CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management (software).  Companies of all kinds use CRM systems to initiate, track, manage and grow relationships with clients from first introduction and throughout the entire customer lifecycle.  CRM systems enable various stakeholders within a firm to "zoom in" and analyze the client relationship without needing to have been personally involved each step of the way.  CRM systems contain a client history associated with each profile often tracking deal size, product interest and other relevant characteristics to more effectively close deals and deliver high quality service to existing clients.  CRM systems typically facilitate 1-1 interactions between providers and clients.  CRM is not a hotel specific term or solution and serves almost every industry globally.  Regardless of industry, a CRM tool should allow you to store client information, identify sales opportunities, record service issues and manage marketing campaigns all in one central location.  Many CRM systems integrate email, text messaging and other forms of communications.  There is a growing trend in the CRM space around automation and personalization that is making this system more important than ever.

As we previously mentioned, CRM stands for "customer relationship management".  The hospitality industry is unique in that it has two separate customers and thus needs two separate types of CRM systems with varying functionalities and capabilities.

According to Salesforce, the world's largest CRM company: 

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing all your company's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. The goal is simple: Improve business relationships.

Answering this question effectively is tough within the hotel industry because each hotel has unique needs for managing its customer relationships. Adding to this dilemma, hotels have multiple stakeholders that each require different CRM functionality.  Specifically, hotel sales teams are working to secure new group business while marketing teams are focused on bringing in new leisure travellers.  A group sales CRM is ultimately about 1-1 relationship management while a marketing CRM must be super effective at segmentation and profiling.  In other words hotel sales CRMs need to be good at customization within 1-1 conversations and hotel marketer CRMs need to make massive datasets precise and actionable.

Before we dive into the different types of CRM systems for hotels, a good CRM must always be:

1. Easy to integrate. If you're not lucky enough to be planning a comprehensive tech stack in the pre-opening phase, you must consider integrations first. You need a CRM that is easy to integrate with existing systems -- especially your property management system.

2. Multi-channel. Modern communications are complex; your CRM should reflect this by supporting the variety of ways you communicate with your guests. A good CRM records interactions across email, in-person, text, and online.

3. Automated. Automations make your life easier. A CRM that removes rote

4. Within budget. It's easy to get distracted by the bells and whistles during the vendor vetting process. Paying for a bunch of things you're never going to use is not wise. Select a CRM that fits within your existing budget -- and that can grow with you (see next point).

5. Flexible. When you choose the software that manages your customer relationships, you need to know that it's flexible to accommodate future needs.

6. Secure. Most CRMs are cloud-based. This is great for speed and flexibility but can leave sensitive information vulnerable in the wrong hands.

7. Mobile. Finally, a good CRM is equally useful in the office and on the go. The mobile experience shouldn’t sacrifice quality or functionality.

Now that we've defined some of the important characteristics of CRM for hotels, let's explore the differences between CRM approaches.

Revinate makes rich guest data easily accessible to hotel marketers for segmented campaigns that drive revenue

This type of customer relationship management software focuses on relationships with individual guests. This information can be used to personalize a guest’s experience while on property, as well as provide more targeted marketing in-between stays to increase future direct bookings. For example, a guest’s profile could personalize their room settings upon arrival, or your CRM could automatically send out a birthday greeting and gift each year.   

Today’s CRMs attach communications from across all channels to one user profile, building a detailed view of the guest for sales, marketing, and even operations. With a CRM in place, a guest can switch communications channels without losing the history of past interactions which generally increases guest satisfaction and retention.

This multi-channel fluidity is a critical skill in today’s customer service environment. Fluidity also extends to CRM-driven marketing automation. Complex drip sequences should be feasible with a well-segmented B2C hospitality CRM, which improves conversion rates and drives more revenue for the hotel.

Another benefit for CRM is tying it to reputation management to understand how guests perceive your hotel on social media and on popular review platforms. Many CRMs connect an email with social profiles and integrate with dedicated reputation management tools, making this process seamless.

Desirable features:

• Robust tracking of interactions to see when, where, and how a guest engages with the brand

• Integration with 3rd party hotel software systems (e.g. reputation management, PMS, RMS)

• Multiple user accounts

• Segmentation to allow grouping of similar profiles for targeted promotions

• Loyalty program integrations

• Email marketing and marketing automation functionality with automated follow-ups and upsell capabilities

Group (or B2B) CRM focuses on the relationships with brands that bring group and corporate business to a hotel. These type of relationships are high-value and complex, requiring CRM software with enhanced functionality.

