Increasing TrevPAR (Total Revenue Per Available Room) is a crucial objective for resorts aiming to maximize revenue. While many resorts have robust service offerings, the challenge is ensuring these services are easily accessible and visible to guests.
Remember that what’s out of sight is out of mind.
A powerful tool to bridge this gap is a comprehensive Guest Experience Operating System (OS). By leveraging these digital platforms, resorts can significantly boost TrevPAR by enhancing service visibility, streamlining bookings, and personalizing guest experiences.
This post explores how a well-integrated guest app can drive higher revenue and elevate the overall guest experience.
The role of a guest app in boosting TrevPAR
A guest app or experience OS is more than just a convenience tool; it’s a strategic asset that can directly impact your resort’s bottom line. Here’s how:
- Service accessibility: A guest app puts all your resort’s services—from dining reservations to spa bookings—right at your guests’ fingertips. When guests can easily browse and book services via their smartphones, they’re more likely to take advantage of these offerings, leading to increased spending.
- Real-time promotions: Through push notifications and in-app alerts, a guest app allows you to promote special offers, limited-time deals, and events directly to your guests in real-time. This immediacy can drive impulse purchases, further increasing revenue.
- Seamless bookings: Automated booking systems within the app ensure that guests can make reservations instantly without the need for staff intervention. This improves the guest experience by reducing wait times and minimizes the risk of lost revenue due to booking delays or confusion.
- Personalized experiences: By integrating with CRM systems, a guest app can offer customized recommendations based on guest preferences and past behaviors. This tailored approach enhances the guest experience and increases the likelihood of additional purchases.
Case study: increasing revenue through a guest app
Barceló Fuerteventura Beach Resort provides an excellent example of how a guest app can drive significant revenue growth.
Through its Barceló App, its guests can maximize their STAY. They can request room service or a beer in a pool through their smartphone, book a table anywhere, anytime, check the activity calendar, or guide themselves to the main hotspots, including their own rooms….
To maximize revenue, the resort integrated Spa PRO within its Barceló App, transforming the booking process for its Thalasso Wellness, Fitness & Sport center. Before this, guests could request spa services via the app, but bookings required staff approval, often leading to confusion and missed appointments.
With the new system, bookings became fully automated, allowing guests to see real-time availability and receive instant confirmation. This seamless process improved guest satisfaction and led to a fourfold increase in spa revenue within just a few months.
Additionally, by extending app access to non-resident guests, Barceló was able to tap into a broader market.
Key features of a high-impact guest app
To maximize TrevPAR, your guest app or experience OS should offer the following features:
- Comprehensive service directory: Ensure that all resort services are listed in the app, through visually appealing and interactive catalogs, complete with descriptions, pricing, and availability, so guests can easily explore and book what interests them.
- Automated booking system: Incorporate an automated system that allows guests to make instant reservations for services like dining, spa treatments, and activities, reducing friction and increasing booking rates.
- Push notifications & in-app messaging: Use these features to alert guests to special promotions, upcoming events, and exclusive offers, encouraging them to engage with the resort’s services more frequently.
- Personalized recommendations: Integrate with your CRM to provide personalized service suggestions based on guest profiles, enhancing both the guest experience and the likelihood of additional revenue.
- Feedback and reviews: Include features that allow guests to provide feedback and rate their experiences in real-time. Positive reviews can be highlighted to encourage other guests to try similar services.
Implementing a guest app for maximum impact
To successfully implement a guest app or experience OS that boosts TrevPAR, consider the following steps:
- Integration: Ensure the app can integrate with your existing systems, including your property management system (PMS), CRM, and point of sale (POS) systems, to provide a seamless experience for both guests and staff. The more convenient for your guests, the better. An All-In-One Guest Experience OS is the ultimate solution.
- User-friendly design: Focus on creating an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface that makes it simple for guests to find and book services. An app that lets you customize sections with widgets is the ideal solution.
- Staff training: Train your staff to encourage guests to download and use the app, highlighting its benefits and ensuring they are comfortable assisting guests with any app-related questions. A Guest App featuring video tutorials and certifications ensures that all your employees are aligned and working toward the same goals.
- Continuous optimization: Regularly update your guest app with new services and promotions to keep it fresh and engaging for guests. Monitor usage data to identify opportunities for further optimization.
Conclusion
A guest app or Guest Experience OS is a powerful tool for increasing TrevPAR by enhancing service visibility, streamlining bookings, and personalizing the guest experience.
By making it easy for guests to discover, book, and engage with your resort’s offerings, you can unlock new revenue streams and provide a superior guest experience. If your resort hasn’t yet fully embraced the potential of a guest app, now is the time to invest in this critical component of your digital strategy and watch your TrevPAR grow.