Unlocking your mobile ordering potential - why it pays to ditch those “minimum” basic offerings
Hotel groups require more than simple, stand-alone mobile ordering add-ons. They need feature rich, tech-agnostic solutions to empower them to deliver a more consistent, seamless guest experience
In the fast-paced world of hospitality, a frictionless, scalable, and guest-centric mobile ordering system isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s a revenue driver, a brand builder, and a guest loyalty enabler.
While some hotels might be tempted by “free” (or inexpensive) mobile ordering solutions bundled with their POS, the reality is that these systems often come with hidden costs: fragmented experiences, limited functionality, and constrained scalability. They may tick a box, but they rarely deliver the revenue uplift, operational efficiency, or brand consistency that today’s hoteliers need.
Deploying a robust, multi-functional system - like IRIS’s mobile ordering and guest experience platform which oversees guest standards, brand management, integrations, and processes across an entire hotel group - offers hotels numerous group-wide advantages.
Here are just a few of the benefits that can be enjoyed with the more comprehensive platforms:
1. Platform agnostic & fully flexible
Seamlessly integrates with a multitude of leading POS providers and operates across all major platforms (e.g. devices, operating systems, and browsers).
Eliminates friction and fragmentation, providing guests with the same smooth, accessible experience every time, whichever hotel they’re staying in.
2. Consistent guest experience
Enables a unified, controlled guest experience across a group’s diverse portfolio - irrespective of the local POS provider.
Reinforces brand identity and guest loyalty through consistent service standards and presentation.
3. Direct integrations
Offers direct integrations with a wide range of leading hotel POS, PMS and payment systems to enhance the guest journey at all touchpoints and deliver a consistent, connected eco-system across your property.
Ensures real-time syncing of orders, payments, and guest profiles - no data gaps or duplicate entries, minimising staff involvement and delivering more accurate information to guests.
4. Revenue-boosting features
Innovative features designed to boost guest spend, streamline operations, and free up staff time such as:
Advanced ordering capabilities - gives guests greater flexibility and control to order F&B and amenities pre and in stay.
Digital staff ordering - bridging the gap between tech and traditional service, waitstaff can take guest orders and manage tabs from any mobile device, from anywhere in the property.
Upsells and related items - offer guests a tempting selection of relevant, complementary suggestions to their orders to enhance their meal and generate additional revenue for the hotel.
Loyalty program integrations (e.g. Marriott Bonvoy) - enable guests to access your digital menu via the hotel’s loyalty app and get more information on the program.
Flexible, secure billing options: split bill, tipping, room charges - allows guests to post the charge directly to their folio; split the bill amongst their group and/or reward good service with gratuities.
Content-rich guest interface to upload allergens, filters and images - hotels can quickly import, manage and automate content creating a cohesive digital hub for guests.
5. Unified Guest Directory
A digital concierge in your guest’s pocket with all the hotel’s essential information easily accessible, right at your guests' fingertips.
From hotel amenities, resort maps and menus to local attractions, events and promotions - everything your guest needs, all in one place. Plus, all the practical information and hotel policies are included so you can speed up check-ins.
6. Service on-demand
Todays guests need instant answers. Mobile concierge empowers guests to make service requests and access information effortlessly via mobile - reducing pressure on front desk and concierge teams while overseeing the service delivery.
7. Scalable for growth
Scale with ease (whether onboarding a new hotel or launching a new brand) and deploy a consistent platform group-wide, ensuring brand and service continuity across your portfolio.
8. Centralised, easy-to-manage CMS
One intuitive system to manage and edit all content across the portfolio.
Ensures up-to-date, accurate guest information, at scale, in real time.
“In today’s connected world, operating in silos across a hotel group creates a fragmented guest journey - with inconsistent brand experiences, disjointed interfaces, varied service levels, and no cohesive loyalty offering.
It’s the opposite of guest centric. What’s more, disconnected systems not only cost you revenue but also compromise operational efficiency.
Free solutions in all walks of life come with a cost. Without advanced features and group-wide capabilities, they simply won’t pay dividends in the long term.
Hotels need a scalable, consistent and revenue-generating solution they can rely on - and that’s exactly why more and more hotel brands are choosing IRIS - a multi-functional, guest experience platform built as an open platform for secure performance at scale.”
Conclusion: Don’t let “Free” cost you more
In hospitality, guest experience is everything and the long-term impact needs to be measured. Global platforms like IRIS unlock the full potential of digital ordering and guest engagement - with platform and content management , total brand consistency and the slick advanced features that delight guests and drive results.
For more information on the full suite of solutions, click here.
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