WHAT ’ S HOT : TECHNOLOGY
WHAT ’ S HOT : TECHNOLOGY
Bluetooth LE will allow for automatic interaction with guests ’ mobile devices based on their location on property .
HOTSPOT 2.0
Hotspot 2.0 allows hotels to offer a new approach to public Wi- Fi by eliminating the hassle of adding passwords to access different networks . Instead , mobile devices will automatically join a Wi-Fi subscriber service they already subscribe to upon entering any Hotspot 2.0 area .
In addition to being more convenient for guests , Hotspot 2.0 could transform a hotel ’ s Wi-Fi into a moneymaker rather than an expense as Internet service providers will be seeking to offer their subscription service on hotel properties . In the United States , Time Warner Cable launched a Hotspot 2.0 system this past March , while Comcast launched its version in June 2013 .
BLUETOOTH LE
Like NFC
( near field communication ) or RFID ( radio-frequency identification ), Bluetooth LE can be used to open locks with mobile phones . Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is testing the Bluetooth LE-enabled Smart Check-In , which allows guests to go straight to their guestroom without a traditional check-in procedure , at several U . S . Aloft-branded properties .
Bluetooth LE ’ s capabilities go far beyond locks , though . Bluetooth LE enables on-property micro-location services and notifications , such as providing on-property directions ,
With tracking features like Google Universal Analytics ’ User ID ( and similar features from Omniture , Webtrends and others ), hotel companies can get a much more complete picture of customer activity when researching and booking hotel activity that goes through brand . com and property . com websites
DYNAMIC WEBSITE CONTENT
by allowing the association of multiple sessions with a unique user identification . This could lead to increased personalization of hotel website content to encourage user engagement and conversion by automatically displaying dynamic , more relevant content based on the user ’ s past behavior .
ordering amenities and loyalty-program tracking without immediately installing apps via wireless connections that occur within a 200-ft ( 612-m ) range of a beacon . Bluetooth LE has already hit a critical mass of compatibility , as it is supported by Apple iOS7 , Android 4.3 and up , Windows Phone 8 and Blackberry 10
“ Bluetooth LE is frankly a game changer ,” says Robert Cole , hotel technology consultant and founder of RockCheetah , Menomonee Falls , Wisconsin . “ If you authorize a restaurant to engage with you , your smartphone will automatically pull up the content you would normally have to scan a QR code to access .”
This is already being done with cookies . Hyatt Hotels Corp ., Chicago , is using cookie-based targeting to display dynamic content based on the user ’ s country of origin , browser language and / or loyalty tier level , which has increased reservations on the site and decreased the homepage bounce rate .
52 HOTELS June 2014 www . hotelsmag . com