Technology has brought massive changes to almost every area of our lives, and the hotel industry is no exception. Technology in the hotel industry has been improving day after day, and the result is that guests now have an easier and more personalized experience when visiting than ever before. Hoteliers across the globe are seeing the benefits of increasing their use of technology to help wow their guests.
Whether you’re a small independent hotel or a major chain, technology can help bring more customers to your door. Today’s guests are all about convenience and an unbeatable experience, and technology is one of the best ways to provide customers with what they really want.
Offer Digital Check-In
Checking in is often one of the most frustrating parts of visiting a hotel, with lengthy queues at peak times, reels of information to fill out, and the risk of systems going down. Offering a digital check-in process can make life so much easier for guests and hotel staff alike. Many hotels are now providing digital kiosks where customers can check in at their own pace or even moving the check-in process online, where it can be completed using guests’ smartphones. This allows guests to start the check-in process before they even arrive, saving everyone time.
Go Keyless
Some hotels have seen significant success by using mobile keys in combination with digital check-ins. A mobile key can be generated and sent directly to a guest’s phone to be used to enter their room on arrival. This removes the need to carry a key, making the entire hotel experience more convenient and simpler for guests. While this is a relatively new technology, it is taking off across the globe and can make for a completely contactless, hassle-free arrival for busy guests.
Provide Virtual Room Tours
Guests like to know what their hotel rooms will look like before they ever set foot in the door. They want to know that the environment and amenities are suited to their needs, and what better way to show them than with a virtual room tour?
Virtual room tours can be used as advertising materials on your hotel’s website or app to give guests a walkthrough of the different rooms you have on offer. This could be through a video tour or using 360-degree pictures to show the room at its best. You may need to hire a professional photographer to ensure the tour is high quality and accurate.
Launch A Booking App
Launching your own hotel booking app can be another excellent method for improving the guest experience. You will need to ensure it is well-built and functional before you consider releasing it for guests to use. This is where you could also integrate the check-in and issue guests with their keyless keys.
As the app will also handle customer money, you will need to ensure it is thoroughly tested and secure. ForAllSecure has an excellent article explaining the benefits of static application security testing and how businesses can implement it when launching an app.
Include Free Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is almost a universal expectation when guests stay at a hotel, so it is one you really cannot go without. What you can do to differentiate yourself from the competition is offer extra fast wifi so that guests can enjoy the same quality of internet service as they would at home. Ensure that the Wi-Fi password is readily available when guests arrive and avoid requiring any lengthy sign-in process for them to use the Wi-Fi.
Give Customers Use Of Streaming Services
A TV is another staple of a hotel room experience, but you can do better for your guests by providing them with streaming platforms they can use from their hotel room. While traditional cable is still common across the US, many guests prefer the ability streaming services offer them to decide exactly what they want to watch and when they want to watch it.
Gather Feedback
Getting feedback is critical for your hotel to continuously improve the guest experience. It will always be vital for you to understand what the guests enjoy and what they feel could be improved upon. While traditional methods of gathering feedback still have value, using digital feedback-gathering tools can make it easier and quicker for your guests to provide feedback on how their stay was. It also allows them to offer input at a time that suits them rather than when they are still physically at your hotel.
Conclusion
The things you include in your hotel to improve guest experience can make a massive difference to your bottom line. Many smaller and independent hotels put off innovations in technology, fearing the often-significant cost will not be worth the investment. This couldn’t be further from the truth, with modern guests eager to enjoy the added luxury and personal touches that technology can provide.
