UK: Research from guest experience platform SevenRooms reveals that 55 per cent of hotels are using third party providers for F&B reservations.
The study Hotel Inspection by SevenRooms looked at how prepared hotels in the UK are for bringing consumers back this summer via their F&B offerings.
SevenRooms concluded that more than one in 10 hotels do not have online reservation systems to handle bookings for F&B outlets within their properties. Another finding revealed that over one third of the country’s leading hotels are not offering exclusive dining packages for guests.
The research also showed that 84 per cent of these leading hotels don’t have solutions in place to enable consumers to place an order for delivery and takeaway from their F&B outlets.
Danilo Mangano, general manager Europe at SevenRooms, said: “Hotel operators up and down the country are eager to make up for lost time as the hospitality sector emerges from lockdown. Yet, without the right technology in place to meet and exceed the changed expectations of guests, hotel operators will be left behind as their savvier counterparts excel in building deeper, long-term relationships. The hotels we have looked at as part of this research are the best of the best, recognised nation-wide for their exemplary customer service, but having a complete view of their guest is paramount to upholding this.
“Integrating a guest experience platform across F&B outlets is crucial in providing a 360-degree view of each and every guest — whether they choose to dine on property or closer to home. The valuable F&B data collected through these platforms before, during and after a customer’s experience can be used not only across the restaurants and bars, but extends into the experiences offered property-wide. This could mean adjusting a mini bar to remove allergens, offering a preferred bottle of wine at check-in, or even simply a ‘welcome back’ to someone who has only dined, but never stayed, at the property. These hyper-personalised interactions drive loyalty and repeat business with customers.”
He continued: “With a greater proportion of the country likely to opt for a staycation this summer, and many consumers also looking to support businesses in their local area, it’s more important than ever that hotels are thoughtful in adapting their operations — whether through technology or in the experiences it enables. This not only means providing guests with a direct way to book reservations with their restaurants and bars, but also looking at new ways to diversify their offerings through unique F&B packages.”
Mangano added: “Alongside this, while the world may be reopening, it’s important that hotel operators recognise the need to continue to meet the varied expectations of diners. Having technology in place that ensures operators are able to facilitate online ordering and takeaway will be fundamental over the next few months of recovery to add much needed pounds to their bottom lines.”
SevenRooms, founded in 2011, is a guest experience platform that helps hospitality operators to unlock the full revenue potential of their data. The full suite of products includes reservations, waitlist and table management, online ordering, review aggregation, and marketing automation.
