Are RFPs a thing of the past for booking events?

 

Are RFPs a thing of the past for booking events?

The RFP has been a staple of the events industry for decades. It has been the go-to process for event planners when they are looking to secure a venue or sponsor, and it continues to be a critical part of the booking process in many organizations. In fact, 65% of RFPs result in a signed contract.

The scope of an RFP includes items such as: budgeting and financial details; precise specifications; inclusions and exclusions; timeline; personnel involved in the project; any legal considerations.

But in recent years, there have been signs that this time-tested approach may be going out of use. Is this just one more sign that the nature of meetings and events is changing? Or is it possible that we’ve taken too long to create new ways to think about RFPs?

Arrange an event from an iPad

How long does it take to make a proper RFP for an Event?

The RFP process for a hotel convention or any other event can be quite tedious, especially when you are trying to get all of the details in order. It can take weeks or even months to get all of the necessary information that is needed in order to make an effective RFP.

Not only do you need all of the necessary information in order to make an effective RFP, but you also need to be sure that it is formatted in a certain way so that it will be appealing to your potential vendors.

Things to know before writing a bidding proposal or an RFP:

Bid writing proposals are a necessary component of the procurement process. For an organization to win a contract, they must first submit a proposal outlining what they can do for the client and why they would be the best choice to provide those services. Bidding proposals are used by many different types of organizations; from construction companies to PR firms and everything in between.

Some factors that could be influencing your bidding proposal:

– understanding your client’s needs and expectations

– understanding the project scope

– selecting the right service options

– proposing cost estimates and billing structures

RFP documents for booking an event

An RFP is the formal process for soliciting proposals or offers that may lead to a contract or agreement with an external entity. An RFP must outline the requirements and evaluation criteria that will be used and determine how and when responses will be evaluated.

The main documents involved in an RFP process:

  1. Request for proposal: The Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document that is typically used when an organization seeks proposals from contractors to provide the desired services. It includes all of the information about the client’s needs, requirements, and specifications for the project.
  1. Evaluation guide: An Evaluation Guide helps a company evaluate potential vendors based on criteria that are important to them. It can serve as a contract between you and your vendor, so it should be drafted with clarity and precision so there are fewer misinterpretations down the line.
  1. Contract: This contract covers the terms of a binding agreement between two parties for booking a convention. It is being created so that the requesters have a clear understanding of the obligations, rights and responsibilities of all parties involved.

There are terms about date, location, payment and damages. This contract also includes provisions for alternative meeting arrangements in case something goes wrong.

Needs or pain points on a Request for Proposal

An RFP provides vendors with enough information about the client in order to make an informed decision about whether or not they want to bid on the project.

The following are several pain points that are necessary in order to formulate a Request for Proposal:

-Project details

-Project budget

-Project timeline

-Some form of estimation of deliverable

You can forget about RFPs with the right platform that enables bookings connected via API in real time, dynamic pricing and availability, smart data analytics, tailored to the needs of the customer. The booking system integrates with the company’s PMS through APIs to enable instant view, quote and book.

What if you could do without all this?

The RFP is a ubiquitous tool in business and unfortunately, it’s time for this system to go. With new media coming out every day, along with the high demands of professionals like you, there really is no reason to continue using such an inefficient tool that puts nonessential details first.

With the help of a good software, you can offer a list of offerings and elements necessary for requests to be resolved without the need for any appointments or physical meetings.

Spazious gives you the tools to process and have RFP at the moment.

Spazious is a platform that connects spaces and managers with your customers. It provides booking, pricing, and availability information for customers to search through.

For hotels and meeting places, this software saves the time of managing reservations which would have to do manually. For customers, it is an easy way to find the best available venue for their needs in real time.

Spazious is a software that connects to your booking system and is designed to do the hard work of finding the most suitable event place for your needs. You can search through hotel rooms and spaces or conference spaces in the venue that interests you most – all from the comfort of your desk.

Spazious has made these two processes more efficient by providing dynamic pricing and availability based on customer data analytics.

Once these things are in place, this is all you need to have in mind:

  • Define your goals. What would make the most of your event?
  • Establish your budget.
  • Timeline – Schedule your calendar and program of activities.
  • Consider a list of the services that you want to include in the solicitation – or meet them in the App.
  • Think in detail what you are looking for from each service provider – you can always look at different options available.
  • See any special requests on the spot.

