Hotel Technology and The Impact on Guest Satisfaction
COVID-19 forced those in the Hospitality Industry to adapt and technology played a major role. The pandemic accelerated the use of technology as hotels needed to comply with health and safety standards in order to provide guests and staff with a safe environment. Hotels used contactless and other hotel technology to reduce interaction between guests and staff and to minimize the use of high touch areas that had the potential to spread the virus. Hotel technology offers guests the convenience of having access to the different hotel experiences right at their fingertips. Hotels are also using technology to improve upon the guest experience in an effort to increase guest satisfaction.
What are Hotel Guests Biggest Complaints?
Hotel staff work hard to ensure that guests’ expectations are met, but sometimes they fall short. A study commissioned by hotel operations platform company Alice, examined guest satisfaction and the biggest points of frustration for hotel guests. 62% of guests felt that unfriendly hotel staff had a negative impact on their hotel experience and 38% felt that front desk staff took too long to complete their requests. The research also discovered that guests had technology complaints as well, 34% cited outdated technology in guest rooms as a point of frustration. Hotel guests also want their requests for service to be addressed swiftly, the study found that 31% of guests were displeased by the delays in service by hotel staff.
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What Are Guests’ Expectations from Their Hotel Experience?
A November 2020 hospitality survey conducted by software development company Metova, found that consumers preferred hotels that offered a digital experience. Almost 90% of those surveyed preferred to stay at hotels that had mobile apps that allowed them to manage their stay. 86% would choose a fully contactless hotel that enables mobile check-in/check-out and that offered a mobile app for concierge and facilities reservations over hotels that did not offer these contactless options. 68% of those surveyed felt that mobile check-in/check-out would add the most value to their future stays, 61% thought mobile key was most important and 55% believed that a mobile app for concierge would be most valuable.
Even before the pandemic, hotel guests were showing an interest in the use of mobile solutions during their hotel stays. A 2019 study conducted by Taxi2Airport, found that the majority of those surveyed preferred to use their mobile phones during their hotel stays. Those surveyed were willing to pay extra for the convenience that technology offers, 58% would pay extra for mobile check-in and check-out and 47% were willing to pay more to have access to a 24-hour concierge.
- 58% would like to use mobile phones to make restaurant reservations
- 43% would like to use mobile phones to order room service
- 40% preferred hotels that offered mobile check-in/check-out
- 40% wanted to use their phones to mark rooms as unoccupied
- 38% preferred to use mobile devices to pay for hotel purchases
- 38% preferred to contact hotel for assistance with their phones
- 29% wanted to use mobile phones for lighting and temperature control
- 29% preferred mobile key for keyless room entry
Nuvola 5.0 Enhanced Guest Experience Platform
Guest engagement software provider Nuvola launched its 5.0 platform designed to offer an enhanced guest experience and to simplify the daily task management of staff. The upgraded solution allows hotels to use the Insights feature to view metrics for guest preferences, asset management and staff performance history all in real time. Insights allows hotels to access room status, guest profiles with their preferences and staff activity. Hotels can better prepare for guests by ensuring that issues are directed to the appropriate staff and can be addressed immediately. The solution allows staff to work more efficiently, by allowing them to manage guest requests and to monitor cleaning protocols. Nuvola 5.0 offers a redesigned guest chat module that enables hotels to better communicate with guests by creating customized pre-set messages prior to guest arrival and hotels can quickly communicate important information. Nuvola 5.0 allows hotels to enhance the guest experience by gathering information based on activity, guest requests and preferences to offer a more personalized experience.
INTELITY Guest Engagement and Staff Management Platform
The INTELITY guest engagement and staff management platform work with hotels to deliver contactless services through a branded app. INTELITY is currently working with the Grand Resort in Ohio to give guests access to the INTELITY app. The app will give guests access to mobile check-in that allows them to check in from anywhere before they enter the hotel premises, and the mobile key feature that provides access to guest rooms and other areas of the resort. The INTELITY mobile app is designed to enhance the guest experience by delivering convenience that guests will appreciate. Guests will be able to make special requests for dining, for spa services, to order meals, schedule deliveries and to communicate with staff through the app. The guest messaging feature also allows hotels to keep guests up to date about their requests and to notify them regarding upcoming events.
Enseo’s Fido Room Control IoT for Hotels
Technology service provider Enseo launched Fido IoT Room Control and allows guests to take their in-room experience to the next level. Guests will have full control of the room temperature, lighting and even control of the curtains. The solution allows hotels to better manage energy use when guest rooms are unoccupied by automating room temperature when guests check in and out and offers unique features such as control of lighting fixtures with the TV remote. The Fido solution is designed to support additional devices as the need arises, hotels can manage thermostats, door locks, lighting, water sensors, motorized shades and contact motion sensors.
Hotel Technology Can Improve the Guest Experience
Hotel technology has the ability to solve many of the frustrations faced by guests during their hotel stays. The pandemic has allowed hotels to invest in contactless and other hotel technology that not only decreases the spread of COVID-19 but also offers guests a convenient and enhanced hotel experience. Guests crave convenience and hotels can better attract them by using technology to provide all their services in one convenient and easily accessible place. Hotel technology also allow employees to work more efficiently to address guests concerns, to fulfill requests and to provide guests with the best experience possible.