Hospitality
Hospitality course. HFT2800
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/hotels/2009-05-21-online-room-service-menus_N.htm
Link needed to complete assignment.
ANSWER
Online In-Room Dining Menus
Online In-Room Dining Menus
Online in-room dining menus unlike traditional order takers provide an opportunity for upselling. This digital menu enables the client to browse the menu at convenience without being pressured by others to place their order over the phone. It provides a more receptive atmosphere, and decreases the probability of mistake in the in-room dining orders (“Hotels placing room service menus online,” 2009).
Providing an online ordering option facilitates a simpler, more efficient customer experience, as it simplifies the process and puts the leverage in the customer’s hands. Online ordering helps the hotel to keep its guests up-to – date on their order status and give them an approximate time of arrival of food. It not only provides the guest with a more effective, seamless in-room dining process, but also enhances the overall guest experience at the hotel (“Hotels placing room service menus online,” 2009). A research conducted by Smith & Lesure shows that 75% of guests want to use technology to reduce waiting times and boost their overall experience (Smith & Lesure, 2006, p. 308).
In addition to enhancing the overall guest experience, the provision for an online ordering alternative for in-room dining menus can also help hotels improve their bottom line by creating upselling opportunities throughout the ordering process. Researches have as well revealed that, when considering an online order, customers are most probable to place larger orders, particularly when the menu contains images of the food offered (Smith & Lesure, 2006, p. 310). Apart from contributing to larger orders like photos of menu items, online in-room service menus help in deciding what the guest orders.
It is therefore worthy to conclude that online in-room dining menus creates more opportunities for upselling and increases hotel revenues than traditional order takers.
References
Hotels placing room service menus online. (2009, May 22). USA TODAY: Latest World and US News – USATODAY.com. https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/hotels/2009-05-21-online-room-service-menus_N.htm
Smith, R. A., & Lesure, J. D. (2006). Barometer of hotel room revenue. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 47(3), 209-209. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010880406290968
