Concierge

Initial situation

The proposed project intends to ensure a progressive qualification and modernisation of Portuguese accommodation units, as well as strengthening the knowledge of the main markets (traditional and emerging) regarding the new tourist consumer profile, their leisure and recreation habits and the respective behaviours of purchase and consumption.

The available technological solutions currently on the market, particularly regarding smartphone content distribution platforms, represent an opportunity to develop cutting edge solutions, making use of these platforms to meet the profile of the new tourist consumer and, consequently, to the needs of the accommodation units to serve their guests.

In this context, Ubiwhere proposed the development and operation of three mobile applications, oriented for tourism accommodation units, but whose main objective will be to provide a personalised service and added value to guests, namely with the following solutions ‘hotel concierge’, ‘pay by phone’ and ‘energy monitor ‘.

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Solution

Development of personalised solutions (apps) for different types of touristic accommodation and its territorial integration as an integrated tourism product in relation to applications for mobile devices. Taking in consideration the initial situation and the analysis to the Portuguese tourism sector, Ubiwhere developed three apps:

Hotel Concierge App

This solution enables the creation of a personal concierge (virtual), which provides a personalised and dedicated service, exclusively, to each of the accommodation unit guests (avoiding the use of access cards and unit maps). Upon check-in, the receptionist offers every guest a mobile device (smartphone or tablet) with the application.

This application complements the human assistance to guests, providing a wide variety of services, including:

  • Provide general information about the Hotel/Resort;
  • Make reservations (restaurants, shows, massage, spa, personal trainer, markings tours/trips, car rental, among others);
  • Call/order room service;
  • Make specific requests (for the room, pool, among others);
  • Call a cab;
  • Among others;

Hotel Concierge App

This solution allows guests to pay for the various services or products offered by the accommodation unit property and all the consumption would automatically be associated with the guests’ accounts.

This solution also establish guests/consumption profiles, which allows the accommodation units to know the tastes and preferences of a particular guest (ideal temperature of the room, preferred menu, room service consumption, among others) in a second visit to the hotel property (or another hotel of the same group). This information reveals itself naturally strategic for the accommodation unit, with a commercial perspective – relationship marketing with the guests, second visits promotion and more.

 Energy Monitor App

This solution is a relevant solution for managers of the accommodation units, but it also represents a significant opportunity for each guest to track the energy consumption during the stay in the accommodation unit, which promotes a culture of environmental responsibility from the accommodation unit and also explains guests their behaviour (determining the ecological footprint during their stay).

This application, integrated with the CRM platforms of the accommodation units may involve a determined strategy regarding to the valuation of responsible behaviour of guests, giving relational marketing actions directly with the guest (awards and promotions).

Project results

  • The three mobile applications (‘hotel concierge’, ‘pay by phone’ and ‘energy monitor’) were custom-made for tourism accommodation units;
  • The accommodation units can now provide a personalised service and added value to guests;
  • The accommodation units have access to guests’ profiles, meaning they can set strategic and focused marketing campaigns for second visits and also to perform a better and quicker service during guests stay.