An old IT system can stand in the way of guest retention. Here’s how a modern one can improve their experiences and earn customer loyalty
One of the key challenges in the hospitality industry, specifically the gaming industry, is retention. Getting new customers to walk through your hotel doors, or sign up for your casino website, is one thing, but keeping them returning is another.
If your IT system goes down, or lags, or stands in the way of providing tailored guest services, a first visit by a customer may be their last. Modern technology can play a major role in transforming guest experiences and earning their loyalty and repeat business. Here’s how to achieve digital transformation in hospitality businesses.
Challenges in Hospitality Without IT Modernization
One industry source points out: “In recent years, the hospitality industry has undergone a significant transformation, recognizing the potential of technology to redefine and elevate the guest experience.”
Still, many companies are struggling because they have not realized how modernized IT infrastructure improves guest retention. Instead, their fragmented systems cause disjointed guest experiences, as legacy infrastructure causes downtime and inefficiencies.
The guest experience is further damaged by a limited ability to personalize services or respond to real-time needs.
“This journey towards technological integration is not without its challenges,” Hospitality Technology explains. “The sector is now grappling with the task of bringing diverse technologies online and ensuring their compatibility with existing systems. From CRM platforms and keyless room entry systems to mobile app-operated HVAC controls, hospitality managers must navigate a diverse landscape of technologies requiring seamless integration.”
Many hospitality organizations depend on new technologies to stay competitive and operate efficiently. Legacy IT systems can stand in the way of integration, leading to inefficiencies and poor guest experiences.
For example, if a casino point-of-sale terminal doesn’t integrate with its hotel billing system, charges may not be added automatically, causing troubles in tracking payments.
The Role of Modernized IT Infrastructure in Guest Retention
A modern IT system using cloud technologies can handle many of the challenges listed above, enabling seamless booking, check-ins, and superior guest services.
A hybrid IT infrastructure combines a powerful, flexible cloud solution with an in-house system. It can handle high data loads efficiently and safely, with state-of-the-art security precautions built-in. The technology Hybrid IT Infrastructure | Core BTSy can leverage big data to create unified guest profiles for tailored experiences.
A casino, for example, can use data from past guest experiences to encourage repeat visits. By tracking players’ game experiences, it can recommend new games and institute tailored reward programs.
While the use of big data can provide more opportunities for bad actors to cause data breaches, the best IT infrastructures provide powerful protections, such as segmenting connected devices from critical systems. Other methods of protection include:
- Data encryption
- Access controls
- Intrusion detection systems
- Firewalls
- Data backup
When it comes to digital transformation in hospitality and improved guest retention, a modern hybrid IT infrastructure can boost operational efficiency. Automated workflows can provide hospitality businesses with the space to focus on service quality. And better service often equates with happier customers and repeat business.
Key Benefits of IT Modernization for Hospitality
With the right modern IT infrastructure, you can elevate your guest experiences with customized services and more efficient interactions. Your solutions will include end-to-end security precautions so that every guest experience is safe—often the most important consideration for players in the gaming industry.
Real-time data analytics can enhance personalization. For example, hotels can leverage data to tailor welcome messages to guests, adjust room settings to their preferences, and even provide welcome gifts that suit their tastes.
Hotels can use data to customize welcome messages, adjust room settings, and provide preferred amenities upon a guest’s arrival. This level of personalization not only improves guest satisfaction but also fosters loyalty and repeat business.
The data can also be used to customize players’ gaming experiences, adjust difficulty levels, personalize recommendations, and even create dynamic content.
Artificial intelligence can be incorporated in various ways, including creating AI-powered chatbots to provide immediate customer support and answer questions.
AI tools also have a significant role to play in fraud detection, perhaps identifying suspect betting patterns, recognizing potential cheating, and flagging unusual activities of any kind.
Casinos that want to promote responsible gaming could use AI to recognize problematic behavior, such as trying to double down to recover from high losses.
By optimizing their operations and resource management, hospitality operations can realize cost savings such as:
- Automating the entire hotel guest experience from check-in to check-out
- Managing hotel energy resources
- Automating employee tasks
- Streamlining revenue collection
- Improved revenue forecasting
- Better marketing strategies
Make NRI Your Partner in Hospitality
NRI has become a major player in the gaming and hospitality service industry. Through our Gaming and Hospitality division, we have provided service to seven of the top 10 gaming operations in the United States, as well as helping more than 45 casinos to open.
We understand the human side of the technology you need to deliver outstanding guest experiences that drive repeat visits and support your bottom line. Whether you’re opening new casinos, enhancing your gaming infrastructure, improving communications, or upgrading back-office systems, NRI has you covered.
Want your guests to return to your business for more? Then come to us first. We’ll ensure that the probability of your success with a modern IT system is far greater than the roll of the dice.
