A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can empower hotels to create unforgettable guest experiences to attract and retain customers. The software enables hotels to improve their guest communications, leverage personalisation, and more. 

Implementing a CRM platform unlocks a wealth of benefits, leading to improved guest satisfaction and loyalty, higher ratings and reviews, and increased revenue through repeat bookings and positive word-of-mouth. 

Despite being a key system for the operations of a hospitality brand, there is still a big gap between the brands that leverage a CRM and others that don’t. 

In this article, we will review real-life cases of 9 accommodation brands from all over the world and the benefits they obtained by implementing a CRM designed for hospitality.

‍

1. You will Increase click-through rates by direct messaging 

In many cases, direct messaging has replaced email as the communication channel of choice for guests. Today, a variety of messaging apps give guests options to choose from and accommodation providers the opportunity to make the experience seamless.

By implementing a CRM that includes multi-channel communication, you will get 8 times more conversions than with an email-only CRM.

This is the case with Ruby Hotels, a luxury hotel brand with properties located in 13 major European cities. They modified their strategy and added more communication channels to their campaigns. With this, they managed to get 290x times more conversions than with their old approach. It helped them engage with customers more effectively and offer memorable stays.

Besides that, they also implemented Bookboost’s Unified Inbox, which uses artificial intelligence to automatically respond to questions from website visitors and lets customers communicate with Ruby Hotels on their preferred messaging platform, for instance, WhatsApp, SMS, and more. 

‍Read the complete story from Ruby Hotels here.

2. Increase guest satisfaction by using hyper-personalisation

By tailoring every touchpoint of the guest's journey to their preferences, you create a truly memorable and personalised experience. From personalised recommendations to customised offers, guests feel valued and cared for, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.

In the case of STAYERY, a provider of apartment-style accommodations with hotel-like services in six major cities in Germany, guest satisfaction was a top priority. One of their challenges was tracking guest communication and meeting guests' needs promptly. 

What did they do about it? They implemented a CRM to personalise their communication and create segmented guest journeys, which led them to experience a remarkable transformation.

A CRM allowed them to segment guests and deliver tailored messages throughout the guest journey, ensuring that each interaction was relevant and meaningful. As a result, STAYERY could monitor and manage every stage of the guest trip, from pre-stay to post-stay, leading to improved guest satisfaction and enhanced tracking of their guests' journey.

‍Read more about STAYERY’s story here.

‍

3. Increase online check-in rates

Online check-in can help hotels automate their tasks and free up staff for other significant tasks that need more attention. Especially, if we talk about hotels with no front desk or reception. Online check-ins can cut the waiting time for guests and provide a stress-free check-in from the ease of their mobile phone, making the experience enjoyable from the first impression. 

A perfect example of how to use a multi-channel approach and automation to reach higher online check-in rates is Capsule Hotel, an innovative hotel chain in Switzerland, that wanted to automate most of its guest journey to provide a seamless guest experience by implementing technology. 

The hotel saw an average of 60% opening rate of online check-in after they streamlined their process by sending online check-in information through different messaging channels instead of just email. 

The hotel project and account manager said: “Adding WhatsApp as a messaging channel has made a great improvement since if some people don’t open the email, they do read WhatsApp.”

‍You can read more about Capsule Hotel’s story here.

4. Increase positive reviews

Automating the workflow can free staff from repetitive tasks and allocate them to other important projects that need more attention, but it can also lead to creating a more positive experience for your guests. An example of this is the case of the Hakuba Hotel Group. 

The brand located in Japan automated all the guest queries that were frequently asked. This not only helped the staff to utilise their time efficiently but also made the guests happier as their questions were answered almost instantly, increasing guest satisfaction and the amount of positive feedback. 

Asia's most premium accommodations and dining options provider, Habuka Hotel Group’s used case is a great example of using a CRM to automate guest communication. 

They received positive reviews about their communication and how fast they answer and give information to their guests. Overall, their reviews increased by around 30% since implementing the new digital solutions.  

