Four Ways VoIP Phone Solutions Benefit Hotels
Many sources have declared the hotel phone to be dead. But just like hot showers and comfortable beds, phones are among the most common and important fixtures in hotels. And perhaps part of the reason for this is that hotel phones are no longer what they used to be. With Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, hotel phones are now more feature-rich, cost-efficient, and reliable, making them a huge asset in hotel establishments.
In a previous article, we shared how the hospitality industry can benefit from a VoIP phone solution. Here, we’ll take a closer look at how VoIP phone systems deliver greater value to hotels when compared to traditional analog phones.
Lower costs
Hotels, resorts, and other lodging facilities can benefit by minimizing costs to improve their bottom line. But with high calling fees, constant maintenance, and repair costs associated with a traditional landline, this seems next to impossible. Fortunately, VoIP can help hotels reduce communication costs without sacrificing quality or efficiency. Most business VoIP solutions offer zero to minimal upfront costs, unlimited calling or low per minute rates as well as affordable monthly subscription plans.
Maximize bookings and reservations
VoIP systems carry an array of features that help hotels ensure no phone call goes unanswered. Whether it’s an inquiry or a booking, hotels can serve prospects or customers better with the help of features like auto attendant (provide a menu of options to route callers to the right department), custom on hold music/messaging (play music or important announcements to entertain callers while on hold), click-to-call (allow customers to call you by clicking on a link from your website or email), and find me/follow me (connect customers to a specific hotel staff who may be out of the office). All of these features can help contribute to better customer service.
Personalize customer service
Another advantage of using VoIP in hotels is that a VoIP system can be integrated with various Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools such as Zoho, Zendesk, and Salesforce, among others. CRM tools allow establishments to record and manage customer data and customer interactions so that their needs can easily be identified and addressed. By integrating a hotel’s CRM software with a VoIP phone system, businesses can make all relevant customer information easily accessible to all their teams (from the front desk to customer service to billing). This helps employees provide personalized customer service, which promotes customer loyalty.
Track the performance of campaigns
Hotels that are launching new promos or offers can also make use of virtual numbers specifically for that campaign. These numbers can be published in various channels (your website, emails, print ads, etc) to attract prospective guests. The best part is that by using virtual numbers, hotels can easily evaluate whether their campaign is performing or not by tracking the calls and determining how prospects respond to the ads.
These are just some of the ways that VoIP phone systems add value to hotels and resorts--which is why the trusty hotel telephone is still not going anywhere for now.