The world-famous Barceloneta Boardwalk’s W Barcelona has teamed up with IRIS, the top supplier of digital F&B and guest experience platforms, to offer a more comprehensive digital ordering experience that will increase sales and efficiency.
It chose its digital guest directory solution to maximize sales and profits while giving all guests direct access to hotel and local area information, as well as its mobile dining solution to bring a world of culinary delights and in-room dining service right to their doors.
Since opening, the opulent hotel—which is well-liked by day visitors as well as residents—has seen notable improvements. The most notable being a 60% rise in average guest spending above traditional dining when using mobile dining for all operations. More precisely, with the implementation of digital dining, over half (46%) of all F&B room service orders—or 35% of all orders—are now placed online.
“Guests appreciate the ease and efficiency of serving themselves and enjoy the convenience of being able to access information wherever they are, in their own time – they are fully in control of their experience,” stated Martin Daniel Voštiar, B&F Coordinator, W Barcelona, in response to the results.
“The IRIS app is a practical and all-encompassing tool that guarantees visitors have access to all the information they need and that the purchasing and booking procedure is as easy and pleasurable as possible. It has an incredibly user-friendly layout that is simple to use and navigate, making it remarkably intuitive. It’s definitely providing a significant return on our investment, especially when you take into account the rise in visitor spending due to internet orders.
The group has demonstrated notable operational gains in guest service management and efficiency. For its “Whatever/Whenever” crew, which used to handle all room service orders over the phone, in-room dining has lessened workload. With more time on their hands, they can now concentrate on other responsibilities and improve guest service, especially during busy times when phone lines are backed up and customers don’t have to wait on hold to place an order. Additionally, it has helped the in-room dining staff by freeing them up to focus exclusively on swiftly preparing and delivering orders.
In addition to mobile ordering and eating, visitors may conveniently access information about hotel amenities, fitness programs, special events, and nearby events through the digital guest directory. In addition, visitors can schedule appointments at the spa, barbershop, and tattoo parlor, download a variety of newspapers and periodicals, and access details on the hotel’s ecological initiatives. No matter where they are on the property or in the neighborhood, guests have easy access to a multitude of information.
From the standpoint of the visitor, they have found it to be straightforward and easy to use, and they have embraced the convenience of self-service ordering from the comfort of their own device quickly, especially during busy staff peak hours.
To guarantee that guests receive accurate and comprehensive information about its amenities and services in the most convenient manner, the hotel has made significant investments in promoting the app, which can be accessed using QR codes at the time of check-in.
The hotel staff can easily change and add information online as needed, saving money and time by eliminating the need to reprint and replace materials in all 473 bedrooms. This is a more economical and environmentally friendly option than traditional paper menus and directories. To guarantee that the app is always current and has the most recent information at no additional cost, they can also update and modify menus and operating hours. Due to its direct interaction with the Micros POS, it is multilingual, offers a consistent experience for visitors regardless of their nationality, and cuts down on wait times.
“Following its success, we are now planning to extend digital dining to our Salt Beach Club in 2024,” Voštiar concludes. The sun beds will have QR codes printed on them that guests can use to access digital menus. We are excited to provide this improved visitor experience the next year. They will be able to place their order, take a swim in the water, and return to their lounger with their food ready for them.