by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG – SENIOR executives at high-end, luxury hotels expect the sector to make more use of technology to help reduce costs and improve overall customer experience.

This is according to new global research commissioned by technology company, Communications Specialist Ltd.

“Our research shows that many hotels are embracing the latest technology to enhance their proposition, and ensure customers have the best possible experience with them. It has the potential to further customise customer experiences, speed up service levels and also reduce costs,” said Kevin Buchler, Chief Marketing Officer at Communications Specialist.

Over the next five years, some 94 percent of those interviewed expect hotels to make more use of virtual tours to develop a digital environment for people to picture themselves in. Some 32 percent anticipate a dramatic increase in their use.

On the sector’s use of QR codes, 30 percent of those interviewed expect a dramatic increase in the hotel sector’s use of them, and 68 percent anticipate a slight rise.

Around 86 percent anticipate an increase in the hotel sector’s use of apps available to guests to access more services (22 percent anticipate a dramatic increase), and 88 percent expect hotels to make more use of self-checkout and technology for ordering room service and paying at the dining table or bar (34 percent anticipate a dramatic increase in their use by the hotel sector).

When it comes to artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT’s impact on the hotel sector, 16 percent believe it will have a very positive impact on improving the overall experience of guests, and 74 percent believe it will have a slightly positive impact.

Just 2 percent think it will have a negative impact.

Communications Specialist Ltd provides sales support on hotel radio communication systems as well as training, fitting and commissioning of equipment, systems amalgamation, on-site instruction and maintenance to luxury hotels around the world.

– CAJ News