of mobile app development services: from initial consulting and prototyping to maintenance and support.
If you want to fully enjoy the business benefits of a custom-made mobile application, contact us. Intellectsoft will deliver you an optimal software solution tailored specifically to your needs.
The hospitality industry depends a lot on keeping customers happy, but it’s getting harder to attract and keep them. The pandemic hit this industry hard, and now market competition is tougher than ever, with competitive offerings swaying customers. Hospitality businesses are willing to spend big to win customers back. The main questions for many are: how can we stay ahead of the competition, keep our customers, and increase revenue? Keep reading—we’ve got some answers.
Customers today have so many options that getting their attention is a real challenge. It’s not easy to make them choose your business over others. What worked 10 years ago doesn’t work the same way now. Back then, people often chose businesses based on reputation. But with new types of businesses (boutique hotels, craft cafes) popping up or big enterprises getting a new strategy, expectations have changed. The good news is these businesses have shown what works: great customer service. They focus on personalizing the experience, making things easy for customers, offering loyalty programs, and using smart technology.
In this article, we’ll explore these tech strategies and show you how they can help your business grow, and double the revenue. Keep reading to learn more!
The Importance of Customer Satisfaction in the Hospitality Industry
Customer satisfaction, which equals exceptional customer experience, is the backbone of the hospitality industry. It plays a central role in driving revenue and loyalty, as satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend a hotel, restaurant, or other hospitality business to others. In fact, a study by the Harvard Business Review found that a 1% increase in customer satisfaction can lead to a 0.5% increase in revenue. Moreover, loyal customers are more likely to forgive mistakes and continue doing business with a company, even if they experience a negative encounter.
Let's quickly review the challenges the hospitality industry is facing right now so we can move on to the solutions and our case studies.
Challenges in Hospitality
As businesses navigate the changes in the hospitality industry, there are some key areas where a little improvement can go a long way. From improving customer service to embracing digital transformation and tackling labor shortages, we’ll take a closer look at today’s biggest challenges—and, more importantly, how technology can step in to help. Let’s get started!
Poor Customer Service
Even with strong and high-quality business offerings, poor customer service can drive potential customers and existing customers away. Common issues include:
Long wait times in customer service queues (it is worth remembering that our attention spans 8 seconds, and we live in a very busy world, so quick and efficient responses are more important than ever.)
Poorly trained customer service representatives
Lack of follow-up
Services not being done properly or quickly
Recall issues that require multiple service calls
These problems can frustrate customers. But, at Intellectsoft, we believe that the right approach, combined with technology, can address them effectively.
Digital Transformation Gaps
Approximately 50% of hotels are adopting new technologies, with 43% automating repetitive tasks and 39% upgrading existing systems. Source: workstaff.app
While many businesses are adopting digital solutions, some still struggle with outdated systems and fragmented data. Legacy companies often face chaos when trying to manage their data and create new systems or add features.
Some of the recent examples include clients coming to us to create AI solutions for their services while their data simply was not ready for the advanced tasks. We advise stepping back, communicating with a company objective, and working on keeping the data clean (centralized, structured, and segmented).
When we’re asked to create advanced systems using AI, we always emphasize the importance of organized data. To train AI and build such complicated systems that truly work, you need to start from the very beginning—collecting, storing, centralizing, and organizing it. We encourage our clients to align all departments to work internally on the data so we can create a unified digital system that delivers personalized experiences.
If you’re unsure where to start with your data, we can help. Collecting feedback at various touchpoints along the customer journey is crucial for gaining insights into customer satisfaction and loyalty. Book an IT consultation with us, and our experts will guide you in mapping out a path to get more from your data and build a system that works for your business and team.
Reskilling Staff
The pandemic hit hard in early 2020, especially for the hospitality and travel industries. Even five years later, many businesses are still feeling the impact. Recruiting and retaining skilled staff has become a major challenge post-pandemic.
Reskilling to address technology’s impact is of utmost importance, as about 40% of hotel General Managers place it among their top three workforce challenges.