When managing groups, events, and corporate accounts, hotels may be operating on multiple fronts. Whether its a sales team with multiple people, or a company with several decision makers, there’s a complexity with B2B sales that requires accuracy and transparency. The B2B CRM keeps tabs on these moving parts, and provides a comprehensive higher-level overview to keep everyone on the same page. It really is all about improving collaboration and increasing wins.

Desirable features: lead capture, prioritization and scoring; integrated RFP management to track progress (or integration with an RFP management tool); call tracking; sales pipeline overview; task and appointment automation; robust reporting, including profitability of specific proposals; automated calendar sync; ability to manage channel complexity as far as inbound business.  Some larger chains may require their B2B CRM to be custom built by a software development company on a platform like Salesforce but for most hotels and hotel groups the following apps are going to provide better value and similar functionality.

1. Marketing Information: Capturing your hotel guest's information into the database is imperative if you want to analyze and visualize this data for marketing purposes. The data should be captured through the various channels such as social media and the company's website. Also keep in mind that customers may be using their mobile devices, laptops or iPads to connect with your hotel. Your dashboard data captured through inquiries, requests and reservations can be reviewed to analyze behavioral patterns of your guests to help with short and long-term forecasting. Guest feedback captured through surveys can be analyzed to review praises and complaints so you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. This information is valuable when budgeting to address these concerns. For example, if complaints were related to hot rooms, you know you need to budget for upgrades in the air conditioning system.

2. Marketing Automation Tactics: One of the most fantastic ways to leverage Hotel CRM software is for automating marketing email campaigns against the database. Emails can be personalized using the database information to help nurture relationships. Staying in contact between stays with email campaigns can spark return visits and encourage positive online user feedback on social media. If your hotel is based on local seasonal activities, it's easy to automate seasonal campaigns by publicizing yearly events and targeting local and international guests.

3. Customer Experience: Elevating customer experience can be achieved by sending out personalized automated confirmation emails when a booking has occurred. Information from the CRM system can be used to recommend nearby attractions or adding a personal touch to the room based on the customer's captured profile. For example, the customer may have booked the spa in previous visits or required specific room accommodations. This information can prove valuable to enhance customer experience, thereby encouraging repeat visits.

4. Operations Management: With operations management being a large percentage of hotel expenditures, it's necessary for hotel management software to help staff be proactive in cutting these expenses, especially labor costs. Operations management software can be integrated with a CRM package to help by automating room cleaning schedules, linking work orders to rooms and the time spent on them. The history of an asset or room can be tracked to help with analyzing trends of property issues and their related costs.

5. Centralized Profile Database: Historical or conversational data relating to customer information is captured into a centralized database to allow sales reps and other hotel staff to access them at any time. This valuable data whether related to reservations, social media contacts or client reviews are updated in real time so information is always up to date and relevant. Since the data is created and updated in one place, the risk of duplication and incorrect data is minimized.

結局のところ、ホテルの成功は、顧客を満足させることに最も効果的な従業員によって決まります。ホテル管理ソフトウェアは、これを実現するための適切なツールを従業員に提供します。

ダイナミックで競争の激しいホスピタリティ業界では、ホテルが顧客関係管理 (CRM) システムの重要性をますます認識するようになっています。データ主導の戦略とパーソナライズされた体験が重視されるようになり、ホテルにとって CRM ソフトウェアへの投資はこれまで以上に重要になっています。この傾向の背後にある理由を詳しく見てみましょう。

顧客関係管理 (CRM) システムは、プロセスを自動化し、顧客体験を向上させ、利用可能なデータの可能性を最大限に引き出すことで、ホテル業界で重要な役割を果たします。堅牢な CRM システムを実装することで、ホテルは優れた顧客満足度を実現し、ビジネス運営全体を強化できます。

CRM ソフトウェアの主な利点の 1 つは、顧客体験をパーソナライズできることです。ホテルは貴重な顧客データを収集して分析し、個々の好みに合わせてサービスをカスタマイズできます。部屋の好みから特別なリクエストまで、ホテルはパーソナライズされたアメニティと体験を提供することで、ゲストの期待を上回ることができます。

