In a competitive market, hoteliers are doubling down on direct bookings to attract both new customers and repeat business. Now an essential tool of the trade, mobile apps have a key part to play in helping industry players meet their direct booking targets. Lovetto Nazareth, CEO of Prism Digital, shares his top 10 tips for getting the best out of mobile apps, from targeted marking to offering mobile-only deals.

Faced with an increasingly competitive environment, a move is underway among hotel managers to prioritize direct bookings. With mobile devices now being used routinely to access the internet
for travel purposes, mobile applications (apps) have become a crucial tool to capture and retain customers.

There are several specific strategies that hospitality businesses can adopt to help increase direct bookings via mobile apps, led by the following:

1. Prioritize a smooth user experience

Creating a clear focus and making the user experience as smooth and uninterrupted as possible when designing and developing an app is essential to building a suitable user flow. The app should be easy to use, enabling would-be guests to make a booking quickly.

• Design and usability: the design must be precise and closely aligned with the branding. Use high-quality images that reflect the property and facilities to elevate the feel of the app and first impressions.
• Functionality: options like the one-click ‘booking’ button, the ‘help and support’ button, and ‘my preferences’ can significantly improve customer satisfaction and drive more direct bookings.

2. Offer real-time pricing and availability updates

In today’s market, giving customers as much information as possible about a store’s inventory and price changes is a must. A mobile app with live data provides the customer with quick, information-based decision-making, minimizing the chances of losing bookings to other service providers.

• Dynamic pricing: applying dynamic pricing models, which set the room rates as a function of demand, seasonality and competitors’ prices, can help boost revenues. Prices can be set to increase automatically during times of high demand, for example, and reduced during low-demand periods to encourage bookings.
• Availability alerts: features such as sending push notifications giving the latest information about free rooms or new offers, for example, are highly effective ways to realize this.

3. Incorporate personalized marketing strategies

Finding innovative ways to attract clients and accommodate their bookings is the new normal. A mobile app is an ideal solution for targeted marketing based on customers’ activities and interests.

• Targeted promotions: collect user data and behavior, and offer targeted products that recipients are likely to be interested in. If a guest makes a number of reservations at the spa, for example, the app should offer them a specific discount as a gesture of appreciation.
• Loyalty programs: incorporating a loyalty program within the app’s operation can help extend bookings. Research has indicated that 78 percent of travelers opt to use direct booking channels if they are allowed to join membership programs that offer free nights or other opportunities such as upgrades.

4. Keep booking and payment processes simple

Complicated booking processes are known to be a disincentive for customers, highlighting the importance of keeping things seamless to maximize conversions.

• Streamlined booking engine: the app should have a booking engine functionality that accommodates a variety of languages, currencies and payment methods.
• Security features: with cybercrime on the rise, adopting robust safety features, such as encryption and two-factor authentication, can offer reassurance, helping to instill confidence in customers.

5. Utilize customer reviews and ratings

Customer reviews, particularly ratings, help potential guests in the decision-making process. Positive reviews displayed on the app can make a difference, encouraging guests to book directly.

• In-app review requests: these will encourage guests to share their experience immediately after checkout, helping to increase the ratio of positive reviews.
• Displaying testimonials: the preliminary booking page should spotlight the number of positive reviews and high ratings, encouraging potential guests to book directly.

6. Make use of push notifications

Push notifications are welcomed by many guests and are known to actualize direct bookings. They can also invite guests to return, advertise specific promotions and introduce recipients to local events.

• Event-based notifications: alerts on local events or other activities within the hotel are an ideal way of encouraging guests to stay longer or even book another visit.
• Time-sensitive offers: using push notifications to give information about a limited-time opportunity or a flash sale will increase the likelihood of immediate bookings.

7. Visuals: an essential addition

• Promotional visual content: is highly effective in hospitality, especially when it comes to marketing a new property. For this reason, the quality of the images and videos can make or break a booking decision.
• Virtual tours: enabling would-be guests to tour rooms and other facilities helps them to really envision being in the space. Research shows that bookings made through apps that contain virtual tours are 16-percent higher when compared to apps without this facility.
• Instagrammable moments: in an era when social media is an integral part of the lives of so many travelers, it makes sense to present or advertise areas within the hotel that offer ideal settings for photo-sharing opportunities.

8. Offer exclusive mobile-only deals

Making key offers available through a mobile app only is a particularly effective way of encouraging direct sales. These offers can attract both new and repeat customers.

• Mobile-only discounts: offering deals or attractive extras if a booking is made through the app, like a free breakfast or the possibility of a late checkout, can help a hotel to stand out from the competition.
• Limited-time offers: flash sales for app users are an ideal way of encouraging use of the app, especially off peak or out of season.

9. Keep changes and cancellations hassle-free

Schedule flexibility is a crucial aspect of the booking process for customers. Having an app that allows customers to reschedule or cancel bookings in a simple, seamless way will go a long way toward building and retaining customer relations.

• User-friendly rescheduling: the option to reschedule bookings from within an app is not only practical, but helps to instill confidence in customers.
• Transparent cancellation policies: having cancellation policies clearly visible and offering an easy-to-use booking cancellation system can be key in fostering trust and encouraging customers to consider making future bookings directly with a hotel.

10. Continually update the app to maximize performance

App updates need to be done frequently to ensure the app remains relevant and secure, and content continues to catch the attention of users.

• Feedback-driven improvements: ask users to share their feedback about their experience with the current version of the app. Hotels that improved their app based on guests’ suggestions increased the number of positive reviews.
• Regular feature enhancements: innovative new additions, like recommendation systems, AI or chatbot sections for customer support, can add value to an app and give it an edge in the market.