The future of the event industry is changing. With new technology, customers and managers are able to embrace new mobile-first solutions that can reduce booking friction, provide access to better deals and be more time efficient.

5 Tips to Increase Hotel Rooms Sold via Upselling

 

5 Tips to increase Hotel rooms sold via upselling

Upselling is a sales technique whereby additional items or services are offered to the customer after the initial purchase.

Hotels can improve their upselling by raising customer satisfaction with an upselling visual tool, this problem could be solved by providing hotel staff with an effective visual assistant that can coach them through the process and tailor products specifically for their customer.

Hotel hall with visual digital screens

Some people refrain from upselling because they believe that it can come off as being too aggressive. However, there are many benefits to upselling, such as increasing revenue for the company or increasing customer loyalty. It can also increase customer satisfaction by providing them with more offers that may be of interest to them.

The importance of Upselling to improve engagement and revenue

We don’t need to sell our products because someone will eventually buy it. But the question is, “What if no one buys it?” Upselling is a way of getting people to do what you want them to do. And that is to buy something that they might not have originally planned on buying.

As the number of competing companies increases, upselling becomes more crucial in order to compete with other businesses. It also helps brands adopt new offers, which are usually at a higher price point than original offers.

Upselling, in a hotel context, means having a sales manager or staff member engage with guests who have booked a room at your establishment to suggest products or services that they may not have thought of requesting but might be interested in purchasing.

Examples include:

– Room upgrades

– Spa treatments

– Exclusive dining experiences

– Complimentary snacks and beverages

– Airport transfers from the airport

Front desk

1. Create a Clear Offer

A good way to get your upselling plan ready is to try to accommodate the different needs of various guests. This way, they are more likely to buy something in case they haven’t booked exactly what they were looking for. As a result, you will increase your chances of making deals and generating additional revenue.

The hotel industry is not immune to the rapid digital transformation. There are many great companies innovating in technology, customer service and personalization, but the only way to really know what the customer needs at all times is to have a way to provide guests with the necessary information at the right time. Spazious offers the right platform to get ahead of this demand on the precise moment.

With 360 Lounge and Room Views, a hotel has the ability to offer its guests a simple and visual upgrade process on the fly. This gives you the opportunity to show all rooms without the need to move around the hotel and increase your revenue by offering your guests an upsell option. In this way, guests can enjoy an even more pleasant stay if they wish to do so.

2. Capitalize on the Moment.

The experience economy is here to stay, and with it comes the need for hotels to constantly work on their customer experience.

Hotels are constantly looking for ways to engage their guests and serve them better. With more immersive content offerings, such as 360° tours of hotel rooms or immersive spaces like the spa, fitness center or restaurants. Travelers can make informed decisions to get more out of their stay.

A key way to capitalize on this moment is to offer these immersive content experiences at the front desk with a tablet in a visual way or even in the hotel lobby through interactive tables or counters.

Front desk agents are experts at knowing their customers and can offer personalized service. They should take advantage of the moment a guest checks-in to make an attractive sales offer.

With a real-time tool, it is possible to address timely issues, so the front desk agent can prioritize certain guests with greater urgency to engage with them and make that additional sale.

3. Utilize Offers & Deals with Limited Availability.

Offers with limited availability will attract the customer to make a quick decision and can be a great way to attract traffic and increase conversions.

Limited-availability offers work by making the customer feel like they’re getting a good deal that they don’t want to miss out on, or that this offer won’t be around much longer. Arrival at the front desk is a critical time for success with this type of offer.

Companies should promote limited availability offers through the most visual media and channels that are relevant to their business. Being able to visualize the upgrade and choose from a small immersive catalog makes it much more real and compelling.

The goal of these types of offers is to get customers to act before the expiration time.

4. Provide Additional Amenities Before the Guest Checks In.

The first interaction with a property is crucial for first impressions.

Some of the additional amenities include:

– A welcome drink on arrival

– Complimentary water

When a hotel guest first arrives at the property, they want to be as relaxed as possible because they are going to be away from home. The experience of checking into a hotel is central to that.

Many hotels provide amenities before their guests check-in, such as a welcome note card, a fruit basket, and chocolates. This first interaction with the property is crucial for first impressions. It sets the tone for all future interactions there.

Some hotels offer events before check-in time so that guests can have an experience before staying there. For example, another good idea is to offer wine-pairing dinners or cooking demonstrations.

