FEATURE ARTICLE
Brave new world of hotel technology
by Ted Horner
I recently returned from three-plus weeks travelling around the US ( 9 cities in total ) and one of the purposes of the trip was to try and get a handle on where technology is headed .
So what did I learn from staying at a number of different hotels both large and small and in my many discussions with hotel colleagues and vendors ?
Big hotel brands like Starwood are investing in new technology to provide both better service and to enable them to communicate more effectively with their SPG members before , during and after their stay at one of their many hotel brands globally . Investment in keyless technology is one such example , and so far 64,000 SPG members have signed up to the program even though only a small number of hotels have implemented the technology .
In discussions with some of my clients , they are nervous about this technology as they believe it is going to take away some of the personal face to face contact that guests have grown accustomed as they arrive at the reception desk . However , I see it differently as all hotels that adopt this technology are simply offering an alternative method of check in where guests such as Millennials are given the choice of bypassing the front desk . Time will tell whether keyless entry is a fad or becomes an accepted method to check into your room . Certainly in my case I see it as a godsend particularly after being on a plane from Australia for 12 plus hours – all I want to do is go directly to my room and I am not even a Millennial .
Today , it is a fact that guests are bringing their own content with them but moving forward providing great Wi-Fi and innovative design are simply the cost of entry to the market these days and the hotel experience needs to be more alluring to keep up with whatever is on the guest ’ s phones . Getting the design and the technology correct is paramount as social media plays an integral role in determining success or failure as choices made can be reflected in real time where guests express their opinions – good or bad – and then make it something visible to their friends and their friends etc .
Everything new is now instantly available to everyone , so the overall guest experience comes from how the components of design , technology and also service come together in a hotel in a cohesive way . One such example is small European boutique hotel group called Citizen M www . citizenm . com who , in my opinion , have got the combination of technology and design 100 % aligned and this has led to excellent trip advisor ratings and also great commercial success .
Starwood is also looking at providing room service menus via the SPG app and , depending on its success , may be rolled out globally .
Some hotel groups are looking at harnessing the appeal of the new Apple watch with apps on the watch which will remind guests of their room number or
12 Better Revenue I Better Industry I AUS & NZ