Everything that we do at The Tamarind Tree is aimed at creating unequalled experiences for families and guests alike. From the moment they walk into the property and see the wooden carved double doors, or feel the tranquility set in near the 400-year-old tamarind tree, we strive to invoke all five senses. Much like why anyone would go to a store to make a luxury purchase rather than buying it online, the touch and feel factor is high for a venue like ours. But since a majority of our clients come from all over the world, it seemed inevitable that we try to provide the same plush online.
Technology has now become an innate part of how we do everything in life, and business is no different. From something as simple as a phone call to artificial intelligence being able to navigate a car autonomously, mankind has come a long way. The current situation of the global pandemic has now more than ever demanded the aid of technology to run businesses. Fortunately, we realised its worth a while ago when we invited Xarpie Labs to create a 360 virtual tour of the property for us.
The need to be equipped with the right technological tools came with the fact that the majority of our overseas clients would see the property pictures online, and then request someone who is in Bangalore to come see the property and give them an update of the actuals. This made their decision-making process harder as they would not always have someone who could validate against their personal likes or dislikes. After-all, it is a wedding and too close to our hearts.
Xarpie Labs mention in their case study, “It is a fact in hospitality that travellers spend about 59 seconds navigating your website and clicking through your pictures. If they aren’t impressed, they’ll move right along.” Since our aim was not just to make them stay on our website, but eventually get on a flight to come celebrate their wedding at our property, the virtual tour saved the day.
The 360 virtual tour on our website has now been there for over a year, and has made it easier even during the COVID lockdown to be able to showcase the property to guests in the same city. Using newer technology, Xarpie Labs is now working on updating the tour using image and video annotations. This additional feature overlayed on actual spaces will help our guests make informed decisions for their big day. Booking the property for the post lockdown phase or planning weddings in 2023 is now extremely convenient. Since the property is expansive, the tour is divided according to spaces and each has names to make the conceptualisation easier. We’ve had our guests get on a call with our wedding planners and utilise the virtual tour to design themes and get decoration ideas in order. The power of technology has enabled us to provide top notch virtual experiences to equal the luxurious experience we strive to provide in person.