5. Offer Extras with the Room – Breakfast & Spa Services.

It is not just the room that influences the overall experience of a hotel stay, but there are also other factors such as breakfast and spa services that can win over a customer. If someone is looking for an enjoyable stay at a hotel, they should be offered extras like free breakfast and spa services.

With tools to view the hotel’s public spaces such as gyms, massage rooms, swimming pools or spas, you can incentivize a sale with a “wellness promotion” or with gym “training hours” before starting the day.

Upselling offers to win you over

The hotel business is in a delicate situation. Competition is tough and the customer is always right. 

Hotels need to find new ways to keep their customers satisfied which in turn will keep them coming back. 

Digital transformation in this industry offers new solutions in the form of upselling. It does not require much effort on behalf of the customer and it is an excellent opportunity for hotels to offer their customers more than what they initially expected.

The Guide to budgeting your Hotel marketing for maximum ROI 2022

 

The guide to budgeting your Hotel marketing for maximum ROI 2022

Hotel marketing is an effective way to increase hotel revenue. It is also a cost-effective method of advertising. However, there are certain aspects of hotel marketing that require careful planning and execution.

If you want to maximize your hotel marketing budget, then you need to plan ahead. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Marriott Madrid outside view

Why is it important to plan a new marketing strategy in 2022?

Marketing strategies change every year. It’s important to keep an eye on the trends and adapt accordingly. In this article, I’ll explain why planning a new marketing strategy in 2022 is crucial.

In 2022, we will need to be prepared for a fast growing market and take competitive advantage to leverage the situation after these long months in which activity has been, if not non-existent, then very scarce.

You need to keep up with these changes if you want to succeed. If you don’t, you could end up losing customers to competitors who are better prepared.

Marketing tactics to save money on your Hotel marketing budget

A hotel is an expensive business. You have to pay for everything from the building itself to the staff, utilities, and supplies. Marketing is often the most overlooked expense on a hotel’s budget. It is a crucial part of a company’s success, but it can be difficult to justify spending a lot of money on marketing when you have so many other costly expenses.

The following marketing tactics can help you save money on your hotel marketing budget:

  • Develop a social media strategy that targets your hotel’s target audience
  • Focus on providing personalized content on your website and in communication with customers
  • Invest in web traffic by having a website redesign and including virtual visits in the cost of the redesign
  • Use time-saving tools for processes such as CRMs or other integrations.

Challenges faced by Hotels in 2022 – Hotel marketing

Hotels have been facing a number of challenges in the past year. In 2022, hotels will have to change their marketing strategy to reflect new technologies and customer expectations.

Some of the major challenges faced by hotels are the increased competition from OTAs and new marketing tools such as social awareness and social distancing. In addition, hotels need to rethink their approach towards mobile booking because more customers are using it which is making the traditional website less valuable.

The hotel industry is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the next few years, with annual growth of 4.8%. The hotels will be looking for ways to distinguish themselves from other hotels and attract new customers.

Such challenges faced by the Hotels of tomorrow are: 

Reopening after disasters, contactless hospitality tools, social distancing, online showcasing and social awareness.

How to maximize your marketing efforts with limited budgets

Hotels are a service-based business and generating enough demand is a huge issue. Not only do you need to satisfy what your current guests want, but you have to figure out how to get new customers in the door.

In today’s competitive marketplace, marketing your hotel can be a challenge. Guests have many property choices and sometimes it’s difficult to stand out from the competition. One of the most powerful ways to establish yourself as a strong player in your market is by investing in a cohesive marketing campaign that works to grow demand for your hotel.

1. Content marketing:

It is true that the era of marketing is changing. Content marketers must develop a new way of thinking about their tasks and while they still need to know how to write content, they also need to invest in building higher quality assets that can generate more value.

There are many affordable and innovative ways that you can use with your limited budget to effectively market your products and services. It all depends on what you want your company’s niche market to be or what core value proposition you want your target audience to remember about you.

A 360 virtual visit of a hotel room is a great example of how content marketing can be used as an innovative digital marketing campaign for hotels.

2. Leverage 360 virtual visits to generate interest: 

These virtual visits give guests a chance to see what they can expect during their stay and also allow them to see the property in a way that is not possible, or desirable, in real life. Spacious is a unique tool that provides an immersive experience that allows people to experience the hotel before ever stepping foot inside it.