We strongly believe that adopting the right technology can help. For example, creating an app to train your staff not only saves time but also ensures consistency in learning. AI assistants can also work alongside your team, helping with tasks like recruitment (providing industry insights, crafting emails) and staff training. Imagine having an app dedicated to making your team’s work easier and more efficient!
How Technology Tackles These Challenges and Supports a Customer-Centric Hospitality Culture
Automation, AI, and similar technologies may threaten many. However, the debate about replacing humans isn’t about that—it’s about cooperation and working hand in hand with technology to achieve the highest standards and establish brand-new “golden standards.” Technology is here to assist staff in listening to and collecting customer insights from data.
Let’s review some of our cases to see examples of how technology helps improve customer experience and supports customer service.
Examples of Intellectsoft projects
Property management systems (PMS)
We created a web platform and mobile app that makes managing daily tasks easier and offers extra services to improve residents’ experience. It gives a clear overview of daily activities and helps with managing units and users. Residents can easily book amenities, submit service requests, and report incidents. The platform also includes features for equipment management, key instructions, workflows, and custom permissions. This makes it easier for staff to stay on top of equipment and ensure residents have all the information they need. Plus, tools like announcements, quick votes, a forum, and a community calendar help build a connected and engaged community.
Guest Experience Management App
Our next app helped our client improve their guest experience by replacing printed marketing materials and the need for phone calls with a smart solution. Now, guests can easily order in-room dining, make reservations, and interact with staff— through a simple tablet in their room. The solution includes three parts: a custom in-room tablet with a variety of services, an admin panel for hotel staff and service providers, and a backend system that connects everything together. This approach makes things easier for guests and staff, improving both convenience and efficiency.
Existing Customers First: Building Loyalty with Personalized Touchpoints
Keeping existing customers is not just a strategy; it’s well-known that retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. In fact, research shows that it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. KPMG named customer retention as the number one revenue driver for the company.
Moreover, a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25% to 95% increase in profits, showing the significant impact loyal customers can have on a business’s bottom line. Retention strategies, like personalized experiences and loyalty programs, can foster long-term relationships and generate recurring revenue, ultimately making them an invaluable part of any business model.
Personalization: How Technology Can Help?
Everyone loves to feel special—it’s part of being human. In hospitality, personalization has evolved from being a luxury to an essential standard. With the right technology to manage your data effectively, you can deliver those “wow” moments that guests won’t forget.
More than half of hotel chains are already using personalization features on their websites, booking platforms, and apps, and another 39% are planning to follow suit soon. They’re tailoring experiences to fit guest preferences perfectly.
Source: Deloitte
How does technology make it happen?
CRM Systems: They help you keep track of guest preferences, booking history, and special requests so you can offer services tailored just for them.
Loyalty Programs: Personalized rewards and offers show your guests that you value them, keeping them coming back for more.
AI Personalization: AI analyzes guest data to predict what they’ll love (from room upgrades to local recommendations) before they even ask.
IoT Gadgets: Smart room features like voice-activated assistants, or temperature controls adjust to your guests’ preferences, making their stay more comfortable.
With tech-powered personalization, you’re building loyalty and maximizing the lifetime value of every customer.
Our Case Study: Smart Hotel Management & Loyalty Program
For one of our clients, we created a smart room solution, complete with a custom IoT system. Guests can use a mobile app to control services, explore amenities, and find resort information-- with a special touch to their suite type. For the client’s entertainment business, we improved their legacy software by running a full IT and code check, fixing issues, and making the system better for customers.
Along with that, we developed a mobile app for the loyalty program, allowing businesses to effortlessly reward their customers and keep them engaged with exclusive benefits.
Our solutions not only helped the client with special experiences for guests; it also improved operations, cutting costs by eliminating inefficiencies. Here's what our experts shared:
"We transitioned away from ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) systems, which previously cost millions, and replaced them with more efficient, self-managed solutions. Similarly, we’ve implemented Device Farms that improved operations and saved resources."
