INTELITY CEO and President, David Adelson, comments on hotel technology in 2017 and what trends the industry can expect to see on the rise.

A new day for the hospitality industry has dawned.

Hoteliers have finally recognized the significance of hotel technology and its correlation to the industry’s future success. I would say that 2016 was the year of awareness and planting the seeds for growth, with hoteliers testing the digital waters with widespread experiments involving mobile hotel apps, social media, and digital loyalty program engagement.

The future of hotel technology in 2017 will have to mark a progression in maturity for the industry. Conversations about the buzz phrase “high touch, high tech” have flourished for some time, and the next step is actual implementation in a more refined manner than we’ve seen in the past.

The move could mean a world of difference for the industry, separating properties and brands into the categories of innovative and fresh versus stagnate and out of touch.

Bigger Hotel Tech Budget

Hotel technology took a front-and-center position on the industry stage this year, with more investments than ever being made into creating a sound digital framework that extends from back-of-house infrastructure to guest-facing systems.

In fact, the average hotel technology budget in 2016 increased by 3.4 percent from only 3 years ago and now sits at about six percent. But as ROI reports come in showing the positive results of hotel technology upgrades on guest satisfaction and overall experience, justification of expanded tech budgets will become more fluid. This expansion will become more necessary to match rising guest expectations, competitive demands, and the required upgrades to support and maintain such a network of hospitality technology.

Adoption of Hotel Tech Across Lodging Segments

The primary early adopters of hotel technology fell within the luxury hospitality segment, but innovation has broadened accessibility and lowered price points, making cutting-edge hotel technology more of a reality for other segments as well. In 2016, it was actually midscale hotels that led in IT expenditure (7.3 percent), trailed by upscale hotels (6.1 percent) and luxury hotels (5.6 percent).

Overall more than half of all hoteliers reported increasing spending on hospitality technology trends and needs in 2016. Moving forward, it can be expected that all segments of the lodging industry will need to catch up to hotel guest expectations. Travelers have expressed a willingness to spend more on travel, but winning and retaining their business will be a matter of standing out and making them feel like they’re getting a quality experience. Surveys show that weak (or expensive) hotel WiFi and other digital limitations or shortcomings can hurt hospitality brand perception.

Even guests who prioritize price and budget when traveling will be looking into available packages of digital amenities with the expectation that limited- or select-service hotels will accommodate their basic needs with the same technologies so readily available in the average home. Most technologies, such as an app, are not considered to be a luxury frill anymore. They’ve become so common in the interactions between business and customer that they’re expected at this point, even from the hospitality industry.

The Rise of Hotel Guest Room Technology

A major area of focus in 2016 was mobile technology and the front desk, with hotel apps, in particular, getting a spotlight. A number of hospitality brands and independent hotels centered their guest technology strategies around the rollout of a guest engagement app. More than half of hoteliers reported having a mobile app available for guest use in 2016, and another 21 percent said they planned to develop one in the near future.

The next step for hoteliers will be to focus on improvements to the guest room experience, an area that is in dire need of innovation. Most hotel rooms still largely look the same as they did 10 years ago, but this doesn’t match up with guest expectations or desires. In the next year, hoteliers are going to need a reexamination of the hotel and its appeal to modern travelers (namely tech native Millennial travelers), and the guest room is key to this overhaul.

Hotelier surveys reveal the following sample of interests for 2017 and beyond when it comes to guest room technology:

• 14 percent of hoteliers reportedly plan to install or upgrade in-room tablets
• 39 percent plan to implement hotel room mobile key
• 31 percent have an interest in room controls (or hotel room automation) systems
• 28 percent would like to upgrade or install smart TVs in hotel rooms

Better Back-of-House Streamlining

One of the most unrealized capabilities of hotel technology, even guest-facing systems, are potential to increase back-end efficiencies in multiple departments, from housekeeping to food and beverage to marketing. Enabling staff with the technology to improve their performance, lighten their load, and provide more insight, in general, could help reduce turnover and increase hotel staff satisfaction. This could be critical to increasing guest satisfaction since staff members are the ones who have to interact with guests in a positive manner.