A 360 virtual visit is a new way to get potential hotel visitors excited about their upcoming trip. It allows the viewer to explore the hotel space before they book, giving them a realistic idea of what it will be like when they get there. A 360 virtual visit can make the difference between getting potential visitors interested enough in your hotel to book, and losing them to one of your competitors. 

There are many reasons why leveraging 360 virtual tours can enhance your hotel’s marketing efforts.

  1. Cost savings– Virtual tours are significantly less expensive than other types of video marketing, while providing a higher level of engagement.
  2. Less staff interaction– The use of 360 Virtual Tours reduces the need for hotels to hire more staff members to interact with guests via social media channels, reducing costs and increasing time savings.
  3. More detailed information– The interactive nature of the virtual tour provides more detailed information about the hotel’s amenities, which in turn builds trust among potential customers by giving them an idea of what anyone can expect when arriving at the property.

3. Integrate digital marketing campaigns: 

SEO and SEM campaigns – When hotels use these two marketing channels strategically they can significantly increase their number of leads that convert into bookings.

This section will provide a brief overview of the ways you can integrate digital marketing campaigns with limited budgets.

  • Properly utilize search engine optimization (SEO)
  • Utilize social media to your advantage
  • Utilize email marketing wisely by writing compelling subject lines and including an offer that is valuable to the recipient
  • Incorporate a landing page for a campaign to increase conversions

4. Social media: 

It is important to understand that marketing efforts need to be planned and executed strategically for success. This starts with understanding the customer and what will drive them to buy your product or service.

Social media has proven to be an important part of this process, as it provides a space for hotels to share their story with potential guests and also builds relationships and adds customers. Hotel marketers should invest time and money in social media, and have the highest conversion rate.

Identify the channels that will be feasible for you and your budget. There are a variety of ways to do this:

  • Perform a cost-benefit analysis and compare the benefits against the costs.
  • Make a choice depending on which channels you find most effective and least expensive.
  • Review your competitors’ social media presence to get an idea of what channels they use.
  • Use social media to collect user feedback and suggestions for future content.
  • Use free tools to help you identify the best networks for your business goals.
  • Reach out to users in other areas by borrowing their content or giving them free content in return.

5. Social travel along with PR campaigns: 

Social travel sites encourage travel through photos and stories from people who have been there before. It is important to have a well-planned strategy in place, along with a public relations campaign that will support the brand and its offerings. If you use Social Travel to boost your social media marketing, you can easily get the attention of your target audience and gather fans.

Successful public relations campaigns can be crucial for hotel marketers. Well-executed PR campaigns will help your business get more customers, build trust, and increase awareness.

Public relations is the art of establishing relationships with the media, which helps in creating an image for your brand. PR campaigns are most effective when they are propelled by a social media campaign that involves your customers in the process.

Create a social travel campaign that involves your customers in the process, and you will be able to cultivate an authentic relationship with them while building on their loyalty to your company’s brand.

Secrets of successful businesses that use virtual site visits

The Madrid Auditorium Hotel and Conference Center is one of the most successful hotels in Madrid, Spain who has been using this technology to connect with potential customers.

For example: the Marseille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg lounges, a multi-room concept that can be displayed in its different options.

Just imagine that you could see the different spaces of the hotel as if you were in a doll's house and you could customize each detail. 

This is an example of one of the rooms of the Marriott Hotel in Madrid, it is a very good way to visualize it and configure the rooms according to the client's needs with a software that anyone can manage from our own website.

Conclusion: The importance of marketing for revenue

A hotel’s marketing budget is a vital investment that will have a huge impact on the company’s revenue. Using innovative technology and an engaging new era strategy, hotels can make the most of their limited budget.

If you are struggling with your marketing budget, it may be time to rethink your strategy. With this article, we have looked at how you can make the most of your limited budget by implementing innovative technologies and engaging in a new era strategy

How Will the Hotel Industry Evolve in the Future?

Hotel outside view Zurich

How Will the Hotel Industry Evolve in the Future?

Although it might not seem like there’s much room for evolution in the hotel industry, there are several different ways that the industry may change. Generally, hotel industry trends often evolve with changes to technology, consumer behavior, and business theories.

Change in the hotel industry is often more gradual than in other industries though. So, within the next five to 10 years, we don’t expect the industry’s core to change all that much.

