Best hotel CRM solutions to consider in 2024

What is a hotel CRM?

A hotel CRM is a customer relationship management system, which helps hotels manage their relationships with guests. It can be used to track guest information, preferences, and interactions, as well as to automate marketing and sales communications. 

Hotel CRM software can be an effective tool for improving your hotel’s reputation, revenue, and efficiency.

In hospitality, guest satisfaction reigns supreme and hoteliers face the constant challenge of fostering lasting relationships and maximising revenue. Hotel CRM solutions are powerful tools that can help your hotel to transform guest interactions, optimise operations, and drive business growth.

Let’s look at some of the best options available to your hotel.

1. Little Hotelier

Little Hotelier is an all-in-one solution helping small accommodation providers run their business more efficiently, effectively, and profitably.

Designed specifically for smaller operators, it has everything you need in one simple interface, with tools to manage bookings, guest details, guest payments, and more.

Little Hotelier also has features that help with customer relationship management such as:

• Front desk system – This is a way to give hoteliers a central place of control to save them time and simplify their day-to-day operations. Manage reservations, allocate rooms, build guest profiles, organise housekeeping, and more.
• An online booking engine – This enables hoteliers to take bookings directly from their website, via social media, or from Google and other search engines. Hoteliers can then own the guest relationship and communications from start to finish, and also avoid paying commission fees to online travel agents like Booking.com.
• Guest engagement – This is a feature that helps enhance the guest experience, maximise the value of each guest, and build guest loyalty. Send personalised messages, create target upsell offers, offer digital check-in, collect feedback and reviews, and more.

2. Experience Hotel

Experience CRM is a hotel and restaurant customer relationship management system, focusing on building loyalty for its customers.

It has useful features that help with:

• Customer databases
• The customer journey
• Online reputation
• Email campaigns

Visit website.

3. GuestTouch

GuestTouch is a powerful solution when it comes to automating guest messaging and review management. It includes features that help hoteliers:

• Get a snapshot of their reviews
• Analyse their reviews performance
• Improve communication across the guest journey
• Promote and upsell more effectively

Visit website.

4. TripAdvisor Reputation Pro

TripAdvisor Reputation Pro is a solution from TripAdvisor that focuses on improving the guest experience, increasing visibility, and getting more bookings via positive reviews.

Features include:

• Automated review requests
• Notifications for reviews that require responses
• Insights to help hoteliers action feedback

Visit website.

5. DUVE

DUVE is a sophisticated platform with a range of capabilities focused on improving guest experience, increasing revenue, and bringing hotel operations into the digital world.

Features include:

• Online check-in
• Segmentation and analytics
• Guest communication
• Upselling

Visit website.

5 reasons why hotel CRM software is important

Given that hotel CRM software serves as a centralised hub for managing and nurturing guest relationships, there’s a number of benefits your property can gain including:

1. Improved guest satisfaction

Personalised interactions, tailored recommendations, and proactive problem-solving make guests feel recognised and appreciated, leading to positive emotions and feedback.

2. Boosted occupancy rates

By understanding guest preferences and booking patterns, you can be more effective in how to market your property and price your rooms, resulting in higher occupancy rates.

3. Increased revenue metrics

By using guest data to tailor upsell and extras offers, you’ll be more successful in converting these opportunities and increasing the overall revenue per room (RevPAR).

4. Greater customer loyalty

The creation of personalised loyalty programs, exclusive offers, and active engagement will help create real value for guests and instil greater loyalty within them. This will lead to more repeat visits and brand advocacy.

5. Streamlined operations

You’ll be able to automate some of your marketing, sales, and communication efforts, freeing up extra time to focus on actual guest interactions and service.

4 key features of a CRM for your hotel

Hotel CRMs vary in terms of features, but some key features for your hotel should include:

1. Detailed guest profiles

It’s important to be able to store and manage guest information, including preferences, booking history, and interaction records, to gain a full understanding of each guest and personalise their experience.

2. Reservation management

Managing room availability and reservation data effectively, as well as the check-in/out process is crucial for maintaining a frictionless guest experience.

3. Automation and personalisation

Being able to set up automated marketing communications that are targeted for each guest will save hours of time, and also improve conversion rates.

4. Reporting and analytics

Digestible reports that deliver actionable insights will help improve decision making and allow for continued improvement and success.

How to choose the best CRM software for hotels

Choosing the right CRM for your hotel means paying close attention to the above features and also understanding if it’s the correct fit for your property type and size.

It’s important to consider the following factors:

1. Your hotel’s size 

If your property is small in size and in operation, you’ll want a simple system that is easy to use. If your property is bigger, you might want a solution with features that are more complex or sophisticated. 

2. Your budget

As with your property’s size, your budget may also dictate the complexity of the solution you choose. Simpler platforms will cost you less and may work perfectly well for your requirements.

3. Your specific needs

To choose a solution effectively, you need to be clear on what you’re trying to achieve. This will let you know which features are crucial and which are simply ‘nice to have.’

4. Your existing systems

What systems are you already using that will need to integrate with the CRM? It’s important that your solution can seamlessly work alongside your existing software, to prevent any clunkiness or admin errors.

Here’s a table with the top examples to help you make an informed decision.

Solution	Size	Budget	Features
Little Hotelier	Designed specifically to meet the needs of small accommodation providers, including boutique hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, motels, hostels, and more.	Flexible pricing options with the option to get started for free and self sign-up	Multiple guest engagement, communication, and relationship management features as part of an all-in-one solution
Experience CRM	Leans towards larger hotels and hotel groups	Costing up to 210€/month plus 1€ per room	Large range of sophisticated features dedicated to end-to-end customer realtionships
GuestTouch	Suitable for all property types including independent hotels and small hotels and B&Bs	Not publicly listed but has flexibility with three tiers of pricing	Mostly gives an emphasis to messaging and reputation management
Reputation Pro	Suitable for all property types	Available by request – dependent on property size	Focused mostly on review and reputation management
DUVE	Suitable for most property types including hotels, hostels, and vacation rentals	Starting from $6 USD per room per month for the basic package	Includes features for streamlining operations and reducing guest friction

8 tips on implementing and using a CRM in the hotel industry 

Once you have chosen a hotel CRM, it is important to implement it properly. This includes:

1. Staff training 

Provide comprehensive training to all staff members, ensuring they understand the CRM and its features and can effectively utilise its capabilities.

2. Importing guest data

Import as much existing guest data as you can, to kickstart your personalisation and targeted marketing strategies.

3. Setting up automation

Use your guest segments, preferences and past interactions to set up automated responses to create efficient communications. 

Some best practices when using your CRM include:

1. Using it to personalise your marketing
2. Tracking and actioning guest feedback
3. Identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities
4. Building and maintaining positive guest relationships
5. Boosting occupancy and revenue