Hoteliers may fear the continued automation and digitisation of the sector but are accepting that they should embrace elements of it rather than resisting change in its entirety.
A recent private session of hotel bosses, organised by distribution provider Siteminder and revenue management service Ideas, looked at a number of areas where properties can begin to evolve their strategy to meet the demands being placed on them by guests.
The background to all this is that travelers are looking for better experiences in a hotel but also that they feel increasingly comfortable with the technology that streamlines many parts of how they interact with brands and services - within travel and outside in the wider world.
For example, chatbots are becoming commonplace in brand-consumer interaction, so hotels should be at the stage where they can provide such a service in the pre-arrival stage of a stay.
Guests are apparently excited by the prospect of services such as facial recognition to open room doors, as well as using their devices to operate various elements in a hotel, such as temperature control and in-room entertainment.
Tackling the shift from low-tech to hi-tech
With the consumer requirements in mind, the hoteliers set about thinking how they could meet such demands through a set of stages of the guest stay (booking and pre-arrival, arrival and check-in, during a stay).
The ideas from the group in each of the categories is as follows:
1. Booking and pre-arrival
- Tailored pricing knowing what the guest is willing to pay.
- Website designed to be personalized to each guest.
- Following cookies for a tailored booking experience.
2. Arrival and check-in
- Voice and facial recognition.
- Rooms set up according to guest mood, covering the lighting, temperature and digital wallpaper.
3. During a stay
- Immediate, 24/7 service with on-demand technology - such as providing tablets which are pre-programmed for the guest to use with all the available services included.
- Tailored services, including the ability to stock rooms with beverages and other services that meet existing customer profile information.
- Customer loyalty programs being linked to guest profiles, so that properties can second-guess or work in advance to meet the existing demands of a guest.
Consultant Monica Orr, who ran the session for Siteminder and Ideas, says: "What is interesting when it comes to technology and bookings is that hoteliers appear to be stuck in a time warp. The technology they crave already exists; however, the systems they currently have are not always compatible."