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Definitely Doug 6/9/23: Hotels Fighting Trafficking: The Role of Technology
Posted: 06/09/2023

This week I want to address an important issue for the hospitality industry, albeit one that technologists have not historically had on their radar. They can potentially play a significant role in addressing the issue, which is human trafficking, and more specifically sex trafficking.

In my last column, I reviewed some key trends in autonomous mobile robotics for hotels, and dove into three categories of delivery robots in more detail – room delivery, food delivery, and heavy-lift robots. This week I will round out the topic with several other robot types and applications, as well as general guidance for evaluating, acquiring, and adopting mobile autonomous robotics. If you have not yet read part one, I recommend going back and doing so before continuing below, as some of the introductory material is important background to what follows.

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Best Practices for Hotel & Resort Operators in Pool Season 2023
Posted: 05/25/2023

With the arrival of warmer weather and summer fast approaching, hospitality operators are gearing up for another pool season. This year, technology is at the forefront of driving booking revenue and taking operational efficiency to the next level. Modern technology platforms (such as hospitality’s newest technology category – the Property Experience Management System or PXMS) are providing brand new capabilities that unlock new strategies and approaches to filling the pool with satisfied guests.

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The Growing Role Technology Plays in Hotels and Restaurants
Posted: 05/25/2023

In the past few years, hotels and restaurants have grown into hubs for entertainment, leisure, and human connection. In an effort to best serve their guests, operators have begun rethinking their technological investments and working to adapt to recent shifts in consumer preference and operations. To ensure that guests have the best on-site experience possible, brands are increasingly looking to new technologies to make their experiences more convenient and comfortable. Advanced property management systems (PMS) and point-of-sale (POS) systems can increase operational and staff efficiency, while also meeting changing customer expectations for a high-value but relatively low-touch experience.

This week I will return to a topic I have covered before, because it has, within the last 12 to 18 months, become one of the hottest-growth categories in hospitality technology. That topic is autonomous mobile robots – specifically, ones that can move around the facility as well as perform specific tasks. Many of these products were launched pre-Covid but were often seen at the time as more of a marketing gimmick than a legitimate operational solution.

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How Hotels Can Enhance the Guest Experience With Beacon Technology

08/29/2017

by Brendon Granger

Understanding and anticipating individual guest needs lies at the heart of offering a superior hotel experience. To offer evermore tailored and personalized levels of service, it’s now possible to access an unprecedented amount of customer data via sources, such as mobile check-ins, online bookings, loyalty programs and past spending habits.

Alongside this array of information, a growing number of hotels are investing in beacon technology to gain insights into personal preferences and market more effectively to guests as they move around the property.

So how does beacon technology work, and what specific ways can it be deployed for maximum benefit?

How Beacon Technology Works

Used in combination with a hotel app, strategically placed beacons allow guests’ movements to be tracked during their stay. As they come within range of a specific beacon, they receive a push notification that commonly includes useful information or an exclusive deal relevant to their location.

In 2014, Marriott International installed beacons at a select number of properties as part of its LocalPerks push-messaging program — which has since been rolled out to 500 hotels. When a guest downloads the relevant Marriott app, he or she needs to activate the location services and Bluetooth on his or her smartphone.

Once opted-in, Marriott can then push basic details about hotel amenities along with special location-based offers.

This all obviously requires that individuals are happy to give up a certain level of privacy and personal information, which means hotels must clearly explain how being tracked during their stay can enhance their whole experience.

With that in mind, here are just some of the ways beacons can be deployed to deliver a host of diverse benefits.

1. Streamlined Check-in

Rather than queuing at the front desk, beacons allow guests quick and easy access to their rooms. As the guest walks into the hotel lobby, a beacon can send a push notification that automatically brings up the reservation, enabling them to digitally check in without delay. Not only does this speed up things for customers, it reduces the time staff need to spend dealing with lengthy queues. Going further, a welcome message on arrival could offer a discount off a room upgrade or a meal at the hotel restaurant for that evening.

2. Understanding Guest Behavior

By tracking where guests spend their time around the property, beacon technology is able to deliver a wealth of insightful data. For instance, a person might split the majority of her time between the spa, pool and fitness center. This would imply that they value health, well-being and relaxation. Using this kind of broad data, future marketing could be personalized to include the type of deals that would be most likely to appeal. In this case, a 20 percent discount off a luxury spa treatment or a free VIP fitness session could act as a tempting booking incentive.

3. Enhanced In-room Services

When a beacon detects a guest has entered his room, it can also act as a trigger to automatically turn on in-room features such as the lights and air conditioning. If it then detected a guest is in the room later in the evening, a message might be sent to a smartphone to remind him about the in-room dining options. Using the hotel app, a person could then browse the menu, pick a favorite dish and place an order — all without having to move from the comfort of the bed.

4. Tailored Offers and Promotions

By knowing a guest’s location, relevant and timely offers can be sent that take advantage of likely buying intent and heightened states of receptiveness. Needless to say, this is a far more effective approach than sending generic offers in the hope of piquing a person’s interest. For instance, a two-for-one meal deal could be sent to a guest’s phone as he approaches the menu board at the hotel restaurant. Specific preferences (accessed via loyalty membership data or previous hotel app interactions) can then be used to help personalize these deals by recommending dishes or drinks that someone is most likely to be tempted by.

5. Promote Special Events and Tours

An increasing number of travellers head on holiday intent on exploring the destination and local neighborhood. So when guests arrive at your property, you could send them a push notification with a helpful notice such as, “Ask about our local sightseeing trips and exclusive guided tours.” By positioning beacons around public notice boards in your lobby or social spaces, this same approach can be used to promote any special events your hotel might be hosting with exclusive discounts for early sign-ups.

6. Helping Guests to Navigate

From a practical perspective, beacons can be incredibly useful to help with navigation around a hotel — especially for larger properties. Instead of having to ask staff for directions, mobile users can simply use their installed hotel app to navigate to their rooms and other geo-fenced areas such as the spa, restaurant, pool or fitness centre. In addition, beacons can be utilized to create interactive tours, highlighting noteworthy attractions or points of interest to guests as they stroll around the resort.

Making the Most of Beacon Technology

If you’re considering installing beacon technology at your property, look at the areas guests are most likely to require information on/or make a purchasing decision. When you understand when and where they’re most receptive, you can provide valuable assistance and push relevant marketing messages that influence decision-making.

Ultimately, beacon technology has the potential to enhance the entire hotel experience. By gaining unique customer insights, you can personalize your service to meet guest preferences and needs in real-time. In turn, this can help maximize upsell opportunities and increase the average spend of each guest during their stay with you.

About The Author

Brendon Granger
Director
Technology4Hotels

With a great passion for all things hotels, but in particular technology and a desire to help others, his role as director at Technology4Hotels allows him to do both.

Brendon has worked with hundreds of hotels to help them with their in-room technology. In the last few years he has helped them to increase guest satisfaction, strengthen guest loyalty and encourage repeat bookings as well as win awards such as the best business hotel, best city hotel, best upscale hotel and best luxury hotel in Australasia.

Always going the extra mile, Brendon began his hospitality career over 25 years ago working in five-star hotels whilst completing his bachelor of business in hotel management. He has held various management positions within five-star hotels, worked as a consultant in both hotel feasibility and technology and has an extensive background in hotel technology.