‍Read the complete story of the Hakuba Hotel Group here.

5. High engagement rate by digitalising guest journey

The digitalisation of the guest journey involves using technology at every touchpoint, from pre-arrival to post-departure. This can include everything from online booking, mobile check-in, room keyless entry, personalised recommendations, and real-time communication with hotel staff.

Little BIG Hotels had the goal to attract and support its customers digitally throughout the entire customer journey, from the moment of booking to the stay and beyond. 

By adding new channels to their guest journey and digitising the complete experience, they achieved a higher engagement rate. A few examples of what they are doing: a personalised and segmented email is automatically sent to the guests at the time of their reservation confirmation; a few days before the guest’s stay, they are reminded to register online or to fill out the digital registration form. The different messages are sent at the most convenient times and through different channels, depending on the guests’ preferences. 

‍More information on their digitisation process can be found here.

6. Save money by increasing operational efficiency

A CRM can centralise operations and make it easier for hotels to manage their day-to-day tasks and improve efficiency, ultimately leading to cost savings, increased productivity, and better guest experiences.

YellowSquare, a modern Italian hotel chain known for its innovative approach, prioritised creating an effortless guest experience while at the same time enhancing staff collaboration and streamlining operations.

Bookboost’s CRM and Unified Inbox proved to be a game-changer for them. They created personalised campaigns for their guests and went from using several platforms to needing only Bookboost to create, schedule and track their messages. They used the Unified Inbox to answer faster to guests but also to increase team collaboration. 

Read more on how they saved time here. 

7. Increase cross-selling by targeting the right guests

Similar to how cross-selling can boost revenue, strategically converting online travel agency (OTA) bookers into direct bookers leads to long-term benefits. RoomRepublic, a hotel chain used a CRM to achieve those results.

In the successful case of RoomRepublic, their team witnessed positive changes in their revenue and operations. Implementing a CRM that allowed them to communicate with their OTA bookers, they recovered 23% of their OTA bookers details, adding them to their database and creating a direct relationship. 

Traditionally, such data would be lost through OTA bookings. Now, RoomRepublic can personalise guest journeys and build stronger relationships, leading to repeat business.

The success story doesn't end there. 

RoomRepublic has also seen a 55% increase in direct bookings, with Bookboost contributing to this growth. This shift towards direct bookings helped RoomRepublic to own its guest relationships and create unique experiences. 

Read out more about the tools they used to increase in direct bookings here.

8. Save up to 2 hours of daily tasks

By automating tasks and leveraging technology to streamline operations, hotels can save up to 2 hours of daily tasks, allowing staff to focus on providing personalised service to guests. This can lead to an improved guest experience.

This is the case of Northern Lights Village, a Finnish hotel that offers unique accommodations like laser-heated glass roofs for unique experiences. The team wanted to maximise their guest experience by improving the communication time with their web visitors. 

They automated the guest communication online and provided quick responses to the users. This freed up time for their staff, helping them to dedicate their time to value-adding tasks to provide a memorable experience to their guests.

‍Get more details on how they achieved this here.

9. Adopt technology for increased satisfaction and revenue

To stand out of the crowd, adopting technology and providing unique experiences to the guests can help hotels to make a mark in the industry in the early stages of their business. This can lead to an increase in revenue and brand recognition.

Cityhub is an example of a forward-thinking hotel group that offers hub-like accommodation to beat the traditional hotel experience. They made it easier for guests to chat with them by using their preferred communication channels to build a genuine connection with guests.

‍More about their experience here.

‍

All these cases showcase the results you can achieve when working hand in hand with smart hotel technology, and more specifically, with a CRM and a Unified Inbox like Bookboost. One single platform that gathers all the products needed to make your guests and your staff happier. Discover more about Bookboost!

‍‍

Follow us on Linkedin to stay up to date with the new hospitality trends, and subscribe to our newsletter to get more tips and hacks for hotel marketing and operations.