The pandemic Covid-19 has caused unexpected levels of anxiety and economic instability all around the world, persuading hoteliers to reconsider their essential strategies for planning, business sustainability, and technological investment. COVID-19 has highlighted the key importance of protecting hospitality businesses from future existential threats. Since we are unable to predict or expect the catastrophe caused by COVID-19 on the hospitality industry and the world economy, we can still visualise what lies ahead.
Technological advancements are becoming increasingly common in the hotel industry. It is obvious that investments in hospitality solutions will increase hotel safety and security, boost hotel effectiveness, minimise costs, and add value to the products and services offered to customers. Before, during, and after the hotel stay, the service process is transformed in response to changes in consumer behaviour, their new requirements, and the needs of modern technology.
The involvement of technology in the hospitality industry has constantly changed and evolved following the post COVID phase. Guests are becoming more selective about planning and spending their vacation in a safer environment with the assistance of technological advances. Apart from that, hotels are also using technologies in novel strategies to bring in more guests, collect data, and enhance their services. When used correctly, technology can make customer service even safer, more comfortable and authentic.
Every guest will anticipate technology to be integrated. The degree to which hotels are able to provide this will decide their overall fulfilment. An easy, contact-free check-in process powered by innovation is required in increasing the safety measure in hotels. Hotels which only provide room keys, TV and air conditioning remotes, and shared ordering tablets or menus will be perceived as ignorance and negligent. Providing the guests with a digital innovative solution where they can check-in, place food orders, switch to multiple channels, and even open their doors and drapes is the form of comfort they will comprehend and appreciate.
Integrated Booking Experience
The capacity to accommodate numerous booking channels autonomously in one location is a significant use of innovation within the hotel industry. A large percentage of hoteliers have their property listed on several search engine websites and booking portals, as the platforms provide an excellent channel for obtaining quality leads. A fully integrated booking experience is a method of allowing guests to make reservations from any platform and on any device. Possessing a solution that handles all bookings on a single platform will assist in simplifying the booking process. The Property Management System is a comprehensive set of tools that allows you to visualise all of your bookings and reduce cancellations. The solution also facilitates in providing precise information, eliminating human interaction.
Contactless Check-in/Check-out
Deploying contactless technology is definitely among the most safest and prevalent advancements in the hotel industry that is assumed to sustain. The majority of young travellers would prefer to check in and out of their rooms for their own comfort. Likewise, there is also a large number of travellers that prefer to contact the hotel personnel to obtain any information if they are unable to resolve them. Implementing contactless check-ins enables guests and gives them a sense of self-sufficiency, which is an essential element of an optimistic customer experience. To limit contact between hotel staff and guests, contactless software such as the mobile check-in or check-out allows guests to oversee the hotel’s facilities covering multiple departments, such as housekeeping, room service, front desk, dining and many more. Adopting contactless technology is a subtle way to demonstrate to the guests that hoteliers are taking additional safety precautions during this time of COVID-19.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) adds digital elements to the real world, whereas Virtual Reality (VR) is a simulated experience in which a person can interact within an artificial environment. These technologies have grown in popularity as the Hotel Industry seeks solutions to its intangible offerings and combats the Covid-19 implication. Despite the fact that travellers rely more on online guest reviews, it is difficult and nearly impossible to observe the product and service before reserving a room. This is where virtual and augmented reality had emerged as a significant approach for hotels seeking to highlight the facility they are selling. Therefore, guests could take a virtual tour of the hotel using the VR headset to learn about all of its amenities.
Additionally, VR and AR have evolved into effective marketing tools for promoting a property’s finest selling points in a distinctive and captivating manner. Hotels can use VR and AR to reach audiences and connect with modern digital market strategy. Additionally, with the pandemic’s social distancing practice, adopting these innovations makes much more convenient, as travellers are more cautious and concern about safety features when performing a booking. Offering them with more accurate information during the booking process can persuade them to finalise their booking. For instance, the hospitality industry recognised the extent to which these technologies could improve the guest experience at a unique point, such as by providing an AR food menu. Guests can scan an AR food menu with their mobile phone and view the food in 3-D, motion, or video. They can get a close-up look at their food, check the texture, and see the portion size in a timely manner.
Face Recognition technology
Face recognition technology poses the functionality to identify a person or verify the identity by capturing, evaluating, and comparing the information of the person’s face. Returning from the global pandemic, facial recognition has a promising future in the hospitality industry as a means of providing a more contactless experience. The solution is designed to assists hotels in being prevalent on devices where customers spend the short amounts of time, screening themselves in a new hygiene and safety standards. By delivering accelerated and more comfortable facilities, face recognition technology can enhance a more extensive customer experience.
In a usual hospitality experience, there will be numerous touchpoints for guests to obtain access to their room. Touchpoints can be omitted completely with facial recognition technology, even while preserving safety and convenience for hotel guests. The advanced facial recognition software employs versatile impressions whereby, even with a facemask, the software is able to perform the scanning. The key to accomplishing this is to build a virtual profile for every guest when they book a room linked to a facial-recognition app. For instance, guests can essentially capture a photo of themselves, link to other relevant forms, and they are ready to go. Following that point forward, all transactions and interconnections are facilitated, way before the guest arrives. Besides that, the solution also allows the guest to have complete control, directly addressing the safety concerns that have plagued biometric technology such as facial recognition.
In short, face recognition technology facilitates in:
• Check in/ Check out processes
• Payment Authorization
• Privacy Concerns with FaceID
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has been around for some time, but it was not until recently that the greater reliability of machine intelligence allowed for its incorporation into the hotel business. The goal of this innovation is to accomplish tasks that would normally necessitate human interaction.
Enhanced data from increased usage improves the productivity of any AI and machine learning system. Since more user data enters the system, the predictive capability of the machine improves the user experience and contributes to greater response performance. As contactless experiences become the norm, the hospitality industry must thoroughly balance the implication of automated processes with the need to provide a personal touch.
AI personalization entails integrating various customer data sets to extract vital insights and then applying these to offer an excellent customer experience. Hotels that use AI in their respective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can better recognise their customers’ perceptions and then use these privileged insights to increase brand awareness and deliver services for business growth and improved customer experience. AI has the capability to improve almost every aspect of the hospitality business, including returns, operations, and perspectives.
Given the growing demand for smart automation of existing processes, AI has reached the traditional hospitality landscape with the guarantee of improving hotel reputation, driving revenue, and elevating customer experience to greater heights. Intelligent chatbots, for example, are configured to generate simulated conversations employing natural language processing and natural language generation (text and voice), facilitating controlled, precise, and effective communication between humans and computer technology.
Conclusion
Deploying the latest hotel technology is a key investment for hoteliers that would like to expand into an evolving digital market segment, drive efficacy and utilise employees. It is not always easy to effectively leverage new technology in hotels, perhaps it is very impactful when done precisely, helping to integrate the business with prevailing customer requirements, manage the COVID-19 crisis, and give your business an impactful edge over its competitors. Consumers these days are extremely cautious as they presume to have the most up-to-date innovation at their fingertips. Modern hotels must utilise technology to enhance the guest experience in order to maintain a sustainable stream of returning customers.
Interested in implementing the optimum hotel technology for your hotel or hospitality business? HotelX assists hospitality businesses in embracing new technology and customer behaviour in order to expand. We will assist you in navigating the new normal, implementing revolutionary hotel technology, and defining what makes your hotel business a travel hub for guests in this fully digitised era. For more information visit our website at https://ifca.asia/solution-hotelx/