In case you hadn’t notice, there is a subtle revolution going on in how people identify themselves. You may have experienced this at airport security checkpoints or boarding gates, where the Transportation Security Administration, Delta Airlines, American Airlines and others have been testing face readers. I admit it was a bit disconcerting when I walked up to the pre-check security checkpoint at O’Hare shortly before COVID, started to present my driver’s license and boarding pass, and was told “you can put those away and go right through” … especially since I had never pre-registered. I can only guess that they had matched the photo they had from my Global Entry membership, or maybe my passport, with a list of departing passengers for that day.

The difference between thriving and surviving is as vast as its impact on our life. When we are thriving, we are in a creative, engaged mindset. We see abundance and tend to be open to achieving more of what we want in our work, relationships and lives.

Even before the start of the pandemic, digital key and mobile check-in solutions were already fast becoming mainstream technologies thanks to the instant convenience that guests can receive. Add to that the advantages of enhancing social distancing and reduced surface contact that the technology offers, and it becomes clear why mobile check-in and digital key services are now experiencing unprecedented adoption rates in hotel markets around the world.

For years, hotels have tinkered with every aspect of the guest arrival process, trying to improve service and engagement and offer guests more choice. Few efforts have truly been successful, however. Mobile apps typically apply only to loyalty program members and only a minority use them regularly. Kiosks have been tested for decades but few have achieved much usage except in front-desk-less hotels. Mobile key was much heralded when Starwood launched it in 2014 and has been copied by most major brands, but with few exceptions, guest usage (where offered) remains in single-digit percentages.

Power is an interesting thing. With it, you can make a tremendous impact relatively easily. Understanding that impact is what makes some leaders "Super Heroes" and others "Super Duds"!