Catalyst recently attended the Native Nations 16th Annual Tribal Casino and Hotel Development Conference at Casino Del Sol in Tucson AZ. It was our pleasure to moderate a panel of experts in a roundtable discussion on the topic of Digitalized Guest Experiences and how they can be applied to drive revenue in the hotel and on the gaming floor. It was a great discussion and we would like to share the insights with you.
Introduction
The pandemic has fueled the adoption of new digital technologies across the hospitality industry. As we navigate a world transformed by these technologies, the hospitality industry stands at a crossroads. Success hinges not solely on adopting digital solutions, but on personalizing them with the human touch, blurring the lines between the digital and tangible realms.
The challenge for hospitality leaders is clear: Adopt, Adapt, and Excel.
Travelers today are inundated with choices. With a myriad of options at their fingertips, they’ve become increasingly selective about the properties they stay at and the experiences they choose. Factor in the growing influence of digital technologies, and it’s clear that the demand for personalized experiences accessible with a tap or swipe is more prevalent than ever. By adapting to the new digital terrain, hotels can offer an exceptional guest experience and gain a competitive advantage in their market.
Components for Hotels and Casinos to Focus On
Communication and Messaging
One of the evolving trends has been messaging and how we communicate with guests through channels where they already spend time, such as WhatsApp and WeChat. We saw message volumes soar up to three times their pre-pandemic level, and hotels that embraced it experienced remarkable increases in customer satisfaction. Ensure you are utilizing communication channels that are most relevant to your customers. Email response rates are at an all-time low and adopting channels like WhatsApp, SMS, or hotel apps can improve guest communication.
Contactless Experiences
Contactless experiences have also gained momentum. This is where AI and staff augmentation tools can come into play. Digital channels offer a way to improve the guest experience through automation, with some features now seen as essential, such as check-in and room access using digital keys, as well as check-out with folio details and payments, streamlining processes for guests looking for this type of experience.
In addition to these improvements, personalizing the guest experience can also elevate their offerings. By understanding the profile and preferences of the guests, hotels can facilitate additional elements such as in-house restaurant bookings. By adopting these strategies from luxury properties and tailoring them to fit a specific market, mid-level and four-star hotels can significantly improve the guest experience.
Understanding the Customer
Hotels need to have a clear profile of each guest, not just the primary booker. Guests’ profiles should encompass all aspects of their journey, including room location, gaming, dining, and spa preferences.
Understanding the Guest Persona and their Timeline
Individuals traveling on business will have different needs and preferences than someone on a family trip. Additionally, it’s important to understand where guests are in their journey.
Overcoming the Barrier of Uncarded Guests
The Problem: Conversion
Casinos can struggle to collect correct/reliable data to distinguish between non-carded guests vs carded members. What’s the point of a guest revealing themselves as a non-carded player if they don’t have to? Guests who haven’t revealed themselves as a non-carded player are not receiving targeted messaging encouraging them to become carded members.
The Solution: Wi-Fi
Casinos offering guest Wi-Fi can collect data on non-carded players through innovative software. Required fields, questionnaires, or guest contact forms in exchange for free Wi-Fi access can overcome this obstacle.
Using AI
With artificial intelligence getting significant attention lately, how can AI technologies benefit the guest experience?
Translations & Chatbots: These applications have improved guest experiences, loyalty, and conversion rates.
Understanding Insights and Behavior: AI and machine learning help hotels understand customer insights and behavior. Matching offers to customers – AI can analyze large amounts of data and provide recommendations to personalize offers to guests, increasing response rates.
Creating Look-Alike Models: AI-driven marketing across platforms like Google and Meta can also optimize ad reach by targeting specific audiences and creating look-alike models to attract similar potential guests.
Feedback in Real Time: Analyzing reviews and feedback to identify key themes. There’s an opportunity to communicate with guests at check-in and check-out. Capture feedback in real-time, and react to it. This can provide actionable insights for hotels to make informed changes.
Call Centers: AI can manage straightforward, simple customer requests and questions so hotel staff can focus their time on more detailed conversations by phone and in person.
AI for Wi-Fi Monetization: How are you identifying the unknown customer and then building campaigns to convert them to loyal guests? Once you have the data, how are you using it to drive more revenue?
AI will help to assist Wi-Fi monetization software in optimizing marketing messages. Automated A/B testing (through AI) will tell casino properties what email messaging works best for converting non-carded guests into loyal members. Taking the manual work out of email optimization will allow marketing departments to focus on other marketing efforts/goals for the casino.
AI for optimized data sorting/reporting. Data reporting on marketing efforts is an imperative (but also cumbersome) task for casino marketing teams. Implementing AI into the reporting tools for Wi-Fi monetization software will help to provide a more expedient analysis of how marketing efforts are
First Party Data
Collecting First-Party Data: The single biggest competitive advantage hotels have is owning first-party data. Access to rich guest profiles allows hotels to tailor their marketing across channels like email and websites. By understanding and growing your database, enriching guest profiles, and refining engagement across channels. First-party data isn’t just nice to have; it’s essential for hoteliers moving forward.
Connecting the dots: Coupling first-party data with the right marketing and media strategies allows hoteliers to find new guests, drive them to book direct, and grow revenue.
Be Strategic: It’s about more than just collecting emails — every guest interaction is an opportunity to gather valuable data.
Technology alone won’t deliver the ROI: Fully adopt and embrace new solutions. Hospitality remains an inherently human business. Experiences cannot come to life without staff involvement. Technology cannot replace tasks like making beds or cleaning rooms., the human touch is still very much needed in the industry.
As casinos navigate the continually evolving landscape of marketing, Catalyst can help your marketing department stay up to speed with marketing trends as they evolve. For more information on the power of AI and how to implement it into your casino and hotel marketing, we are here to help. Contact Catalyst Marketing Agency.
