Smart-room tablets are a simple way to drive non-room revenue at your property

As a hotelier, looking for ways to drive non-room revenue is a key focus point of your business. From room service orders to selling hotel-branded merchandise to sharing information about your property’s spa, smart-room tablets are a convenient way to promote on-site purchases and drive dollars once guests arrive on your property. Not to mention, smart-room tablet technology also enhances the guest room experience by easily allowing customers to request additional items, browse the internet and adjust the heating and cooling system — all from an in-room tablet.

In-Room Dining

One of the most common ways to drive additional revenue to a property is through in-room dining. However, long hold times and messy paper room service menus can be deterrents for guests. Smart-room tablets offer guests the ability to browse dining menus that have been refreshed with up-to-the-minute offerings while relaxing in their rooms. Whether they’re looking to order a three-course dinner or just searching for a late-night snack, their next meal is just a tap away — improving the guest room experience while streamlining the employee’s workflow. Tablet technology also provides hotel staff with a simple way to receive dining orders without having their workflow interrupted by room service phone calls.

Hotel Merchandise

It’s hard to find a restaurant, bar or burger stand these days that isn’t also slinging T-shirts and sweatshirts in addition to burgers and beers. In recent years, hotels have jumped on the merch trend by selling their own branded sweatshirts, pool towels, and yoga mats. Many boutique hotels now also sell goods made by local vendors, such as candles, fragrances, and glassware. Instead of making guests wait in line at the busy front desk to purchase a branded souvenir, displaying your hotel’s wares directly on a smart-room tablet is an easy way for them to browse the gift selection while winding down after a long day or waiting for their room service order to arrive. It also cuts down on lines and wait times at the front desk, allowing staff to better service other customers.

Event Spaces and On-Site Offerings

Looking for a way to let guests know about your rental spaces or on-site offerings? An in-room tablet can hold all of the information a front desk pamphlet normally would right on its home screen, making browsing additional hotel information while searching the internet a seamless experience for guests. Tablet technology allows hoteliers to dedicate specific links to rental and event space information along with special pages on available upgrades such as wellness packages and spa offerings — saving a hotel money on the printing costs and allowing information to be as up-to-date as possible.

Tablet technology plays a major role in not only improving the guest room experience, but also seamlessly driving additional revenue to your property. To learn more about how tablet technology can increase revenue at your hotel, request a demo today.

Deploying in-room tablets and other hotel tech can greatly promote sustainable hospitality

From sustainable clothing to sustainable packaging to sustainable dining, more and more brands are continuing to do their part to protect our planet. And according to recent studies, today’s consumers appreciate it. Last year’s Global Sustainability Study found that 85% of consumers have become “greener” when it comes to their purchasing decisions in recent years. In fact, 63% of respondents said sustainability is an important purchase criterion when it comes to travel and tourism.

In recent years, many of the major airlines have announced plans to switch from traditional fossil-derived jet fuels to ones that are made from renewable sources. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has committed to stocking the newest car models, which are more efficient, including a wide selection of electric and hybrid vehicles. But it’s not just travel transport that can make a difference. Hotels can do their part as well. When it comes to sustainability in hospitality, hotel tech plays a major role. In-room tablets can reduce and even eliminate printed-out hotel marketing materials and room service menus, and mobile apps can eliminate plastic key cards.

Here are just a few ways hotel technology can help your property save the planet and promote sustainable hospitality.

Say Goodbye to Plastic Keys

Hotel mobile apps create an experience of the future for guests and also hold the key to sustainable hospitality. From mobile check-in and check-out to keyless entry, a hotel’s mobile app eliminates the plastic key cards that fill up hotel room garbage cans and, eventually, landfills. Not to mention, mobile apps eliminate the chance of a guest losing their key and needing a replacement or getting locked out altogether.

No More Printing

We all know how easy it is to waste paper, and printing off new marketing materials, announcements and property maps can be a daily necessity. While the information these materials hold is valuable, hotel mobile apps can deliver this information to guests virtually. With an app, guests can access important hotel information, maps and event information right from their pocket. For those who don’t download the app, in-room tablets can communicate must-know information and keep travelers up-to-date, while also promoting sustainable hospitality.

