INTELLIGENT VERTICAL: HOSPITALITY
reality for booking, and advanced energy
conservation systems will become the norm.
for some other reason, the same technology
can offer them a discount on a snack or free
cocktail in the lounge.
We all know reliable Wi-Fi and IPTV are
now as vital to guests as much as hot water
and clean sheets, and these are key drivers
for guests of all ages. But if we look at the
Millennials, with every passing year their
spending power increases, which means
more travel and hotel stays.
The whole experience right from booking
to checkout is expected to be seamless and
flawless with as little direct human interaction
or contact as possible. Hotel operators will have
to take this into consideration in the design
stages of their hotels. A fully automated mobile
payment system, via an online payment
gateway using smartphones along with robust
cybersecurity and tokenised payment methods
ensuring complete security of guest credit card
data, is becoming essential for an excellent
guest experience at the booking stage.
With incorporation of the latest mobility
solutions for the workforce, hotels can get
real-time intelligence for quick decision
making that increases agility, collaboration
and productivity of the hotel staff which, in
turn, enhances overall guest satisfaction.
Artificial intelligence and hotels
From booking engines to chatbots and voice
command software for room allocations;
this may seem like a scene right out of a
sci-fi movie but is in fact a reality today.
Customer-facing AI robotic concierges and
luggage handlers (already operational in
some lofty hotels) are getting a lot of media
attention. In Japan, cyborgs programmed
to make eye contact and respond with
multilingual ability check you into hotels.
The question here is that should technology
totally replace personal interactions or
should the two co-exist? Digital assistants
like Alexa and Siri lack human warmth,
charm and personal connection, and yet
perhaps this is what Millennials want today.
And incorporating technologies like this is
also a cost saving proposition for hotels.
More research needs to be done. But watch
this space closely as it continues to evolve.
Location awareness and Bluetooth
Low Energy (BLE) beacons – creating
a ‘home away from home’ experience
Location-based services open a world
of delightful use cases. By deploying
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INTELLIGENTCIO
Graeme Kane, Hospitality Business
Development Manager, Middle East,
Mediterranean and Africa at Aruba, a
Hewlett Packard Enterprise company
“
IN THE FUTURE,
CUSTOM-
BUILT APPS
FOR IN-ROOM
CONTROLS WILL
ALLOW GUESTS
TO ACCESS
EVERYTHING
FROM THEIR OWN
SMARTPHONES
AND OTHER
MOBILE DEVICES.
Bluetooth-enabled IoT beacon sensors,
along with the latest location-aware
mobility and analytics innovations
throughout the property, guests can be
automatically recognised and registered as
soon as they step onto the hotel premises,
eliminating the stop at the registration
desk and creating the same experience of
walking in through the door at home.
As they proceed through the lobby, they can
receive an automated update, via the hotel’s
mobile app, on the status of their room. If
the room is being cleaned or is unavailable
When the guests head for their room, they
don’t have to carry with them a key card
(which let’s face it we’ve all had trouble
with at some point or other). Keyless entry
via smartphone is the future, much more
convenient than using a magnetic swipe card.
A ‘key’ with an encrypted code is sent via a
push notification by the hotel to the guest’s
phone, along with a message about the room
number. The hotel room door unlocks when
the smartphone with the code is held near it.
Advanced in-room controls are another
technology of the future. The moment the
guest enters the room, without any switches
being touched, sensors turn the lights
and the air conditioning on and open the
curtains. This undoubtedly is a delightful
experience for guests. In the future, custom-
built apps for in-room controls will allow
guests to access everything from their own
smartphones and other mobile devices. They
could for example set the climate controls
to a certain temperature before they even
arrive in their room.
Once in the room, the hotel’s IoT-enabled
and location-aware infrastructure will work
in other ways. For example, it can permit
guests to stream personal content onto their
in-room television while using the hotel’s
mobile app to schedule a massage in the spa
and order a beverage to arrive pool side the
same time as they do. As wireless solutions
advance, expect even more options, such as
using a mobile device to project a preferred
fitness routine onto a full-length mirror.
Hotels can boost revenue by sending push
notifications via BLE beacons to guest
devices that are connected to the hotel’s
Wi-Fi, without invading privacy by promoting
offers that are relevant to the guest’s
interests, needs and preference as they
wander around the property. Geofencing
using the wireless network allows property
owners to know where the guest is in the
property and when they pass a particular
beacon they can receive a personalised
message, coupon, loyalty points, etc. Data
analytics will be the secret sauce here.
Property owners can deploy navigation
features within the hotel’s mobile app to
guide guests to food and beverage and all
amenities in the property as an option, again
using BLE beacons. n
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