Best text messaging solutions for hotels in 2022

A text messaging solution uses AI technology to intelligently communicate with hotel and casino guests over a communication platform. Also known as a digital concierge, a text messaging solution can be implemented on various channels such as a website chat window, mobile app, or through text messaging.

Already made up your mind to try a text messaging solution for your hotel or casino? Maybe it’s time to see Revinate Ivy, in action.

What you can see here:

• Stakeholder’s adoption of a digital concierge
• Key benefits of digital concierge software
• Types of digital concierges
• Hotel digital concierge solutions of 2022
• Which digital concierge is right for your hotel or casino? 

Stakeholder’s adoption of digital concierge

Any new hotel technology impacts both the management, the guests, and the employees of the hotel or casino. Digital concierge solutions connect various stakeholders and impact hotel owners, managers, employees, hotel guests, and event organizers.

According to the report Hotel’s Digital Divide, by research firm YouGov, of the guests that want to receive recommendations from their hotels, more than one in four (27%), want dining recommendations for nearby restaurants, and more than one in five (21%), want to receive experience or room/service upgrade recommendations. 

This change in expectations is driving the hotel industry to adapt digital concierge software into their offerings.

Key benefits of digital concierge software

Give guests answers quickly 

A digital concierge can help you answer common questions such as the wifi password and information for shopping, tourism, and entertainment destinations outside the hotel. In fact, HubSpot conducted research that suggested 57% of consumers enjoy communicating with chatbots because of their ability to respond immediately. 

Drive additional revenue

Through direct interactions, digital concierges can help drive additional revenue streams, by offering timely, personalized offers to customers, which they can act on immediately.

Increase productivity

Customer satisfaction often relies on how fast the front desk or hotel management can respond or resolve any potential issues. A digital concierge helps remedy problems such as service requests and room questions, thus reducing interaction times with staff and improving performance, all while keeping guests happy. 

Minimize human errors

A digital concierge helps automate standardized requests such as extra towels and room service. The system eliminates issues due to unfulfilled requests and human errors. 

Types of digital concierges 

Mobile apps

Personal assistant apps are often referred to as “concierge apps”. These are designed and branded by a specific hotel or hospitality chain, equipped with selected menu options, features, and facilities. Most of the digital concierge apps need to be installed on a guest’s phone or tablet and may or may not be AI-driven. 

Chatbots

Hotel chatbots are virtual assistants for guests that provide text or voice assistance, similar to that of the hotel front desk. Hotel chatbots are usually supported on a mobile app, hotel website, or social media page to bring guests a high-end user experience during the booking process.

Text messaging

An advanced digital concierge enables via mobile text messaging and uses AI to support the guest through the entire customer journey. The digital concierge does not require any additional software installation. 

Hotel digital concierge solutions of 2022 

We’ve analyzed some of the top hotel digital concierge solutions in 2022 to give you a perspective on their relative capabilities. 

Monscierge  

Monscierge is a technology firm that uses patented technology to improve communication, guest experience, and staff accountability for the hospitality industry. Connect Messaging offers messaging and a technology platform that hotel staff can use to communicate with guests before, during, or after a stay.

• Digital concierge product: Connect messaging
• Company name: Monscierge
• Technology category: Text Messaging, Platform 
• Handles payment: No
• Handles marketing messages: No
• Offer analytics: Yes
• Industries: Hospitality, Healthcare, Boutiques
• Current hospitality clients: Ibis, Accor, Wyndham, IHG, Vistana

Ivy Experience Suite

Revinate uses advanced AI technology to connect the hospitality industry with its guests. Ivy is an AI-powered text messaging solution, which offers end-to-end guest engagement via text messaging. Ivy uses the power of machine learning to learn from historical guest interactions to provide intelligent conveniences like fulfilling requests, booking restaurant reservations, and recommending offers that can enhance the guest experience.

• Digital concierge product: Ivy Experience Suite
• Company name: Revinate
• Technology category: Text Messaging, Webchat 
• Handles payment: Yes
• Handles marketing messages: Yes?
• Offer analytics: Yes
• Industries: Hospitality
• Current hospitality clients: Caesars Entertainment, Mondrian, The Venetian, Brittain Resorts & Hotels, Holiday Inn, Chesapeake Hospitality

HelloShift 

HelloShift offers a multi-channel guest messaging solution that connects with guests through text messaging, WhatsApp, Messenger, email, and more. HelloShift replaces old-school communication with a fast, easy messaging platform that enables guests to text the hotel, empower staff, and answer booking questions. 