Leveraging Software to Increase Upsell Opportunities
Here are some examples of tech tactics that will help your team sell more and introduce new offerings to existing customers, improve overall efficiency leaving your team grateful:
Dynamic Pricing Algorithms
For finance and marketing teams, manually calculating pricing by segment to introduce your clients can be incredibly challenging. AI-powered tools can strongly optimize these strategies by analyzing your database in detail.
Upselling via Apps
Boosting revenue in the hospitality business often comes down to personalized experiences. Imagine this: a guest books a room, and then your app suggests a spa package or a room upgrade at just the right moment. Later, it nudges them to book a dinner reservation or a guided tour designed to their preferences. With apps offering these personalized recommendations during and after bookings, you’re not just increasing your revenue per guest but also skyrocketing their experience. And you do it in a sustainable way, not by speculating, but by offering what your customers desire based on their previous experiences. It’s a win-win: seamless, helpful, and far from pushy.
Inventory and Resource Management Software
Making every resource count in your hospitality business is key. Inventory and resource management software allows you to effortlessly track everything from linens to room availability, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Having real-time insights to reduce overstock, avoid shortages, and optimize operations assists sustainably keep everything under control and know what you need to focus more. It helps maximize room occupancy by aligning bookings with available resources, ensuring every room and item is used effectively. This approach leads to smarter management, better guest experiences, and a noticeable boost to your bottom line.
Adopting these strategies not only optimizes your operations but also drives business growth. Ready to discover how technology can elevate your goals? We’re here to create a tailored solution for you.
Steps For Implementing a Customer Service Technology Solution
Improving customer service in hospitality doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right technology, you can smooth the path of your operations, speed up response times, and elevate the overall guest experience. Here’s where you can make it happen:
1. Understand Your Needs
Start by identifying the challenges your business is facing. Are you struggling to manage high volumes of inquiries, track customer feedback, or personalize the guest experience? Pinpointing your needs will guide you to the best solutions.
2. Pick the Right Tools
Choose technology that aligns with your goals. Look for solutions that are scalable, easy to use, and integrate effortlessly with your current systems. Options like CRM software, live chat tools, or a guest experience app can make a difference.
3. Equip Your Team
Technology is only as effective as the people using it. Train your staff to make the most of the new tools, so they can deliver exceptional service and resolve issues quickly. Confident, well-equipped staff creates happy, loyal customers.
4. Keep Improving
Once implemented, monitor how well the solution works. Are response times improving? Are customers more satisfied? Regular evaluations will help you fine-tune your approach and keep things running harmoniously.
Some Tech Ideas for Hospitality Businesses
CRM Software: Manage customer interactions and preferences.
Guest Experience Apps: Delight guests with personalized experiences right at their fingertips.
Amenity Management Systems: Simplify operations for everything from room service to facility bookings.
Live Chat Tools: Offer instant support and answers.
Social Media Management Tools: Keep customer interactions engaging and organized.
Integrating these strategies will not only improve your customer service but also deliver unforgettable customer satisfaction, loyalty, and, ultimately, your bottom line. Ready to take the next step? Book a consultation with our experts.
Conclusion
To wrap up everything we've discussed, customer satisfaction and experience are at the heart of hospitality. Retaining customers is more than just keeping them around—building strong, long-lasting relationships and consistently meeting their evolving needs. By understanding their pain points and offering personalized solutions, you can inspire loyalty and drive progress. With the right technology and continuous improvement, your business can stay ahead, let go of what no longer serves you, and keep growing.
At Intellectsoft, with over 17 years of experience in software development, our expert team is ready to help. We create everything from mobile apps to full-fledged portals and systems, leveraging the latest technologies like AI, Cloud, and Machine Learning. With deep experience in the hospitality industry, we’re here to craft personalized solutions that bring your business unforgettable customer experience and retain your valuable clients.
Ready to double your revenue and level up your customer retention strategy with personalized technology? Contact our experts, and we look forward to working hand in hand with you to build or revitalize the perfect app or system for you.
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