Often, what’s vital is the way that hotels incorporate and capitalize on new trends. More impersonal hotels will likely start to struggle to survive in the future. Hotel owners should incorporate a defined brand into their hotel in order to connect to new and existing guests.

Hotel guests often look for unique experiences when traveling, so your hotel’s brand needs to exist within the staff and property. That means that it needs to be a part of every room, and every interaction should reflect a distinct identity. It also needs to be a part of your online presence.

 

Smartness & Sustainability in Hotels

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an odd phenomenon that usually excites people, so incorporating it into your hotel is helpful. If you don’t know what the IoT is, it describes a network of physical objects, like refrigerators or coffee makers. Usually, these objects have sensors, software, or other technology to connect them over the internet.

Because these items require the internet to work, you should consider giving guests free, high-speed internet when they stay at your hotel. Not only does the IoT require the internet to work, but guests now expect fast Wi-Fi at most hotels.

Incorporation of the IoT into a hotel room can offer guests a higher level of convenience and efficiency. In many cases, it’ll also give them a sense of luxury that they might not get in their everyday lives. Including connected objects will become more of a demand for hotels as more people have them in their own homes.

Another important aspect is sustainability. It’s a good thing that society is starting to become more environmentally conscious as it helps improve everyone’s lives. However, that means that travelers are starting to choose more sustainable hotels.

It might be challenging to adapt to guests’ demands at first, but becoming sustainable will help business in the long run. Sustainable hotels often take into account construction, energy-saving techniques, and waste management. Hotel owners who want to be more sustainable should make those aspects priorities.

Staff Interactions and Automatic Procedures

We’ve already touched a little bit on how vital staff interactions are to the guests’ experiences. Staff should understand the hotel’s brand and be able to embody that and show it to guests.

If you want to be even more technological, you can invest in robots to assist staff and guests. Although some people might find it a bit odd to have a robot serving them, others might enjoy not needing to interact with other people when they’re staying at a hotel.

The phrase “robot staff” might sound like something out of science fiction, but the robots don’t need to look like people to be effective. You don’t need a human or human-like robot to automate check-in and check-out; you might only need a computer.

Automation of certain procedures is another way that hotels may adapt in the future. Although robots can assist with check-in, check-out, luggage, or room service, there are different new ways to use automation.

In hospitality, many guests need 24/7 support, which is challenging to provide. Artificially intelligent chatbots can be useful when helping visitors with questions, bookings, and checking guests in and out. Online chatbots are especially helpful for customer service, and many businesses include automated chat on their website.

Right now, robots and AI are a little bit of a fad. They’re popular at the moment, but they may not stay that way. Guests may decide that they’d rather check in with a real human being instead of a robotic one, so if you’re interested in using robotics or automation for your hotel, start small.

Try out a chatbot first, and see how that goes. Many customers enjoy talking with chatbots because they can respond immediately. Customers don’t have to wait for the next available staff member to help them out, and they can save you money on labor.

If you’re more interested in AI robots, you don’t have to wait for them to become more popular than they already are. They can help with booking, improve guest interactions, and help collect data. You may even want to use them in areas like cleaning, maintenance, valet, security, or room service.

Virtual & Augmented Reality for Hotels and Venues

Virtual and augmented reality might also feel like a trope in science fiction, and for a long time, that’s what they were. Nowadays, though, these technologies aren’t niche market segments like they were in the past. They’re getting more popular in the gaming and entertainment industries, and they can be helpful for hotel guests.

If you don’t know exactly what these terms mean, that’s okay. You’ll often see virtual reality (VR) in the form of headsets that replace the real, physical world with different audio and visuals. On the other hand, augmented reality (AR) layers virtual elements over the real world. 

Before deciding on a hotel, a customer might want to walk around in it first. Virtual reality is all about immersive content, so if you create a virtual tour, potential guests can see the hotel as if it were really around them. If you want to use AR instead, you might want to create an interactive map for guests.

With this technology, you can use 3D diagramming to map out various areas of your hotel. This might include the reception desk, dining area, amenities, and different types of rooms where they could stay. You could even use that technology to promote events at your hotel.

Conclusion

Even though the hospitality industry is often slower to adapt than other industries, it’s still evolving with technology. Hotel owners may want to incorporate AI, VR, or AR into the hotel experience. Wi-Fi and the IoT are also essential aspects that will help to create a luxurious stay.