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How a communication solution helps hotels differentiate themselves from Airbnb

The element of customer service is the primary difference between staying in a hotel or booking through Airbnb.Although there have been arguments made which highlight numerous other differences between the two, these largely depend on the traveller themselves not the establishment where they stay.

One such claim is that staying in an Airbnb allows users to have a more authentic experience by living like the locals. However, a hotel stay doesn’t limit or downgrade the experience you can have. For many people the idea of staying in someone else’s private and personal space wouldn’t be a relaxing experience which isn’t ideal, especially when relaxation is one of the other important foundations of a holiday.

Hotels should be taking advantage of the comfort a hotel stay gives people and making it their goal to enhance the guest experience with the services they offer. During an Airbnb stay guests must make it their job to enhance their own experience as it isn’t the hosts obligation, they’re definitely not on call to provide extra towels or deliver room service.

By utilising an all encompassing communication solution hotel operations run smoother, allowing staff to spend more time focusing on the guest and more time differentiating themselves from Airbnb. Messaging and alarm monitoring software works by integrating with equipment and controls, such as fire alarm systems and pool alarms, as well as directing messaging between staff through the use of radios, pagers and SMS text.

The incorporation of call buttons with such a system is a sure way to enhance the guest experience, placed around the hotel call buttons allow guests to call for service effortlessly, with the system routing the request to the appropriate staff member. Call buttons can be used everywhere from meeting rooms and the concierge desk to by the pool or in the restaurant. Their simplicity enhances the guest experience in a big way by allowing staff to request what they need with minimal effort and without searching for a staff member. Can Airbnb do that?

Communication software also integrates with fire alarm systems to ensure guests are never evacuated for false alarms. Nothing dampens a holiday more than being woken up at 2am and evacuating in your pyjamas, while staff try to figure out where the false alarm came from. When an alarm is triggered the software determines the correct member of staff to alert, whether it be the fire warden or maintenance team, and notifies them of the alarm trigger. They then have the opportunity to investigate the authenticity of the alarm before the entire hotel is alerted and evacuated.

Airbnb definitely doesn’t offer a 24/7 reception desk, and having staff available every hour of the day has become a service some travellers can’t live without. Thankfully with communication software your hotel can outshine Airbnb with minimal effort required. Innovative software has the ability to set shift patterns for pagers, radios and DECT phones so that requests are received by the correct team member even in the middle of the night when staff shifts have changed over. Because the system knows which staff member will be working and when, requests made via door bells and call buttons will never go unanswered.

Ultimately guests will choose to stay where they receive the most service for the best value and although some travellers will still choose Airbnb there is a greater market who appreciate the distinction of service and the quality which can be provided through the use of communication software.