The Secret to Enhancing Hospitality Business Operations in Dallas: Five Functions You Should Outsource

With its vibrant culture, iconic landmarks, and thriving business landscape, Dallas is a hotspot for tourists and corporate travelers. The city has a dynamic and competitive hospitality and tourism industry, which constantly evolves to meet the diverse needs of its visitors. 

Business process outsourcing (BPO) has become a popular strategy among local hospitality facilities to stay on top of the industry. 

If you want to learn how a BPO provider in Dallas, TX, can help your Dallas hospitality business, this article is for you. It explores five outsourcing strategies that enhance efficiency, service quality, and guest experience.

The Significance of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in Dallas

The hospitality sector has become a central economic driver in Dallas. According to Visit Dallas President and CEO Craig Davis, it is the tenth-largest industry in the city. In 2021, the market had a total economic impact of $7.2 billion, sustaining over 43,000 jobs and generating $421 million in state and local tax revenue.

Dallas is a popular destination for both business and leisure travelers. It is home to several Fortune 500 companies and hosts multiple conventions and sporting events, such as the Dallas Mavericks experience and the Dallas Cowboys experience.

The city is also known for attractions such as the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the Sixth Floor Museum, and the Dallas World Aquarium.

The hospitality industry is slowly and steadily recovering from the global health crisis. Downtown Dallas’ tourism industry reported that revenue per available room (RevPAR) reached pre-pandemic levels in 2022 despite low occupancy levels. An increase in high-end hotels and luxury restaurants contributed to this surge.

As more people visit the city, its hospitality and tourism industry evolves to meet guests’ diverse needs. Thus, many Dallas hospitality businesses seek outsourcing strategies to maintain a competitive edge and meet the industry’s increasing demands.

5 Functions for Dallas Hospitality Businesses to Outsource

Dallas hospitality businesses partner with BPO providers for front- and back-office offshoring services. These functions include customer service, digital marketing, accounting and finance, event planning, and information technology (IT) help desk.

Before discussing these outsourced functions in detail, it is best to answer the question: What is BPO? For hospitality companies, BPO involves delegating non-core tasks to a third-party provider. Its benefits include:

• Reduced costs. Outsourcing can help your hospitality business save money on labor costs and expenses associated with training and managing employees. Wage ranges in other countries and states are lower due to a significant difference in costs of living and compensation rates, which are high in Dallas.

• Better access to expertise. BPO firms have a talent pool well-versed in the industry and its different functions. Outsourcing providers screen their teams to ensure each member has relevant educational and professional backgrounds. This expertise makes them a valuable resource for hospitality businesses of all sizes.

• Improved efficiency. With third-party experts handling time-consuming and repetitive tasks, you can focus on core competencies. BPO providers leverage the latest tools and software to streamline certain functions and business operations. These factors help improve productivity and efficiency in the workplace.

• Increased scalability. Outsourcing lets you scale operations up or down. Flexibility is vital in the tight Dallas labor market, especially with 29,100 new vacancies in the leisure and hospitality industries. It also benefits your hospitality business during volume fluctuations due to seasonal events, such as job conventions and sports competitions.

Due to these benefits, more Dallas hospitality businesses find outsourcing strategies attractive. Whether managing a lodging facility, food and beverage services, or a travel agency, you should consider outsourcing the following five functions:

1. Customer Service

Insight Partners predicts the U.S. customer care BPO market will grow to $34.6 million by 2028. Many businesses find customer support outsourcing services more cost-efficient than hiring an in-house team. Local workers also tend to see this function only as a stepping stone to further their careers, so churn is a significant problem.

Here are some of the primary benefits your hospitality business can enjoy when you outsource customer service tasks:

• Round-the-clock support. Outsourcing customer service processes allows 24/7 support with a global talent pool and scalable services. Timely responses to concerns are vital for hospitality businesses to satisfy and retain customers. BPO teams can swiftly reply to tourist inquiries regardless of their time zones.
• Multilingual agents. Hospitality businesses interact with guests from all around the world. Partnering with a BPO provider with operations in a different country, such as Mexico or the Philippines, gives you access to a bilingual customer support team. Smooth communications generate a memorable experience and positive word of mouth.

• Sophisticated tools. As mentioned, BPO firms use the latest technologies to streamline processes. They may leverage knowledge base, customer relationship management (CRM), and live chat software for customer service tasks. They also utilize ticketing, analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotic process automation (RPA) tools.

Unity Communications’s sales support case study illustrates how outsourcing customer service processes can impact your business.

