The hospitality industry’s presence in mobile is growing dramatically this year, and so is consumers’ interest in accessing additional services: 79% of U.S. business travelers are interested in checking-in or -out of a hotel via a mobile phone, 75% would like to receive special offers or discounts, and 68% would like to access mobile for guest services. But when hotels approach investing in location-enabled smartphone applications their real world situations can be daunting. As a result, I wanted to offer a situational use case for how hotels can improve customer service, expand their offerings, increase ROI, and overall improve their relationship with their guests by using location marketing in their branded, mobile app. Let us consider Tom the Traveler…

Tom has just landed in Baltimore on business and he receives a push notification from his hotel’s iPhone app offering him automatic early check-in.  As his cab pulls up to drop him off, the hotel’s manager is notified of his arrival, as she is with all VIP travelers, and she heads to the lobby to greet Tom, notifying him that his in-app request for in-room dining was received and that his lunch has been delivered to his room.

Tom heads up for his bite to eat before an afternoon meeting in the hotel’s convention hall.  Unfortunately for him, it is a short half hour until his hotel’s app alerts him that there’s only fifteen minutes until the convention begins.

After an informative event, Tom heads back to his room and receives an offer for a discount on a massage in the hotel’s spa.  With a couple hours to kill before dinner, and a few new knots in his back after a long flight, Tom indulges

Through the entire course of Tom’s stay, the hotel has gathered a wide range of data on his visit.  They were happy to note that Tom used his offer for a discounted massage and that he took advantage of the application’s automatic check-in and check-out services.  Additionally they noted when Tom tapped into the lobby wifi and that of his room, if he accessed TV scheduling or room service on the application, whether he visited a competitor’s location during his visit, and the duration of time he spent in (and out) of the hotel.

As Vice President of Products & Marketing at Digby, Eric helps brands tap into the power and ubiquity of the consumer’s mobile device to accelerate cross-channel marketing and engagement at bricks and mortar locations.