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THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS TURNING TO DIGITAL TO
PROVIDE THE EXPERIENCE THAT CUSTOMERS NOT JUST WANT BUT NEED . adoption is proving a challenge . A primary reason may be that today ’ s connected experiences are still largely ‘ one size fits all ’, lacking a personalised value proposition for guests . Each guest values different things : some a room upgrade , some a free gym , others a spa to relax in . The same traveller may have different preferences based on their reason for travel – business , leisure etc . – prompting different wants and needs .
The key lies in using smart technology , such as Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), to unlock vast amounts of data to understand guest behaviour and drive automated decisions that ultimately deliver meaningful experiences . Some of the key technologies that the hotel industry should be considering include :
1 . Unlocking new possibilities with IoT
The need to provide personalised services is leading to significant investment in data gathering technologies . Interconnected IoT devices are now becoming embedded throughout hotels and can provide digital access to amenities , such as room keys , entertainment and room lighting . Tink Labs , for example , created Handy , a mobile-based IoT tool for hotels to create and deliver curated content and experiences for guests . This includes information about local activities , the option to order room service and a helpdesk to assist with the local language .
2 . Understanding the value of data
Beyond the bells and whistles , the real value of an IoT strategy is in the data that it generates to enhance the customer experience . However , data from IoT devices and sensors is only effective if it can be harnessed and applied . This requires a sophisticated data platform to aggregate the immense volume of data that often exists in disparate formats and turn it into valuable insight that will inform decisions for both guest experiences and operations .
Data modernisation paves the way for hotels to drive analytics automation at scale , which can create big advances in customer experience and open up new revenue opportunities . For example , advanced analytics such as Evolutionary AI can help hotels decide which offers are most relevant both before arrival and throughout a stay .
3 . Making life easier with cloud
Like many other industries , most hospitality businesses are currently in the process of migrating many of their critical applications to
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