The industry has only touched the surface of how cutting-edge technology can be incorporated into hotel operations. The next year will be an opportunity for hoteliers to ramp up not only the surface of hospitality technology, those interfaces that directly touch guests but also the underlying framework that drives staff and procedures as well.

With the BYOD trend in hotels on the rise, hoteliers are facing challenges in meeting the expectations of both guests and staff who are carrying an increasing number of mobile devices. The benefits of mobile are plentiful, but ensuring efficient use throughout an organization can be difficult.

Availability of mobile device management (MDM) to the hospitality industry has brought about improvements in this arena by allowing hotels to take control of the hotel enterprise mobile technology trend.

Mobile device management (MDM) is defined as a solution that allows for “the administration of mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, laptops, and desktop computers.” It isn’t just a hotel technology trend buzzword. As more hotels see an increase in travelers carrying mobile devices and as hotel rooms become fitted for advanced technology, such as hotel in-room tablets, enterprise mobility tools are going to continue to increase in value to simplify these hotel technology upgrades.

Remote Management of Devices

With more connected devices on your property than staff, MDM solutions assist in monitoring and managing these in a more efficient way. For instance, many hotels are now installing in-room tablets in guest rooms as a way to improve guest service and engagement. Hotel MDM is the best way to easily get these up and running, as well as perform ongoing maintenance. Using MDM in hotels, devices on the network can be remote wiped or have diagnostics run for troubleshooting.

Regulation of Applications

Hotel apps are more popular than ever and providing complimentary access to these on hotel tablets has become extremely popular in the hospitality industry. Using a hotel MDM solution, hotel management can select which apps they want to load or disable on devices across the network to create a superior digital staff and guest experience.

Data Protection and Backup

Data management using a hotel MDM solution can reduce the risk of costly incidents relating to exposure and breach. Hoteliers can use mobile device management to protect data and prevent leaks or wipe data completely from unauthorized user devices.

Expanded Security Features

Security of hotel digital networks and guest data is a top priority for many hoteliers, and there’s been discussion over how to enhance hotel security when it comes to network use, especially from mobile devices. Hotel MDM use can allow for expansion of security measures, such as requiring authentication of all devices and active monitoring of registered devices. It can also allow for tracking the physical location of devices on the network to reduce hardware theft or loss.

Establishing Network Use Policies

Every hotel should have a policy in place regarding the use of any networks, and this policy should apply to staff and guests alike. A mobile device management solution can assist in enforcing and solidifying this policy by consolidating regulation in the hands of those overseeing the network. Useful features include defining WiFi settings, setting compliance guidelines, and optimizing the function of the network overall.

Read the first part of our series on Mobile Device Management for Hotels and Hospitality for more on the specific uses of this hotel technology trend.

Here are some travel safety tips you should be mindful of when you’re on the road away from home.

The thought of exploring a foreign nation is exciting. When traveling abroad, you get to experience new cultures, tempting food, new languages, and much more of the elements that make up our beautiful planet. Although traveling internationally is safe in most of the parts, it is still advisable to keep in mind these travel safety tips for peace of mind. Let’s check them out:

Travel insurance is a must

If you’ve planned an overseas vacation then you must get travel insurance. It protects your precious belongings, cover the medical expenses and help you out in case if you get stuck in a problem. In short, insurance is mandatory for people going to a foreign country.

Scan all the important documents

Just imagine a situation wherein you’ve lost all your important papers, your passport, your flight ticket etc. Horrible enough! That’s why you should have backup copies of your all important papers, including digital versions of them, just in case you happen to misplace them during your joyous trip.

Don’t carry everything important in a single bag

It might be tempting to keep traveler’s checks, credit cards, cash, passport etc in a small bag or wallet. But don’t make this common travel mistake. Keep your checks, IDs, cards, and cash in a hotel room safe or locked compartment. Separate identifying items and cash into different places. This safety tip could increase your peace of mind even while you’re away from your hotel room and exploring the area.

