Scandic makes it easier for customers by launching mobile site

Since May all guests of Scandic Hotels can manage their bookings using a new mobile site. The site has been developed as an adjustment to the fast growing number of smartphone users. To keep it as simple as possible for the guests Scandic has chosen to develop a mobile adjusted site instead of an app. As a result the hotel guests can now easily enter Scandics homepage using their mobiles to book rooms, claim free nights, register feedback and suggest future functions.According to American marketing company BIA/Kelsey the worldwide mobile searches will pass the number of searches from computers by 2015. Statistics from Google also states that approximately 70 percent of the Swedish population will be using a smartphone by end of 2012. 84 percent of the Swedish mobile travelers are also already using smartphones during their journeys, according to Google.

By launching the mobile site Scandic is adjusting to the development and makes it easier for the hotel guests, giving them direct access to the mobile version of the homepage without having to find and download an app that then would “compete” with already existing favorite ones of the smartphone users. In addition the customers are invited into the process of developing the site by entering the section “have your say” from the start page.

– One and a half years ago our basic objective was to get five percent of the online-bookings from mobile units. Already last autumn we had reached that goal, without having developed any mobile solution, comments Pelle Ekman, Senior Vice President Group Commercial, Scandic Hotels.

Scandic believes that the business travelers and other regular customers will be the categories that will use the mobile solution the most, considering that a fast growing mobile trend has been noticed within these categories.
– The site has several applications from start, you can book yourself but it is also easy to find phone numbers if you prefer to call directly in order to do the bookings. This was important for us. Since everything is migrated and IP-based we are also well prepared for adding the possibilty to handle the bookings using e-mail or sms as a next step, says Pelle Ekman.

Contacts:
Pelle Ekman, Senior Vice President Group Commercial, tel, +46 8　517　351 83
Margareta Thorgren, Vice President Group Communication, tel, +46 8 517352 54

Every day, Scandic’s 6,600 team members work with one single goal in mind – to make you feel welcome. As the Nordic region’s most eco-friendly hotel chain we’re always focused on the environment, social responsibility and accessibility. With 160 hotels in nine countries, 29,910 hotel rooms and a turnover of EUR 842 million, Scandic is the largest hotel chain in the Nordic countries. We want to be more than just a hotel – Scandic is a place where people meet, work and get inspired.