Study: Hotel Guests Prefer to Interact Online with Hotel Staff
Technology changes the way we interact with each other completely. As we have more and more ways of getting in touch, it seems that sometimes we prefer to contact someone using technology rather than speak to that person face-to-face. A recent survey of 1,000 UK hotel guests by app platform AppyHotel.com found that 49% of the respondents choose technology and voice to get in touch with hotel staff for information or problems.
Yes, that’s almost 50% and without a doubt there are many cases in which hotel guests are just too tired to go to the reception and speak with someone in person.
But there are people who prefer to have a mediate communication with hotel representatives – 23% of the queried people said they prefer to chat online.
“It’s a clear indication that technology is not only providing hotel guests with a variety of platforms to express their views to management, but is also becoming an integral part of a hotel’s customer service offering”, said Sales and marketing vice president for Europe Isabella Glendinning, quoted by travolution.co.uk. She added:
“You could say that the research shows traits that are typically British, but the reality is that mobile and tablet apps, and other web-based communication platforms are time-saving options for both the customer and hotel.
“Confrontation is something that most hotel guests and staff want to avoid, and the growth of mobile and tablet devices means that despite being in the same building as hotel staff, requests and concerns can be addressed remotely.”
I admit that looking back to my hotel stays, I noticed that I contact hotel stuff in person, rather than online – but it is true, I never had problems in the middle of the night when I might have been tired enough to go to the front desk and would have chose the telephone (yes, I would use the telephone as it is a faster way to communicate and has a minor direct interaction – voice).
How about you: do you prefer going online or speaking with hotel staff face-to-face?