A New Way to Dine

The pandemic heavily changed the way we view menus at restaurants. QR codes handed to diners or taped to tables is now a regular occurrence across the country. And the same can be said for sustainability in hospitality. Uploading a room service menu to your hotel mobile app is an easy way for guests to access your most up-to-date offerings no matter where they are on the property and reduce your use of paper and ink. In-room tablets featuring room service menus offer the same seamless ordering experience, plus they allow staff to easily keep menus updated up-to-the-minute in case something sells out.

Sustainability in hospitality, like all other industries, is important to not only our planet, but the vast majority of today’s travelers. To learn more about how hotel tech can help your property go green, request a demo today.

Utilizing hotel tech at your property can mitigate common travel pitfalls and recover the guest experience

From delayed flights and lost luggage to forgotten items and COVID restrictions, even if a traveler is on vacation, the travel process can be a stressful one. According to a recent study conducted by tour operator Trafalgar, approximately 89% of survey respondents said they find traveling to be a stressful event. As a hotelier, it’s your goal to allow guests to de-stress, enjoy themselves, and make memories that will last them a lifetime — whether they are on vacation, a business trip or attending an event at your hotel. One simple way to do this is by integrating hotel tech, such as a mobile app or in-room tablet, into your property.

Here are a few ways hotel tech can mitigate common travel pitfalls and ensure a stress-free experience for your guests.

Eliminate the Front Desk Wait

After a long day of waiting in lines at the airport, the baggage claim, and for a rideshare, the last thing a weary traveler wants to do is wait in a queue to check-in at the hotel. Hotel tech, such as a mobile app, allows guests to digitally check-in and use their smartphones for keyless entry, completely bypassing the front desk and allowing them to go straight to their rooms. Once they are ready to depart, the digital check-out process is just as easy.

Replace Can’t-Live-Without Items

Once in their rooms, guests staying at hotels outfitted with in-room tablets can request any items they may have forgotten, just with a few simple taps on a screen. Guests no longer need to trek down to the front desk in their pajamas after realizing they’ve forgotten their toothpaste. A quick tap on the in-room tablet or on their mobile app replenishes any needed items, including extra towels or pillows.

Dining — On Demand

Hotels that feature in-room tablets allow travelers to browse digital dining menus and order food and drinks to their room without having to pick up a phone and wait for the room service operator. For hotels that don’t have an on-property restaurant, in-room tablet technology provides guests with the ability to use delivery services such as Door Dash or Uber Eats without having to pick up their personal cell phone and re-enter their new location details. Hotels with a mobile app allow busy guests to order food on their time from anywhere on the property and get it delivered directly to their room.

Create a Digital Concierge Experience

A mobile app can offer guests a digital concierge experience — guiding them through the local attractions, dining options, and off-site events right on their mobile phones, whether they are in their rooms, by the pool, or at the bar. For hotels that don’t have a traditional concierge desk, an in-room tablet can offer up the same trusted recommendations right from the guest’s room.

Hotel tech can help streamline the travel experience and allow guests to have a stress-free stay, no matter if they are visiting on business or for pleasure. To learn more about how hotel tech can mitigate the stress of travel, request a demo today.

A recent Wyndham study reported 77% of all travelers currently prefer all-inclusive, seamless travel. Here are a few ways to make your guests’ stay feel all-inclusive — even if you aren’t an all-inclusive resort.

After more than two years of turbulent travel plans, canceled flights and, ultimately, canceled vacations, traveler frustration seems evident due to the recent increase of consumers gravitating towards all-inclusive travel options. A survey conducted in early 2022 by Wyndham found that 75% of travelers said they believed booking an all-inclusive vacation is the best way to travel, while 77% said they found it to be less stressful. As hoteliers, creating a stress-free environment for guests is priority number one. Guest experience tech ensures a seamless stay for travelers and provides them with everything they need with just a push of a button — or tap of a smart device.

Here are a few ways guest experience tech can help you create an all-inclusive, hassle-free experience for your guests, even if your property is not an all-inclusive resort.

Seamless Check-In & Check-Out

Nothing says luxury quite like rolling up to your hotel room after a long day of travel without having to wait in an endless line in the lobby. Safe and secure, mobile check-in allows guests to check into the hotel from anywhere, access their room with mobile key, and even share keys with fellow room occupants. When it comes to the check-out process, it is easier than ever with a simple tap of a button.

