Technology has become increasingly important in our daily lives. The Covid-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst, forcing the world to go contactless in more ways than one. You can see this anywhere you go. From self-check-out stands in Uniqlo stores to the ordering screens at McDonald’s and the self-check-in stands at airports. Self-check-in and ordering technology optimizes company operations in that it can speed up company operations. Technology integration is also something that consumers now expect. We live in an age where you can have almost anything delivered to your home in just a day or two after pressing a few buttons. The way technology is integrated into daily life has made us very reliant on it, but it has made everyday life more efficient. Many businesses have integrated technology into their operations, and hotels should not be an exception. So, let’s find out why and how you can incorporate more technology into your hotel.
Consumer expectations
Many areas of everyday life now rely on technology, so why wouldn’t consumers expect this from hotels? Integrating technology into your hotel’s operations processes, whether in the booking stage or even self-check-in, will make your guests’ lives more convenient, and they will be more inclined to stay with you again. The more complicated your booking and check-in process is, the less motivated your guests will be to stay with you. Convenience goes a long way in making guests feel more comfortable. A constant to expect in business is that consumer expectations are always changing. Consumers expect to see more innovative technology from companies across all industries as technology progresses. Even if it seems like a small thing to have a room service tablet, your guests will remember these details. They may be returning guests and recommend your hotel to their friends and family.
Quicken operations
The more technology incorporated into your hotel’s operations, the faster your booking and check-in process can go. This allows you to free up your staff to work on more urgent tasks and take on more customers. If your guests can order room service using a tablet or even check in using an app, your employees have more time to attend to guest complaints or turnover rooms. Not only does integrating technology bring convenience to your guests, but it brings convenience to your employees as well. Computer programs and automating portions of administrative work also go a long way in speeding up your operations and making your employees more productive. It can be very easy for employees to become overwhelmed if they have too much on their plate at once. Taking some of this stress off by including more high-quality technology in your operations will only help them. The happier your employees are, the better they will work. Integrating technology into your hotel operations can lead to a positive domino effect for your business.
Global trends
Companies worldwide either have already or are in the process of incorporating technology into their business operations. According to an article in Forbes, 70% of all companies in 2019 had a digital transformation strategy in place or were working on one. Further, 56% of CEOs have reported that making digital improvements has increased their revenue. Technology integration is a global trend that all businesses should join in on. Technology does and will continue to play a massive role in our society and all areas of life. Companies that are slow to integrate technology may have trouble keeping up with the market and ever-changing consumer expectations in the future.
What technology to integrate
A great way you can integrate technology into your hotel is by making your rooms ‘smart’. Some features that make a hotel room ‘smart’ are whether a remote control can be used to adjust the temperature and lights. Another way to innovate your hotel rooms with technology is by ensuring that you are offering your guests access to high-quality wifi. This is something that guests expect today. Offering contactless payment options and smart locks on doors are also great ways to include technology into your company operations to create more convenience for your guests.
As we previously mentioned, technology in your hotel’s operations can also be convenient for your employees. A great tool to use if you are looking to free up the time of your employees is Alertify. Alertify is a small, plug-in room monitoring device. It monitors noise decibel levels, cigarette smoke, occupancy, and temperature changes. If any of these activities occur, hoteliers are notified with customizable notifications about what has happened. Now, they can stop it before any potential damages or complaints are submitted. With Alertify, hoteliers can also access an online portal to view reports of what activities happened, when, and for how long. Alertify has the potential to save your hotel thousands as it will help to prevent noise complaints and potential damages and allow your employees to be more efficient. Install Alertify today.