In today’s connected world, guests expect a smart, seamless, and secure digital journey when it comes to their travel and hotel stays. Gone are the days guests looked forward to staying in a hotel to see and experience the latest technology gadgets and interactive entertainment they didn’t necessarily have at home. Today, hotel guests expect to have instant, fast and seamless technology, and connectivity, just like they have at home. This commoditisation of technology is challenging for hotels, especially with the ever-changing needs and expectations of travellers and the rate at which technology develops. This makes it hard for hoteliers to remain at the forefront of innovation and keep their technology solutions up to date and relevant.
The good news is, however, that hotels have an opportunity to shape their digital guest experience with technology at every step in the guest journey; from the time they arrive to the moment they leave.
In this post, we take you through the guest journey with opportunities to enhance the hotel guest experience through smart technology solutions at every step of the way, while meeting the challenges and expectations of travellers during the global pandemic.
A smooth arrival
Hotel guests want to be connected 24/7 everywhere they go, so it’s important to make sure they have access to the hotel Wi-Fi from the moment they arrive, or even on their way to the hotel. Let your guests connect securely and instantly, ideally through an automatic authentication based on their secure profile instead of usernames and passwords. This gives them seamless Internet connectivity and roaming throughout the premises during their entire stay with you.
By linking Wi-Fi access to the guest profile, hotels will be able to deliver a wide range of additional digital services such as mobile room keys, welcome messages, and special offers, giving hoteliers an opportunity to boost their revenues by offering tailored services and promotions.
A memorable stay
Today’s digitally-savvy hotel guests want access to their own media and content from their personal mobile devices and watch it in the comfort of their room, just as they would at home.
The hotel room television is an important technology touchpoint and a key driver of the guest experience. Casting technology solutions turn the in-room TV into an external screen allowing guests to control and manage their interactive entertainment experience.
According to the Lodging Technology Study 2021 by Hospitality Technology magazine, 88 percent of hoteliers currently offer or plan to offer smart TVs and/or content streaming inside their guestrooms, which reflects the importance and impact of this technology on the hotel guest experience.
In addition, a staggering 84 percent of hoteliers are looking at two-way guest messaging as a tool to further enhance the guest experience. We see the use of in-room virtual assistants in this context as a unique opportunity to create a reimagined guest experience that boosts traveller loyalty and satisfaction. A voice-controlled virtual concierge can give hotel guests 24/7 access to a hotel’s amenities and services, touchless and seamless.
A fond farewell
Hoteliers can expect to see smart technology further shape guest experiences and expectations, especially as travel resumes post the pandemic. Technology is not only key in reducing physical touchpoints to ensure a safe and comfortable stay but is also a driver for hotel revenue and guest loyalty. Technology solutions that improve and enhance the hotel guest experience will significantly impact satisfaction and open the door to increased loyalty and engagement.
At interTouch we power hotels around the world to deliver superior digital guest experiences, click here to contact us to find out how we can help you enrich your guest experience with our guest-facing technology solutions.