Entertainment On Demand

Guests accustomed to streaming television at home can seamlessly do so by simply casting content to the in-room smart TV. A vacation or business trip doesn’t have to stop their binge schedule as they can now bring their favorite series, movies, and music along with them.

Putting Guests First

In-room tablets put the guest at the center of the experience universe. From allowing them to easily order contactless room service at their leisure to effortlessly request extra items such as towels or toiletries, in-room tablets let guests take control of their experience on their own time, which, honestly, is the ultimate luxury.

Additionally, in-room tablets and hotel mobile apps serve as a digital concierge for your property, enabling guests to view a menu of hotel amenities and activities. Guests can explore hotel recommendations for nearby venues and events, as well as book reservations and make special requests, all from a mobile device. In-app marketing and promotions, in addition to marketing services and amenities to guests’ pre-arrival, inform travelers of all the options available to them and enable them to create their ideal itinerary for an all-inclusive, seamless experience.

Personalized Messages for Your Guests

Many guests who travel to an all-inclusive resort, select this type of vacation because they enjoy the experience of being waited on. Hotels can simulate this level of service through text messages with their guests. After a guest checks in and settles into their room, hotels can send them a text message and ask a few questions to gauge their immediate needs and preferences. Some sample questions could include:

• Is your room the way you like it?
• Do you need reservations for breakfast, lunch or dinner?
• Would you like the concierge to recommend activities or outings?

Including a link in the message for the guest to download your hotel mobile app, if they haven’t already, and peruse the menu of services, amenities, and activities available to book, also puts the guest in control of creating their ideal itinerary and a seamless stay.

Even if your property is not an all-inclusive resort, guest experience tech can help facilitate an amenities-rich digital concierge experience for your guests. Want to learn more about guest experience tech? Request a demo today.

When your guest arrives at your hotel, use these touchpoints to encourage them to download your app!

The moment your guest walks through the front door of your hotel, you can begin to encourage them to download your hotel mobile app. From a subtle to an obvious approach, there are a few creative ways you can convince guests to add this beneficial app to their personal device.

As always, make sure you offer them something in return for downloading your app. As for what to offer them, you know your guests the best so think about what would entice them most to download your app. Maybe it’s a faster check-out process, a free Starbucks coffee or bar drink, or maybe even a free dessert treat delivered to their room? Whatever you decide, make it an irresistible offer in return for their download.

Here are just a few places you can grab guests’ attention and let them know how downloading your hotel mobile app can benefit their stay.

QR Code

Before we dive into the best locations to display your hotel mobile app, make sure you have a QR code link to prompt guests to the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. With a QR code, your hotel guests can quickly download and install the app on the spot. There are a few free QR code websites available with a simple Google search. Here is one of the popular sites for creating QR codes for your business, beaconstac. Simply paste the link to download your app.

The Front Desk

The front desk is often known as the heart of the hotel, greeting travelers with a friendly smile, helping them with the check-in/check-out process, and acting as a complete resource center for guests. It’s at this check-in moment where you can inform guests about your hotel app in two approaches.

The first is more subtle, by displaying a branded image about your hotel app with the QR code for an easy download and a compelling reason as to why the guest should download the app. From a digital device, such as a TV or tablet, to an acrylic sign, utilize this location to display an image to offer guests digital access to your hotel’s amenities and services.

The second approach is to give your hotel staff some talking points and train them to notify guests about the app, its benefits to the guest experience, and suggest using it for mobile key entry into their room.

The Key Card

As you know, many hotels use the key card as a marketing tool to promote the hotel or any associated partners. So why not let guests know about your mobile app here?

Here are some examples of clever messaging to get your guest to ditch the plastic key card for a mobile one:

• It’s Time to Let Me Go
• If Lost, Download Our App
• Go Green, Lose the Plastic
• Your New Room Key … Your Phone
• This Key Card is So Last Year

Then make sure to include either a QR code or instructions on how to download the hotel app.

The Common Areas

Anywhere your guest can go on the hotel property, chances are you can find a great placement for promoting your hotel app. In the lobby, dining area, in the elevator, or by the poolside, think about where your hotel is already displaying information or advertising.

A great marketing strategy with the common areas is to lean into guest FOMO (fear of missing out). An easy way to accomplish this would be to display images of the hotel app and what guests could get or see if they had the app on their phone at that exact location. For example, you could place an advertisement in the pool area showing how easy and quick it would be to order a drink with the mobile app, without leaving their pool chair.

