Twenty Four Seven Hotels + Uber: Rethinking the hotel shuttle

How Twenty Four Seven Hotels rethought a key guest amenity – the hotel shuttle – with Uber and made a lasting impression

The hospitality business is no stranger to competition, and staying on top of the most desirable and impactful amenities is crucial for retaining ongoing guest loyalty.

Take guest transport, for example. To expedite arrival, many guests turn to Uber to get to and from the airport, and again to get around town. If guests almost instinctively handled their own transport, how could Twenty Four Seven Hotels tap into this behaviour, and provide it as a complimentary service?

Prior to working with Uber, shuttles ran whether or not there were guests to ride them. Hotel operations were responsible for the driver's work schedule, coordinating pick-ups and drop-offs, and vehicle maintenance. Guests also don't want to wait for a shuttle; they want to reach their rooms as soon as possible after the flight.

"At Twenty Four Seven Hotels, we're always looking to enhance our guest experience. We also pride ourselves on exploring cutting-edge technology, so this was a great opportunity to support our guest service initiatives," according to David Wani, CEO of Twenty Four Seven Hotels.

Using Uber Central to round out the ultimate guest experience

Twenty Four Seven Hotels integrated Uber for Business' Uber Central into the operations of over half the hotels in their portfolio, which includes brands by Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG. Through an all-in-one dashboard, front desk associates can quickly and easily manage rides for hotel guests – no shuttle required.

"It's easy for our staff to use – at the touch of a button – reducing logistics and ensuring quick and responsive service to our guests," explains Alison Sansone, vice president of marketing and communications at Twenty Four Seven Hotels.

Offering Uber brought with it brand recognition, familiarity and convenience, so guests felt at ease from the moment they stepped off the plane. Rides arrive more efficiently and at the guest's convenience, just as they expect from an Uber trip back home.

With Uber Central, Twenty Four Seven hotel staff can request rides immediately for guests, schedule in advance or send a link for guests to request a ride when they need it – all compliments of the hotel. All a guest needs to do is request a ride from the hotel associate. All rides are charged to one central bill paid by each property, providing trip-level tracking and ease of invoice reconciliation.

The result: A boost in guest satisfaction, and significant bottom-line savings

Take their Moxy Hotel, for example. When Twenty Four Seven remodelled and reopened their Tempe, Arizona hotel in 2016, it was precisely this type of innovation that earned them the opportunity to operate the first US location for this new Marriott brand.

Twenty Four Seven Hotels was responsible for transforming the hotel into a millennial-minded destination, down to the "Moxy" cocktail that came with each room key. For the hotel's shuttle offering, Uber Central was an important factor in leaving every guest with a positive experience.

Switching from a shuttle to Uber at Moxy Tempe brought with it an unexpected reward beyond guest satisfaction and convenience: a 58 per cent year-on-year cost saving, when compared to a hotel-run shuttle bus (in place from 2015 to 2016).

With Uber Central, Moxy Tempe tightened its grasp on scalable transportation needs, allowing instant adjustment for both high-demand days and quieter times. In fact, using Uber as a shuttle replacement came into its own in off-peak periods, where the property realised over 90 per cent year-on-year savings.