OKKAMI Reaches for the Clouds
Bangkok Online interviews OKKAMI about growth during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- (1888PressRelease) July 12, 2020 - Okkami Hospitality is all about perfecting hospitality. Okkami is an app and a gateway for hospitality players to perfect their art of service. They first opened their office in Bangkok in 2018 and they never looked back.
Despite the onslaught of the pandemic and the current situation, Okkami is steadily growing and inking new synergies to bring their tech to the forefront of Thai hotels and beyond. We sat down with their President & CTO, Mr. Andres Borbon for a brief chat.
The pandemic has not impacted your sales. What are your thoughts on that?
OKKAMI’s mission has been to help our hotel partners save cost and increase revenue by improving the overall experience throughout the guests journey. We have always helped hotels implement efficient ways to protect their revenue centres and achieve customer satisfaction. Our guest engagement solutions were already in line with the new needs hotels have due to COVID-19. When the pandemic forced the hospitality industry to an abrupt impasse, it proved to be a silver lining for our company.
During the temporary closure of several properties, hotels began to re-invent themselves in preparation for the industry’s recovery. The largest concern addressed by all businesses was a need for a solution to help tackle hygiene and safety standards. Thus, OKKAMI has assisted customers to stay open and provide solutions such as online e-menus, contactless express check-in/out with digital signature, and more.
“In the current economic climate, I’m glad that OKKAMI has been fortunate to not lay off, reduce salaries or furlough any employees. We’ve grown 20% since March 2020 to handle the intake in demand of our services. We have helped customers stay open in addition to providing solutions for properties that are scheduled to reopen” – Andres added further.
What is the key message you want to present to hotels out there?
The hospitality industry is all about personalisation and flexibility. OKKAMI personifies these two values. Investing in key digital solutions does not necessarily mean removing the human touch of hospitality, in fact, it places hotels in a position to engage with both guests and their own staff at a more personalised level.
Today hotels have to ask themselves: do they have the tools in place to give guests peace of mind? And which revenue center will they focus on – F&B, Spa or Rooms? With a challenging period ahead, now is the perfect time to invest in our solutions that will help to embrace the ‘new normal’ of touchless experience.
What is your most memorable deal – you saw a positive impact immediately in the client’s revenue stream?
One of Thailand’s leading hospitality groups that OKKAMI works with is Chatrium Hotels & Residences (CHR). The group comprises 10 properties in Thailand, Myanmar, and Japan, where OKKAMI is deploying a range of digital solutions for the brand. The features and solution offered to the hotels will also be extended to tenants in their residential sections.
OKKAMI considers this deal a memorable milestone in our growth not only because of the features that were offered to Chatrium, but features that have been built from their feedback. OKKAMI and Chatrium shared many business ambitions and were keen to offer guests a unique experience.
While other properties closed, Chatrium Hotels & Residences stayed open. We installed 5 properties during the shutdown period. Key areas we worked on with CHR:
Chatrium Hotels App – We developed a mobile app for Chatrium which includes global syncing of guest profiles across all properties in the group.
QR Code Based Menus – Guests can scan a venue’s QR code to access a digital menu from guests’ mobile devices without the need for a physical menu or the Chatrium App.
Express Check-In/Out – Guests can take a photo of their passport, arrival card (TM6) and provide a digital signature using the Chatrium app. The mobile app directly reflects Chatrium’s paper registration card, thus saving time on staff end as they merely have to proceed with room management and prepare the keycard prior to guest’s arrival.
Staff Ticketing System – Staff across the Chatrium group can now rely on a digitally recorded workflow system that allows team members to create and assign tasks to other colleagues or departments.
Guest Request Management Dashboard – guests can make various in-room and in-property services and requests on the Chatrium app and they are recorded in one user-friendly platform. Staff would be able filter guest requests according to request type, departments and more.
At Your Service Live Chat – Communications can now be streamlined into one convenient dashboard for staff to interact with guests on their Branded App, Web Chat, Facebook Messenger, Line, WeChat, and others. A number of staff would be able to reply from the dashboard as opposed to an individual signing into each channel. From the dashboard, staff are also able to send online reservation links, files, images, location, and hotel products/services that would allow guests to purchase.
CRM – With a dedicated mobile app, Chatrium will benefit from the detailed data collection that the app collects from guests. Each guest’s account will have a detailed history of their past activities, purchases, and preferences from all the Chatrium properties they ever stayed in. OKKAMI will also assist Chatrium to incorporate and sync their loyalty program into their mobile app for redeemable points.
Digital Compendium – Going digital will facilitate Chatrium’s goal of saving costs on printing and paper. All of the property’s information is accessible via their app. Updates on images, content and prices can be pushed to the mobile app through a single click of a button. Guests who are also conscious of hygiene and safety precautions in a hotel and would be reluctant to touch menus.
Where will Okkami go from here?
OKKAMI is committed to building long-term partnership and relationships with existing and potential clients. Our solutions cater to all businesses in the hospitality spectrum as our solution can also be found in food & beverage establishments such as Vertigo, Vertigo Too and Saffron Cruise from Banyan Tree. Restaurants and bars is another venture that OKKAMI has begun exploring and proven to be a sustainable return on investment.
OKKAMI is optimistic about the future of the hospitality industry as hotels are now preparing unique experiences to attract travellers. The travelling landscape is entering a new era and we are poised to be a part of the solution.
In 140 letters or less, what is Okkami?
OKKAMI offers partners in the hospitality industry a guest engagement & IoT solutions to enhance revenue centers, streamline operations and connect with customers.
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