In-Room

Once your guest has arrived in their room and is settled, what is typically their next stop on their journey of enjoying their stay? We would bet it’s connecting their devices to Wifi. What better place to prompt guests to download your hotel app than in the Wifi connection window on their device?

Also, most hotel rooms are stocked with collateral, table tents, or in-room tablets to provide the guest with more information about the hotel’s amenities or local attractions. From paper to digital, you can add in more marketing materials about downloading the app.

Although the ultimate goal is to encourage and prompt guests to download your hotel mobile app during their stay, making sure the app provides a positive experience to your guests is what will keep them using it during their stay. A great way to accomplish this is by selecting technology with a focus on elevating your guest experience. The INTELITY Mobile App is a flexible, digital guest experience solution for properties and brands of all types. With features like contactless mobile check-in, mobile key, contactless service requests, push notifications, and in-room dining, the INTELITY app gives your guests full access to amenities and services in only a few taps.

To see how to help guests get your hotel app before they arrive, read our blog How to Prompt Guests to Download Your Hotel App Pre-Arrival. For a personalized look at our mobile app or the full INTELITY Platform, schedule a demo.

Before your guests walk through the front door, use these digital touchpoints to encourage them to download your hotel app!

Whether for business or pleasure, once a traveler has determined their destination and booked their stay, you don’t need to wait until they are on the property to engage and let them know about your hotel mobile app. Since most reservations are generated online, your guests are accustomed to using digital forms of communication, making pre-arrival one of the best times to encourage them to download your hotel app to use before, during, and after their stay.

Here are just a few places you can grab guests’ attention and let them know how downloading your hotel mobile app can benefit their stay.

Your Website

With some images and a few words about benefits and functionality of your app, a dedicated page on your website can not only let your guests know that you have a  hotel mobile app, but is also a great place to really spell out how it contributes to their stay. Be sure to include Apple App Store and Google Play Store links to download your hotel app on that page. It’s an often overlooked detail, but a great way to encourage downloads by making it as convenient as possible for your guests within the context of how it benefits them.

The Confirmation Email

One of the first forms of digital communication a hotel guest receives is their reservation confirmation email. Usually, this email confirms a booking and conveys initial hotel information—things like check-in and check-out time, cancellation policy, and your most up-to-date safety information—are a great place to offer guests a download link to your app.

With so many users using the phone to check emails, this line of communication is perfect for building awareness and giving them a reason to download before they arrive. Mentioning features like mobile check-in, offering a complimentary beverage at the hotel, or any other incentives that you think your guests would respond to are a great way to encourage them to download the hotel mobile app sooner rather than later. And because they’re likely already on their phone, just like with the website, providing links to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store within your confirmation email make it convenient and simple for your guest to download the hotel app and go.

Welcome Email

Varying slightly from reservation confirmation emails and other, more transactional pre-arrival communications, welcome emails are a bit more content-heavy and are usually the last form of digital correspondence a guest receives prior to checking in. Welcome emails may highlight hotel happenings and/or draw attention to property facilities and amenities from a more promotional angle. Guest communications like this are a perfect opportunity to include messaging outlining key features of your hotel mobile app and how it will benefit their stay.

Mobile Guest Experience

Once your guests download your hotel mobile app, there are a number of ways you can continue to engage with them. But if they don’t know about it, the likelihood of them ever using it is slim-to-none. Talking about your mobile guest experience alongside your property’s other great amenities and offerings gives your guests good reason to download and engage with you through your hotel app.

Although the ultimate goal is to encourage your guests to download your app before they arrive, making sure the app provides a positive experience to your guests is what will keep them using it during their stay. A great way to accomplish this is by selecting technology with a focus on elevating your guest experience. If your property is searching for a hotel app with an amazing check-in user experience and a high adoption rate, then you should look to the leaders in digital guest experience. The INTELITY Mobile App is a flexible, digital guest experience solution for properties and brands of all types. With features like contactless mobile check-in, mobile key, contactless service requests, push notifications, and in-room dining, the INTELITY app gives your guests full access to amenities and services within only a few taps.

To see what the INTELITY mobile check-in process could look like for  your guests, read our blog What Does Mobile Check-In Actually Look Like. For a personalized look at our mobile app or the full INTELITY Platform, schedule a demo.