App Design.
Hotelzzz app provides our hotel guests a home-away-from-home experience, allowing them to extend their stay easily and digitally.
This way, they can maintain the independence, flexibility and privacy they enjoy at home.
1.1 / Research
Check-in and extend your stay processes today
Most hotels set specific times for check-in and check-out. Guests are obliged to adjust their plans according to the hotel's will.
In most cases, when a guest requests an extension, he will be asked to pay for another full night, even if it is just for a few hours. However, if it is a last-minute request and there are free rooms, the hotel may approve an extension at no additional cost.
Hotel room occupation
According to AHLA (The American hotel & lodging association),
in 2019 (Pre-covid 19 ), the nation’s nearly 56,000 hotels experienced an average annual hotel occupancy of 66%.
(Report: State of the U.S. Hotel Industry 2021 - Hotel and Travel Outlook in 2021)
So, on an average, a hotel at any time has 34% empty rooms.
Most people would avoid paying full price, and wait until last minute. In this instance, both sides lose. The hotel lost another payment from the guest. The guest had a negative experience that didn't consider his needs.
Flexibility matters
What would make a guest want to extend his stay?
1. To fit their schedule in the best way.
2. Change in plans during their stay. (for instance: flights)
3. To maximize their time on their trip
1.2 / Research - Persona
Tomer Levy, 32
A young business operator from Israel who needs flexibility and independence as he travels the world while working remotely.
If Tomer is offered to extend his stay digitally, he would be able to save time and fulfill his busy schedule.
My Staying
Concerns, Limitations
Targets
Flexible, depends on how the investment deal goes. - Changes between a few hours to a couple of days.
- Wasting time and being late.
- Paying unreasonable prices.
- Getting off of his routines.
- Keeps his deals and
meetings private
- Booking and check-in/out as quickly as possible.
- Having a great experience at the hotel that would make him feel at home.
1.3 / Research - "Extend your stay" process (current)
Tomer's investment meeting went great, and he now wants
to extend his check-out hour for tomorrow and stay at the hotel in a few more hours.
Tomer goes to the reception and wait in the queue.
He asks the receptionist to extend his staying. The receptionist checks if the room is already booked by a future guest.
The rooms is still available, so the receptionist gives Tomer
two options: a. Book the room for another full night and pay a full price. b. Wait for tomorrow morning and ask us again.
Tomer decides to wait for tomorrow, he doesn't want to pay the full price for just a few hours.
Tomer wakes up the next day, he has to arrange his luggage,
in case the hotel wouldn't approve his extension request.
Tomer goes to the reception again and wait in the queue.
He is feeling tensed. He doesn't know if he has to change his schedule yet.
The receptionist is willing to extend his staying at no charge.
Tomer is satisfied and relieved.
Tomer goes back to his room. His luggage is arranged, so he now has to repack his stuff.
In view of the hotel's policy, it prefers to keep the rooms empty, in case a guest arrives and books them in full price.
2. / Goals
App goals / Tomer motivations to use Hotelzzz
Flexibility and Stability - Maintains his schedule, without having to make a last minute change or not knowing if something changes. Saves him time and makes decision-making easier.
Independence - Doesn't need the use the help of the receptionist. can check-out or extend his stay, anywhere, anytime.
Privacy - helps him keep his life and schedule and money private and secured.
2.1 / Pain Points
The app solutions
Pain points
Waiting at the reception, and needing the receptionist's help. The process was generally difficult.
There was no stability. You had no idea if you would get an extension until the very last minute.
Room is already taken.
Lack in privacy in the process. Everyone at the lobby hears his request and how much he pays.
Having to book another night and pay full price.
The flow would be completely digital and connect to the hotel room managing system. The hotel's room keys would work with NFC so the card could be extended automatically.
The response would be immediate. User won't have to wait for hours for a response.
The app will show him different available rooms at the hotel he can move to on the extension time. The app will guide him through this process.
All payments and requests would go through the secured app.
Despite the lower prices, the hotel will still benefit from filling the unoccupied rooms. The guest will benefit from a great experience that meets his need for flexibility and independence.
An application that provides easy and convenient check-out and extend your stay opportunities. The app guides the user through the entire process, from the request to the payment, with immediate confirmation at a great pricing.
3. / Solution
The hotel
has to have a quick cleaning crew available round-the-clock to take care of rooms after check-outs.
The guests
Pros:
have to follow the steps on the app, provide the relevant information and be their own receptionists.
Extending the staying at the same room saves a long cleaning shift.
Users are happy to have different flexible options to choose from.
Filling rooms that aren’t taken is added to the hotel‘s business model
4. / User flow
Check-out and extending your stay processes storyboard (App solution)
5.1 / Design - Wireframes
Low fidelity
Before and after example:
Before
Choose date and time screen
After
Considers the assumption most guests expand their stay in a short period of time. Makes the process easier.
No need for keyboard or a tiring selection.
Check-out process
Experience the wireframes in a prototype:
5.2 / Design - Final Screens
High fidelity
Thank you!