Vouch, a Singapore-headquartered travel-tech company, has received US$1.1 million in a seed investment round led by Singapore’s institutional seed VC firm Forge Ventures.
The startup will use the funds to innovate its new product line of guest experience platforms and expand its business into global markets, including Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and the UK.
Vouch has also set up its third in-country branch in the UK to mark its entry into Europe.
Founded in 2016 by Joseph Ling, Vouch offers digital solutions for hotel operation, aiming to transform the technology of the hospitality and travel industry in the area.
By incorporating Vouch into their operations, businesses managing attractions and malls can strengthen productivity, increase revenue and upgrade the overall guest experience.
The firm noted in a press statement that its technology serves as an “enabler” for properties to “have the freedom and the ability to focus on things that truly matter.”
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Vouch’s new guest experience platform leverages both AI and chatbot-based technologies. It allows guests to scan a QR code on their mobile phones to check-in, make room requests, order food and beverage and receive instant answers to commonly asked questions. This process steers clear of the need to download an app for a short-term stay.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels apply Vouch’s solutions to minimise their physical interaction with guests during check-in and other administrative tasks and navigate social distancing requirements in those premises.
“There is a genuine need for a solution that helps hotels improve manpower efficiency, and the pandemic has accelerated this need,” said Ling.
The startup claims that its services have covered more than 25 per cent of hotel rooms in Singapore, with brands such as Frasers Hospitality, Pan Pacific Group and Hyatt Hotels joining the network.
Digital transformation in the hospitality segment has become a global trend. The applications of online, mobile, cloud, IoT, blockchain, AI technologies make their marks on all fronts of the industry, including hotel management, customer service, distribution, CRM and marketing.
According to a survey by Statista in 2020, providing a consistent, high-quality customer experience is the main business priority of travel and hospitality companies worldwide.
Consumers also pay close attention to which aspects of the guest experience hoteliers would digitalise. Another survey conducted between July and August of 2020 showed that 73 per cent of hotel guests would use an app to open their room door.
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Image Credit: Vouch
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