In the service and hospitality industry, guest expectations are higher than ever. Personalized experiences, real-time support, loyalty programs, and seamless interactions across channels are required. No exceptions. But here’s the problem: most standard CRMs weren’t built with this level of complexity or personalization in mind.
Experts estimate that only 20 percent of hotels use a CRM system. Even then, many service and hospitality companies try to force-fit rigid CRM tools into fast-paced, experience-driven environments, which don’t contribute much to the customer experience.
Impersonal experiences, siloed systems, a lack of autonomy, and a static design that doesn’t successfully navigate a dynamic go-to-market space.
So what’s the answer? It’s not just switching tools—it’s adopting a more innovative, more flexible platform and a strategic implementation partner who understands the nuances of your industry.
That’s where Salesforce and Infosys come in. Let’s address the top three ways traditional CRM systems fall short in the hospitality sector and why the strengths of Salesforce can be a powerful partnership for elevating the service/hospitality industries.
Why Traditional CRM Tools Can’t Cut It in Hospitality
If you’re in the hospitality industry, you know this truth well: your guests don’t just want service—they want seamless, personalized, unforgettable experiences. And the pressure to deliver on those promises is at the highest competitive level.
Here’s the bad news: Most traditional CRM tools weren’t built for this demand. They weren’t designed to connect fragmented systems, empower frontline teams, or deliver AI-driven personalization at scale.
Here’s more bad news: Despite investing in CRM, you still encounter missed GTM opportunities, operational headaches, and guests who quietly take their loyalty elsewhere.
Let’s dig into why the standard CRM approach doesn’t cut it in hospitality—and what needs to change.
1. Limited Personalization
McKinsey research found that over 70 percent of hospitality customers expect personalized service interactions, and 76 percent get frustrated when companies don’t deliver.
Most CRMs store customer data, but few are designed to build truly personalized experiences at scale. “Guests don’t just want the right room or a timely check-in. They want their birthday remembered, their favorite wine recommended, and their prior preferences acknowledged,” John Smallwood, president of Travel Outlook, explained. “However, AI systems that rely on limited scripts or data points often fail to deliver.”
2. Disconnected Systems
In hospitality, customer data often lives across property management systems (PMS), booking engines, POS, loyalty platforms, and mobile apps. Standard CRMs struggle to connect these systems in real-time, leading to data silos and fragmented service.
3. Lack of Automation for Guest Journeys
Guest interactions span multiple touchpoints—before, during, and after their stay or visit. Traditional CRMs lack the automation to orchestrate these journeys across marketing, service, and operations.
4. Inflexible Workflows for Frontline Staff
Standard CRMs often ignore the needs of frontline employees who interact with guests daily. Without intuitive mobile interfaces and automation, staff are stuck toggling between systems, slowing service and reducing satisfaction.
Why Salesforce Data Cloud and Agentforce Are Built for This
In the service and hospitality industries, customer experience is the product. Guests expect personalized, frictionless interactions from the moment they browse your website to the moment they check out (and beyond).
When that experience falls short of customer expectations, look out! Studies show almost half (48%) of travelers will write reviews about a negative experience. Since 81 percent of travelers check reviews before booking, poor customer service can hit your business where it hurts the most: your bottom line.
Seamless, positive, and personalized end-to-end engagement requires more than a traditional CRM. Salesforce Data Cloud and Agentforce together bring the intelligence, speed, and automation needed to deliver truly connected experiences at scale through:
- Unified data creates seamless platforms
- Real-time, data-driven insights
Here’s how:
Data Cloud + Agentforce = Magic
Salesforce Data Cloud unifies data across property management systems (PMS), booking engines, POS systems, mobile apps, and loyalty programs. This creates a real-time, 360-degree view of each guest.
Combined with Agentforce, hospitality teams can act on those insights instantly. Whether it’s a concierge responding to a request with AI-powered recommendations or a customer service agent proactively addressing an issue before it escalates, Agentforce equips frontline teams with the correct data and context at the right time.
Together, Data Cloud and Agentforce eliminate silos and elevate service by turning fragmented interactions into seamless, personalized journeys. From automating pre-arrival communications to offering tailored in-stay experiences and post-visit follow-ups, this powerful duo helps brands turn one-time guests into lifelong loyalists while reducing operational complexity.
Why Simplus and Infosys Make the Difference
While Salesforce offers the technology foundation, Infosys and Simplus bring deep industry experience and a proven track record of transformation in hospitality and service-driven businesses.
The Simplus Business Transformation Services and Strategic Managed Services teams add value by:
- Designing guest-centric journeys tailored to specific brand standards
- Integrating Salesforce with complex PMS, POS, and ERP systems
- Leveraging proprietary frameworks to accelerate implementation
- Ensuring change management and adoption for frontline and corporate teams
- Building scalable solutions for global hospitality leaders
Together, our experienced teams provide a custom-built guest experience platform optimized for your unique challenges and goals.
Happier Guests, Empowered Employees, and Stronger Loyalty
When Salesforce, Infosys, and Simplus work together, service and hospitality businesses gain a competitive edge through deeper guest insights, seamless and efficient omnichannel experiences, and a scalable infrastructure for future growth.
If your standard CRM can’t keep up with rising guest expectations, siloed systems, or disconnected service touchpoints, it’s time to rethink your tech stack.
Simplus and Infosys, armed with Salesforce functionality, are helping service and hospitality brands go beyond CRM to build truly memorable experiences—powered by data, personalized by AI, and delivered with precision.
Want to learn how to bring this experience to your brand? We can help!
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