Grand View Lodge, a golf and spa resort in Brainerd, Minn., was able to increase its revenue with a new digital user interface and mobile app developed by SpotCues. The interface includes a concierge chatbot and micro-apps that enable guest to book activities, reserve golf times, look up information and more.
The mobile app allows GVL to deliver real-time information to its guests as changes occur. Guests can see schedules, availability and hours of operation and can sign up directly without having to enter additional contact or stay information because the app is already tied to the resort’s property-management system. Guests also have access to their full itinerary, which eliminates calls back to the concierge asking for reminders. Conference guests can see the full agenda for their group’s events, including the locations.
As a result of its new platform, GVL was able to:
information to its guests as changes occur.
Photo credit: Grand View Lodge
- Reduce the response time to guest requests by 15 percent;
- Lower the number of concierge calls by 15 percent;
- Increase resort activity sign-ups by 20 percent; and
- Increase overall front-line staff productivity by 5 percent.
The app enables easy sign-up for activities and events at the resort. “This not only helps guests plan their stay but also gets them excited beforehand,” Frank Soukup, the property's director of marketing, said in a statement. “Plus, it helps keep our resort in their frame-of-mind before they even start their vacation.”
On a staff productivity level, there is already a lot of planning and coordination to put activities and schedules together. The app helps make sure the activities fill up and gives GVL an opportunity to add additional activities when they fill. This helps the resort to facilitate if additional staff is needed for an event. The app gives GVL the opportunity to connect with guests when locations change, activities get canceled or activities get added.
The hospitality industry is embracing technology to improve the guest experience with convenience being the critical component. This where a chatbot-based experience is a perfect fit, said Praveen Kanyadi, co-founder and VP of products at SpotCues.
“It spares them the long wait time to speak to the front desk, it’s fast, personalized, discreet and available 24/7,” he said in a statement. “A mobile chatbot-based experience enables guests to easily and conveniently place requests or reserve any service online through a few quick clicks on their smartphone. This technology also helps hotels reduce the workload on staff and streamline their operations. The other major benefit from a digital concierge experience is that hotels can mine this information to gain deep insights into guest preferences and feedback and use that to improve operations. This information can also be used to personalize guest experience.”