Scarlet Connect team members recently attended the 47th annual Hotel Motel Restaurant Supply Show of the Southeast. With more than 300 exhibitors presenting to 5,000+ attendees, Scarlet Connect was proud to serve as the ONLY vendor offering hotel-only software – designed by hoteliers with hotels in mind.

Live Hotel Software Demos Attract Forward-Thinking Hotel Management Staff

The exhibition took place from January 24-26 in Myrtle Beach, where – according to recent industry research – more than 17 million visitors spent upwards of $10 billion in 2021. The hotbed for tourism was an ideal place to host the annual convention, which is one of the largest of its kind in the Southeast. 

Representing Scarlet Connect were Founder/CEO Seth Kines, Corporate Director of Sales Kristy Rushing, and Regional Director of Sales Jeff Munion. The team enjoyed a one-of-a-kind opportunity to perform live software demonstrations of Scarlet Connect’s five currently available solutions to hotel owners, hotel management companies, and hotel industry leaders:

• Virtual sales office – our turnover-proof, free solution enabling users to organize contracts, templates, marketing collateral, property files, and more

• OTA reconciliation – our automated solution for reconciling online travel agency bookings with Expedia and Booking.com

• Reputation management – our proactive approach to generating positive reviews on public hotel ratings platforms while providing internal surveys for negative feedback

• eSignature – one of our original solutions that allows users to create custom templates, then quickly send, save, and download them to one secure location

• Sales prospecting – one of our newest solutions that allows users to utilize proprietary technology to maintain lead lists and make more sales

Overall, Scarlet Connect’s intuitive eSignature/credit card authorization and reputation management received the most attention. Hotel owners repeatedly expressed the importance of online reviews. Not only are they constantly looking for solutions to ward off negative reviews, but they are dedicated to understanding how they can best ensure a quality stay for each guest who books a reservation with their property.

Online Reputation And Efficient Booking Are Top Concerns For Hotel Sales Reps

Even as the height of the pandemic has removed some of the strain on the hospitality and tourism industry as a whole, hotels of all sizes and locations continue to struggle with staffing issues. The average turnover rate in the hospitality and leisure industry was 84.9% in 2021, significantly higher than the national rate of 47.2%. Turnover rates impact the guest experience, as staff in management positions are required to dedicate more time to training new employees and the associated tasks that come with that responsibility. Inevitably, this time takes away from investment in guest services.

Scarlet Connect’s reputation management solution not only allows hotel staff to email guests regarding their experience – we also are able to communicate with guests directly via text messaging. Text messages have an open rate of 98% compared to an email open rate of only 20%. Last year, our hotel clients reported over 165,000 guest interactions using the reputation management solution. Many of these interactions were successful in allowing staff to respond to guest concerns before they took to platforms like TripAdvisor to air their grievances.

Competition is another double-edged sword in the southeastern U.S. hotel industry. While many cities have welcomed travelers to their restaurants, attractions, and venues in a post-quarantine landscape, only the most technologically savvy survive. In addition to maintaining exceptional online reviews, it is also critical for hotels to streamline the booking experience for their guests and vendors.

Scarlet Connect’s eSignature and credit card authorization solution allows hotels to make quicker, more customer-friendly sales at an affordable subscription cost. The days of printing, signing, scanning, and uploading contracts, then filing them away in separate locations – where new staff have difficulty finding them – are over. The eSignature solution enables the recipient to sign contracts or authorize credit cards in seconds, all from their phone or device.

Overcome Competition By Embracing Technological Innovation

Of the various hotel associates Scarlet Connect encountered at the supply show, the majority were highly enthusiastic about our current (and future) budget-friendly solutions for streamlining guest engagement and overall guest experience. In addition to hotel representatives, the trade show provided the chance to mingle with peers in other niches of the hospitality realm, including the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Choice Hotels, and the Lowcountry Hospitality Association. 

A big thanks to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center for hosting such a great show – the Scarlet Connect team looks forward to returning next year with more innovative hotel software solutions in tow!