2. Digital Marketing and Management

An effective online presence is essential to stay competitive and attract tourists and guests in today’s digital age. Thus, Dallas hospitality businesses rely on outsourcing strategies to gain qualified digital marketing and social media management specialists. Considering the city’s low unemployment rate, finding local talent for such tasks takes time and resources.

BPO teams can create compelling content, run targeted ad campaigns, and manage social media channels to drive traffic and enhance brand visibility. They help you optimize local events to promote your services, attract new customers, and engage with existing ones. They also leverage the following skills for your business:

• Search engine optimization (SEO). Almost 40% of users click on the first search result they see. BPO teams help rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) by improving your SEO through keyword research, content optimization, and backlink building.

• Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Virtual digital marketing teams create and manage PPC campaigns, a type of paid advertisement. They track campaign performance through online advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads.

• Social media management. Keeping up with social media algorithms and daily posting takes time and effort. BPO teams can manage your social media posts and advertisements on various platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

• Email marketing. Creative marketing BPO teams can help you send unique promotional emails to amplify guest retention initiatives. They create campaigns, develop recipient lists, and design email templates.

• Content creation. Creating and distributing relevant content can attract and retain a clearly defined audience. Digital marketing BPO teams can help you develop valuable and consistent blog posts, articles, infographics, and short- and long-form videos.

3. Accounting and Finance

Dallas hospitality businesses also outsource accounting and financial tasks as part of their competitive strategy. With income sources, expenses, and tax obligations to consider, managing finances can be tedious and complex.

Virtual accountants and finance specialists can help your business with tax compliance, financial reporting, and analysis. They also perform budgeting, forecasting, risk assessment, and internal control management tasks.

In addition to these general financial tasks, BPO teams can also assist you in specific areas, including:

• Revenue management. Optimizing revenue is vital for increasing your hospitality business’s RevPAR. Remote accountants and finance experts can help you set practical pricing schemes and develop strategies to increase occupancy rates.

• Cost control. BPO teams can manage costs to ensure profitability and competitiveness. Effective cost-control strategies also help weather economic downturns and make better financial decisions.

• Investment analysis. Your hospitality business needs to invest to grow. Making informed decisions is critical to maximizing returns and minimizing risks. Experts from BPO providers can help identify and evaluate potential investments and their success.

• Financial modeling. Virtual finance specialists can help you create mathematical reports of your financial performance. It is more complex than forecasting because it considers economic conditions, industry trends, and competitive landscapes.

4. Event Planning and Coordination

Dallas is known for its vibrant event scene, from conferences and trade shows to weddings and social gatherings. If your Dallas hospitality business hosts such events, outsourcing can be a practical strategy.

Partnering with a BPO firm for event planning and coordination provides you with a team of experts who can handle all aspects of this task. They know the latest industry trends and have strong connections with vendors and suppliers. Ensuring your event runs smoothly boosts your reputation as a hospitality and tourism business.

This BPO business strategy offers myriad benefits. It saves time, reduces stress, and ensures the seamless execution of functions, allowing you to invest all your energy into your core operations.

For example, if you manage a hotel, outsourcing this service allows you to focus on delivering a memorable guest experience. Meanwhile, you can focus on food and beverage preparation if you have a restaurant business. 

5. IT Help Desk

Ensuring prompt resolution of technology-related issues is critical to providing a stellar customer and guest experience in your hospitality business. Outsourcing IT support helps minimize downtime and prevent disruptions to your daily operations through the following tasks:

• Technical troubleshooting. This task involves providing support for customers and hospitality business employees. Whether it is an issue with guests’ Wi-Fi access, reservation system, or point-of-sale (POS) software, an outsourced IT help desk can help.

• Cybersecurity support. BPO IT help desk teams can help Dallas hospitality businesses protect their IT systems from cyber threats. Such measures include installing and configuring security software and monitoring IT systems for potential security breaches.

• End-user training. Professionals who effectively use IT systems, such as guest requests, reservations, and check-in/check-out, provide customers with a better hospitality experience. BPO IT teams can train your staff to manage these systems.

The Bottom Line

In the bustling Dallas hospitality and tourism trade, outsourcing strategies have become vital to providing competitive services and memorable guest experiences. By embracing this practice, companies can quickly adapt to changing market conditions and inflation.

Let’s connect if you are looking for a BPO partner for your hospitality business. Unity Communications develops outsourcing agreements that are unique to your needs, strategies, and processes.