How info-communication technologies change hotel room reservation services?

Have you thought about what the world would be like without technology today? Have you wondered what exactly technology is?  Technology is an umbrella term that includes all technologies for the manipulation and communication of information. Organizations tap on technology to support their operations in today’s competitive world.

Technology has changed the operations of many industries across the world. As evident in the hotel industry, particularly in the room reservation processes, technology has transformed the procedures into a one-click convenience. Hotel reservations were time consuming and tedious, involving much personal effort. Guests had to either personally call up the hotel or travel agencies to check for availability.

 

Hotel operations benefited with immediate quantifiable room take-up rates and more personalized service can be rendered. As much as there are many advantages to the traditional method, there are many disadvantages such as inability of hotels receptionists to concentrate their attention as they not only manage walk-in guests but also potential guests over the phone. Hence, more manpower and money may be incurred. On top of that, more paper work is done manually. In addition, hotel businesses are limited to walk-in guests, guests who get to learn about the hotel by word of mouth or through agent recommendations. Thus, more sales and marketing efforts were needed to reach out to the masses.

With the emergence of new technology, many businesses have been transformed. Technology enables the hotel to reach out to wider market by linking up to transaction brokers which will increase publicity. Thus, allow hotels to specialize in the needs of their in-house guests. On top of that, hotels can now compete at a global level. Positive feedback now go a longer way in cyberspace than word of mouth, enhancing the reputation of the hotel. Now that technology has introduced cashless, paperless, “spaceless“, borderless and effortless, allowing businesses to be more hassle-free. Less time is spent on each individual reservation as it can be downloaded as a whole summary, giving more convenience. The introduction of new technology is a double edged sword. It can bring about a risk of fraudulent transaction brokers that may affect the hotels’ reputation. High reliance on technology will become a liability in the event of system breakdown. In addition, a reservation overlap may occur with such unmanned systems thus resulting in more time and effort to rectify the problem.

In conclusion, as much as technology may bring about inconveniences, it plays a crucial role in businesses today. With technology, the possibilities are endless!