• Digital concierge product: Guest Messaging, Staff Collaboration, Website Chat
• Company name: HelloShift
• Technology category: App, Text Messaging, Messenger, Whatsapp, email, Webchat
• Handles payment: No
• Handles marketing messages: No
• Offer analytics: No
• Industries: Hospitality
• Current hospitality clients: Carlon, Choice Hotels, Wyndham, Marriott, IHG, Hilton

Hotels have lost ground due to third-party intermediaries which have grabbed a significant percentage of the industry’s revenues. Every time a customer is inspired to book through a proprietary channel rather than an intermediary, it results in savings of up to 20% for the hotel.

Alice

Alice is a hotel operations management platform that enables hotels to improve communication, manage tasks, and boosts hotel staff productivity. Alice offers an all-in-one platform that streamlines operations resulting in increased guest satisfaction.

• Digital concierge product: Guest services
• Company name: Alice
• Technology category: Platform solution
• Handles payment: No
• Handles marketing messages: No
• Offer analytics: Yes
• Industries: Hospitality
• Current hospitality clients: Fairmont, Marriott, Montage, Rosewood, Viceroy, Posadas, Nordic Choice, One & Only Accor

Kipsu 

Kipsu is the developer of an online guest engagement platform, designed to improve customer relationships. Kipsu’s online guest engagement platform allows hotel guests to interact with the hotel concierge using texting and digital messaging channels, enabling hospitality and hotel industries to communicate smoothly with customers.

• Digital concierge product: Kipsu
• Company name: Kipsu
• Technology category: Text messaging, Google My Business messages, Apple business chat, and messengers like WhatsApp and WeChat. 
• Handles payment: No
• Handles marketing messages: No
• Offer analytics: Yes
• Industries: Hospitality, Retail, Airports, Education, Healthcare, Residential Facilities
• Current hospitality clients: Holiday Inn, Hilton, Marriott, Crown Plaza, Conrad, The Ritz Carlton, Fairmont

Amelia

Amelia is a digital employee and conversational AI solution. She offers businesses the ability to deploy a human-like AI interface to interact with customers. The platform can understand context switching, multiple intents, interruptions, digressions, and more. 

• Digital concierge product: Amelia
• Company name: Amelia
• Technology type: AI Enterprise Platform 
• Handles payment: No
• Handles marketing messages: Yes
• Offer analytics: Not known
• Industries: Hospitality, Finance, Call centers
• Current hospitality clients: not known

Which digital concierge is right for your hotel or casino? 

Digital concierges are helping the hospitality industry enhance and improve their guest journey by elevating the customer experience using technology as an enabler. In fact, a report by Grand View Research, Inc. states that the global concierge services market size is expected to reach USD 773.3 million by 2025.

Before choosing a digital concierge solution that suits your needs, it is essential to understand the features and add-ons that each product provides. 

By mapping your guest’s interactions both before and after their visit, as well as understanding your hotel’s growth aspects, you can narrow down your digital concierge choice with the features that work for your business.

Integration with PMS

Digital concierges should be able to communicate and interact seamlessly with PMS (Property Management Systems) and CRMs to enable greater accuracy in data tracking. 

Check the pricing model

Does the digital concierge offer license-based pricing or is it driven by the number of rooms or incoming traffic? 

24/7 support

For the hospitality industry, round-the-clock service is critical. Investors in digital concierge solutions should ensure that the company provides adequate 24/7 support. 

Security and compliance

Compliance with industry regulations and all relevant operational certifications must be considered when choosing a digital concierge to ensure guest information privacy. 

Onboarding and scalability

Will your digital concierge solution be able to manage surges in traffic during peak seasons or special events? 

Reporting and analytics

Digital concierges can help provide valuable insights into hotel guests when integrated with an analytics tool. Consider choosing a digital concierge solution that offers this capability. 

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Still unsure of the right text messaging solution for your hotel? Why not experience first-hand how Ivy can work in your hotel? Ask to see Ivy in action.