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February 15, 2017
Marriott Personalizes Mobile App Experience with New Redesign
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The new Marriott Mobile app is currently available on iOS, with an Android client in the works. The redesign is the product of extensive customer research and member feedback, and constitutes one strand of an ongoing service innovation strategy from Marriott, which will lean heavily on mobile. ÒHotel chains using mobile to, among other things, bypass check-in, order amenities and open their doors is a good way to ensure loyalty within a brand, as these additions are intended to be used within the higher security of a mobile app versus the mobile web,Ó said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis. ÒHowever, with these amenities being added it makes it tougher for any hotel brand who is lagging behind in technology to catch up to the brands who are locking in loyalty with more and more consumers as additional amenities are added. ÒThe potential for amenities is far from being reached on mobile for hotel brands since global saturation of mobile phones is well past the half way point, and still climbing. The uses for mobile around the globe are not even close to reaching their potential, in my opinion.Ó Redesigned app The new Marriott Mobile app will dynamically adjust to personalize the userÕs experience throughout all stages of their travel. This means that whether members are in trip planning mode, getting ready to travel, in transit, or mid-hotel stay, the app will display content and features based on what services members are most likely to need in that moment. For example, MarriottÕs Mobile Check-In capability will now be more comprehensive, with the ability to request room upgrades and notifications pertaining to their fulfillment integrated into the feature. Users will also be able to request a late check-out in the app rather than at front desk, which is guaranteed for Gold and Platinum Elite members. Marriott is also expanding Mobile Key, rolling out to more than 500 hotels globally this year. Members who check-in using the Marriott Mobile app can choose to skip the front desk and go straight to their room, using their smartphone to open the door. The new app is now also available in Chinese, Spanish, French and German. Travel sector According to Google, 74 percent of people have at least one travel app on their device, which Marriott sees as an opportunity to engage with travelers on the platforms where they are most active. The hotelier has proven that they practice what they preach: Marriott was one of the first adopters of iMessages open developer platform to create branded and customizable content. And others in the hospitality sector have also been keen towards mobile solutions: Last month, Online hotel booking company Hotels.com has integrated a Òmobile butlerÓ into its application experience which offers a number of features courtesy of partnerships with OpenTable, Uber, delivery.com and Groupon. ÒWith emerging markets having a different view of an app store than the U.S., the hospitality industry would do well to understand global use cases before they go through the expense of creating apps in different languages,Ó Ms. Troutman said. ÒThe mobile Web is a much friendlier and less expensive use of time and expense to reach a large percentage of these emerging markets. ÒAllowing a Ôswitch languagesÕ option within a U.S. market to prominent languages in the next few years is a better place to set these resources.Ó Copyright 2017 Napean LLC. All rights reserved. From http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com. By Rakin Azfar.
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