The Age of Ultra-Convenience
Welcome to the age of Ultra-Convenience! Consumers today are looking for the quickest & easiest way to order & get their groceries, meals, and even alcohol. And they are willing to pay for it.
The Covid-19 pandemic only accelerated the transition to ultra-convenience. Delivery & curbside pickup are now widely available from even the smallest stores & restaurants. Companies like Instacart, DoorDash, UberEats & Drizly enabled this transition, because even small businesses could partner with these companies to provide their customers the ultra-convenience they desired, or in many cases, demanded.
Instacart is one of the most popular grocery delivery companies. They have seen a surge in popularity since the pandemic started. In March 2020, they saw a 300% increase in online grocery orders! DoorDash, another popular delivery company, saw a 500% increase in orders from March to April 2020! But it’s not just food that people are looking to have delivered. Alcohol delivery is also on the rise. Drizly is one of the leading alcohol delivery companies, and they have seen a 150% increase in sales since the pandemic started!
Consumers are also looking for simple ways to order and pay for their purchases. Companies that provide frictionless ordering and payment for groceries, meals, snacks, alcohol & other products through easy-to-use websites & mobile apps are the ones that are winning customers, and retaining them.
What Does This Mean For Hotels?
If you are a hotel owner or manager, you should take notice. These consumers, who are used to ultra-convenience in their daily lives, will become increasingly demanding when they become your hotel’s guests. It is imperative that you provide them the ultra-convenience they expect, in order to make their stay a pleasant experience, and keep them coming back.
One of the best ways to give your guests the ultra-convenience they expect is by turning your limited-item hotel pantry into a full-fledged lobby market that truly stands out in the following ways:
- Is an attractive and inviting space – Most hotel pantries today are small & utilitarian, and therefore don’t offer guests a welcoming environment. Research has shown that consumers are willing to purchase more and pay more for products that are displayed in an attractive and inviting space. Turn your hotel pantry into a lobby market that is well designed, well lit, and attractively merchandised, and watch your sales & guest satisfaction grow.
- Is stocked with your guests’ favorite food and beverage brands and products – Guests have their favorite brands that they are used to consuming at home, and when they don’t see them in the hotel pantry, they can be disappointed. Instead of offering the limited selection of a hotel pantry, stock the lobby market with a sufficient quantity of the right products & brands, based on data from other similar hotels as well as guest purchase data.
- Is open 24/7 and has self-checkout capabilities – Today, most hotel pantries only offer checkout through the front desk. Guests should be able to purchase products any time of day or night, and not have to wait in line at the front desk or deal with a hotel staff member. Many guests, especially younger ones, will also want to use their mobile phones to purchase products. Install a self-checkout terminal at the lobby market, and also provide a mobile app that guests can use to purchase products.
Managed Lobby Markets
Many hotels are outsourcing the management of their hotel pantries to GrabScanGo in order to be able to provide the ultra-convenience that their guests expect through a full-fledged lobby market, while also streamlining operations and reducing labor costs at the same time. As the leading provider of “managed lobby markets” in the U.S., we, along with our service operators across the U.S., design the market and install the right equipment, source and stock the right brands and products, and provide both a self-checkout terminal as well as a mobile app that guests use to purchase products.
If you want to stay relevant and keep up with the competition, you need to offer ultra-convenience to your hotel guests. It’s no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Contact us today to convert your hotel pantry into a managed lobby market, and provide your guests the ultra-convenience they expect!
Learn more about our Managed Lobby Market program for Hotels