HotelsMag June 2016 | Page 53

guest messAging

Guests communicate with most people in their lives over messaging apps , and hotels are starting to allow guests to talk to hotel staff in the same way . Select Starwood Hotels & Resorts properties
now use Let ’ s Chat service to allow guests to initiate contact with staff on their choice of
messaging platforms , including SMS , What ’ s App , Icloud or Facebook Messenger .
“ Because guests do not need to be in the hotel to use it , they have shifted how they interact with the hotel , including requesting cars , reservations and room service on their way back to the hotel ,” says Daniel Kerzner , vice president of digital , loyalty and partnership marketing with Starwood ’ s EAME division .
Hotel staff view
messages from all guests regardless of the platform in a consolidated view , and the hotel ‘ s reply is sent back via the platform the guest used .
Hotels should consider their specific guest demographic and communication preferences when implementing messaging technology .

Ambient technology

Ambient technology uses Internet of Things ( IoT ) sensors and technology to change the environment based on detections in physical movement . This creates a sensorial experience for the hotel that feels more living instead of static , according to Toni Stoeck , vice president of lifestyle brands at Marriott International .
The Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel uses ambient technology for a unique virtual concierge powered by Time Out New York content , whereby guests control the content by moving around in the room . The hotel also uses ambient technology for a lighted hallway with scenes and an exterior digital clock that changes based on movement . “ Ambient technology can be implemented in a less extravagant way , such as having birds chirping in the garden or a mural of a local artist changing as guests walk down the hallway ,” Stoeck says .
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