How app development could make all the difference for your hotel

Of the many industries that have drawn upon app development in Dubai to make the most of the smartphone and tablet revolution, hotels seem to have especially benefitted. Customers' appreciation of the hotel booking and customer service advantages of mobile apps was clear from the results of one survey conducted by MCD in November 2013.

Some 1,000 domestic travelers in the category of business, leisure and family were polled. All of those surveyed were smartphone owners, and all had also stayed in hotels during recent months. There were various reasons why hotel residents made use of mobile apps, according to the data, although the biggest reason was access to maps of the area where they were staying.

Such maps were used by 83% of family travelers, while among business travelers, the favored smartphone features included the ordering-in of room service and amenities, transportation arrangements and bill-paying. Some hotel apps even made it possible for the resident to use their mobile handset as a room key. Of all of the surveyed guests, 68% were fans of their mobile apps showing concierge tips, giving them advice on where they were staying.

A rather less popular reason to use a hotel mobile app was to sync the traveler's smartphone with in-room TV. However, it is thought that future years could see the more widespread syncing of smartphones with such services as Amazon Prime and Netflix, meaning that instead of paying high fees for in-room movies and entertainment, guests will be able to stream their own accounts. However, few hotel apps even yet incorporate this service, which points to an exciting future area of investigation for those establishments seeking services in app development in Dubai.

Hotels still considering the development of their own app will be encouraged by the survey's finding that 74% of travelers considered hotel apps to have improved the overall experience of their stay. 4 in 5 travelers also expressed interest in using their mobile devices to set mobile preferences, ranging from breakfast, newspaper delivery and dietary restrictions to floor preference and allergies - even their preferred type of wine to drink.

The idea that such settings could be saved on their app so that their needs could be catered for by their chosen hotel was also deemed a good one by 87% of guests. It's another indicator of just what potential hotels can extract from the experience and knowhow in app development in Dubai offered by agencies like Prototype, as establishments continue to join the mobile app space and refine existing apps for the benefit of valued customers.

How to handle mobile/device upgrades in your mobile app development

It's one thing to decide on the right mobile platform and strategy for your app development in Dubai, bearing in mind your core objectives, target audience and budget... but what happens if, with the development of your app coming along nicely, a new version of your intended device or OS is launched? With new devices and operating systems being launched on a regular basis by Apple, Samsung and other major players, it's a very real possibility.

It's likely, after all, that many of your customers will ask for a version of your app that has been tailored to the latest device or OS, so ensuring that the right support is there would seem a wise move for your market position. One thing that project managers in this situation should certainly do is immediately bring it to the attention of stakeholders, who should always know of any new version of a company app that is being launched for a new device or OS, even if it is your team's responsibility to directly handle any changes.

The impact of any decision to update your app should also be carefully studied and analysed. Your tech team should be well-versed in the exact changes that need to be made, and how they will be made. There may be new hardware, UI or code libraries - regardless, your team will need to have a good understanding of the technical side. Project managers need to get together with their tech team and consider the impact in terms of time and/or budget, considering what may be the best alternative means of overseeing the changes to deliver the project.

It will be necessary to estimate the additional time required to carry out such changes as part of your app development in Dubai, and the associated implications in terms of time and cost. The known risk factors will need to be carefully considered, too. It's not possible to assess everything immediately when you're developing for a new device or OS, which makes it necessary to leave your implementation strategy open to modification as you improve your understanding of the update.

By bearing all of these factors in mind, you can be so much more successful in adapting your app development in Dubai to any upgrades to the target device or mobile platform that may be announced.