A next-gen CRM is what your hotel didn’t know that needed. One of the main challenges hospitality brands try to solve is how to get and use their guest data. And CRM systems have proved useful for this.

As we head into the future and new trends emerge, the customer needs to be the cornerstone and the center of attention. And to face those changes, hoteliers need new ways of thinking, acting and developing.

Traditional hospitality CRM systems do not have the fundamentals to cope with this and fulfill the purpose. On the contrary, a next-generation CRM has been created with the sole aim of bringing innovation into hospitality.

But what exactly is a next-gen CRM and how can it empower your operation? Here are three keys to understanding it.

1. It is built under the messaging-first approach:

With a next-gen CRM, you can be the one that takes the first step to empower your guest communication. With a messaging-first approach, you can contact your guests with the information they need, based on their preferences and profiles.

Traditionally, with a Customer Relationship Management system, you communicate with your guests via email. However, with a next-gen CRM, you can use your guest data to understand their preference and engage with them through different channels.

Your guests are more than statistics. And the information you collect enables you to put them at the center of your operation. Today this is key to creating meaningful connections, getting to know your guests’ needs, creating personalized service and overall, enhancing the guest experience.

When you’re able to understand the deeper purpose of your guests’ visit and their specific needs and expectations, you’re already a step ahead. And with a messaging-first approach, you can lead your guests through the guest journey, creating lifelong and meaningful memories.

To stand out from the crowd is not easy, but if you empower your operation with the right tools, you’ll be confident enough to take the needed actions. Being able to access and use enriched and real-time data makes the whole difference compared to yesterday.

The logic behind a next-gen CRM is to take a messaging-first approach to create superior guest journeys and lead your guests through them. To be able to do this you need real-time and enriched guest data.

In that way, you can segment on a very detailed level to always be able to proactively communicate a specific message, at a specific time, to a specific guest, at their specific preferred communication channel.

From a guest perspective, this delivers superior value and service. They will feel taken care of and treated like the unique individual they are.

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2. It has functionalities that allow you to be more efficient:

A traditional hotel CRM is all about the data, but without the needed functionalities to support segmentation and communication. However, with a next-gen CRM implemented in your daily operation, this is where the new story begins. It is not about data; it is about how you profit from the use of it.

When you have the right data, you have control and you will create more efficient workflows and guest journeys. But not only that, but you can also start automating repetitive tasks in order to free time for other value adding activities.

By segmenting the data to an incredibly personalized level, you can perform a different kinds of actions:

• Detect patterns in your data to know your guests’ behavior and identify what changes you can do or how to optimize your services.
• By segmenting your guests, you can create specific journeys for small segments, using the right type of communication and message.
• Create a digital guest journey that never ends.
• Create automated answers for repetitive questions and send the information beforehand.

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3. It helps hoteliers to create personalized experiences:

No one wants to be remembered or treated as a number. Bookboost next-gen CRM gives you the input and the confidence to treat each guest as a unique individual.

Today, enhancing the guest experience is more important than ever before and guests expect to be treated in a personalized way. As every guest has a particular preference, it is very clear that there is not one way, process or message that fits all.

Sending out one bulk email is something from the past. By doing it, you’re not only wasting resources but also the opportunity to properly communicate individually with your guests. The truth is no one wants to be bombarded with non-value adding information. Every single touch point should add value. If not, skip it.

As they say, with knowledge comes power. When you get to know your guests, you can understand their needs.

In that way, you can provide them with personal messages made for them. Always unique recommendations, and offers that make sense to them.

With a next-gen CRM, you also have the opportunity to combine it with other products, like Bookboost’s Unified Inbox or Guest App, in order to empower your guest experience by offering them even more relevant and hyper-personalized content.  

If you are interested in guest-messaging, you can learn more in this article: 14 do and don’ts you need to know about

However, it does not end there. The next-gen CRM has channel priority, which means that you can communicate with them through their favorite channel because you also have that information.

As a result, they feel taken care of, because you communicate before they reach out to you. And, at the same time, you increase your conversion rates, as a messaging-first CRM converts 870% more than a traditional CRM limited to email.

With a next-gen CRM, you are taking control of the guest journey by starting the conversation. You are taking the lead position and guiding them to an authentic guest experience. Besides that, you are taking the first step in creating a meaningful connection with your guests.

The next-gen CRM in a nutshell

A next-gen CRM is all about empowering your guest communication by allowing you to take the first step, having the right guest data and tools to use it. It helps you to give your hotel guests life-long lasting memories by establishing meaningful relationships with them.

If you are interested in knowing more about how a next-gen CRM can take your operations to the next level, book a demo with our experts.

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