CRM システムを活用することで、ホテルはフィードバックや好みなどの顧客情報を効果的に管理および追跡できます。この豊富なデータにより、ホテルは一流の顧客サポートを提供し、懸念事項に迅速に対応し、個別のフォローアップを行うことができます。その結果、このレベルの顧客満足度は長期的な忠誠心を育み、肯定的な口コミを生み出します。

CRM プラットフォームにより、ホテルはマーケティング キャンペーンを最適化することもできます。顧客ベースをセグメント化し、CRM ツールを活用することで、ホテルはターゲットを絞ったマーケティング イニシアチブを設計できます。パーソナライズされた電子メール、SMS 通知、ソーシャル メディア エンゲージメントにより、ホテルは潜在顧客と効果的につながることができます。CRM システム内の自動化ツールにより、マーケティング活動がさらに強化され、ホテルが適切なタイミングで適切な対象者にリーチできるようになります。

CRM ソリューションは、ホテルの販売プロセスの効率性を向上させます。これらのシステムは顧客情報を一元管理し、販売チームが正確な価格の詳細を提供し、アップセルの機会を特定し、交渉を効果的に管理できるようにします。販売マネージャーはパフォーマンスを監視し、傾向を分析し、収益を予測して、最終的にホテルの収益性に貢献できます。

ホテル業界では効率的なコミュニケーションとコラボレーションが不可欠であり、CRM システムはホテルスタッフ間のシームレスなコミュニケーション チャネルを促進します。ルーム サービスの調整からゲストのリクエストの管理、重要なゲスト情報の共有まで、CRM ソフトウェアはさまざまな部門間でのリアルタイムの更新とコラボレーションを保証します。ワークフローを合理化し、コミュニケーションのギャップをなくすことで、ホテルは全体的な運用効率を高めることができます。

強力な顧客維持は、CRM システムのもう 1 つの利点です。ホテルは CRM プラットフォームを通じてロイヤルティ プログラムを実装し、顧客エンゲージメントを追跡できます。ホテルはゲストの行動と好みを監視することで、パーソナライズされた特典、プロモーション、インセンティブを提供して、リピート予約を促し、顧客ロイヤルティを育むことができます。ターゲットを絞った電子メール キャンペーンで過去のゲストと交流し、将来の滞在に向けた関係を育むことができます。

CRM システムとプロパティ管理システム (PMS) の統合は、ホテルにとって非常に重要です。この統合により、ゲスト情報の統一されたビューが提供され、業務が効率化され、手動によるデータ入力が削減され、システム全体で正確でリアルタイムなデータが確保されます。ゲスト情報に即座にアクセスできるため、ホテルのスタッフは一貫した高品質のサービスを提供できます。

CRM システムは、ホテル経営に貴重な洞察と分析力をもたらします。顧客データ、稼働率、収益傾向を分析することで、ホテル経営者は価格設定に関して情報に基づいた決定を下し、新しい市場セグメントを特定し、リソースを効果的に割り当てることができます。データに基づく意思決定は、ホテル事業で競争力を維持するために不可欠です。

CRM ソフトウェア内の自動化ツールは反復的なタスクを軽減し、ホテルのスタッフが質の高いサービスの提供に集中できるようにします。ゲストのフォローアップを合理化し、パーソナライズされた通知を送信し、電子メール キャンペーンを自動化することで効率が向上し、ゲストとの一貫したコミュニケーションとエンゲージメントが確保されます。

CRM システムは、Salesforce、Revinate、Microsoft、電子メール マーケティング サービスなどのサードパーティ プラットフォームと統合されることがよくあります。これらの統合により CRM ソフトウェアの機能が拡張され、ホテルはリード管理、電子メール キャンペーンなどの他の専門ツールとともに最高の CRM 機能を活用できるようになります。

ホスピタリティ業界の熾烈な競争と、データ主導の戦略とパーソナライズされた体験の重要性の高まりにより、ホテルにとってCRMシステムへの投資は必須となっています。CRMソフトウェアを使用すると、ホテルは顧客データの力を活用し、パーソナライズされた体験を提供し、マーケティングキャンペーンを最適化し、業務を合理化し、