Before and after you stay

Do some homework before booking a hotel or any lodging options haphazardly. Choosing to stay in self-catering studio rooms is a good option as it offers greater flexibility and can easily fit in within your budget. Once you get the right accommodation, lock all valuables in a safe or locker and do not share your room number with anyone. Another thing to keep in mind is the peepholes. Yes, anyone can easily get a quick look of your room through small holes. To avoid this, just put a bandage or small piece of cloth over the peephole of your hotel room door.

Connect with the embassy

Before stepping inside the plane to take off for a new location, acquaint yourself with the designated country’s embassy. The embassy will send you alert messages if any sort of threat takes place in the designated area. In a natural calamity or in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, you’ll want the embassy to know you are still in the area so they can equip you with required help.

Get local

Monitor Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Although they don’t provide you genuine details, they’ll alert you to activities in places you need to stay away from. And avoid places with bustling crowds, political gatherings, riots, and protests.

Warily research ground transportation

Research ridesharing and taxi providers that are trustworthy and available without any hassle in the area. Do they accept cash or credit cards only? Is there any emergency number you can call if you get stuck in an emergency? If you’re thinking of using public transportation, check for a good mobile app that can provide you accurate updates about the transportation system in the chosen country or area.

This post was submitted by Lana Marshall, who has worked at Space Apart Hotel for over seven years and has extensive knowledge of both the serviced apartments and the rental studio property market.

 

With the hotel technology trend of BYOD among hotel guests and staff on the rise, the hospitality industry is finding that mobile device management (MDM) for hotels is a necessary investment.

More than half of your guests will carry 3 or more devices with them when they come for a stay, and you can bet that all your employees are also equipped with a variety of devices, from smartphones to laptops.

We’ve entered an age of mobile hospitality, and all hoteliers must now be nimble enough to meet guests where they’re at: on devices that are capable of keeping them connected and informed anywhere in the world.

These mobile devices enable guests to manage the full, end-to-end travel experience, from the research phase to booking to the actual hotel stay. Features such as mobile key, mobile hotel check-in, digital maps, virtual concierge, and social media access have all made smartphones and in-room tablets invaluable to guests, while enterprise features such as digital guest request management and data views from integrated hotel systems have created demand for new hospitality technology among hotel staff as well.

All these devices have created new demands for connected “smart hotels” that provide sufficient hotel networks, WiFi and security for all on premises.

It’s one of the leading hotel technology trends and promises to assist hoteliers in staying on top of hotel guest and staff BYOD.

Some of the MDM features for hotels that could improve the mobile hotel guest and staff experience include:

• Device and platform detection
• Policy compliance monitoring
• Mobile app management and permission setting
• Security implementation
• Remote software updates
• Remote wiping of device data
• VPN configuration
• Remote device locking

In the second part of our series on Mobile Device Management for Hotels and Hospitality, we’ll go into specific benefits that can be realized through the use of an MDM solution.

For more information on how hotel technology trends like MDM can give you a competitive edge when it comes to improving the guest experience, schedule a demo with our industry experts.

 

Hilton is looking to bring digital guest services to its entire portfolio in the same vein as the Conrad Concierge app did for its Conrad properties.

Hilton Worldwide is looking to increase its focus on mobile technology as a way to more competitively connect with the hotel brand’s guests. Hotel mobile technology has become the premier method for hospitality to reach guests in a way that is direct and immediate. It’s also unobtrusive, given that downloading a hotel app or opting in for communication is required before a connection can take place.

In 2012, Hilton launched Conrad Concierge with number one hotel app developer Intelity as an experiment. It was the first service-enabled hotel brand app made available, and it surpassed 180,000 users in less than two years.

A number of factors, including the success of Conrad Concierge app and the surge of hotel guest demand for mobile technology, have now led Hilton to begin a roll out of a new mobile strategy to engage guests through a hotel app similar to Conrad Concierge. The roll out will include a number of Hilton’s brands, such as Waldorf Astoria and DoubleTree.

The hotel app aims to increase sign ups for the Hilton HHonors loyalty program and provide innovative mobile concierge services to guests. Mobile is also viewed as a way to be competitive against indirect room bookings using channels such as online travel agencies like Priceline. Access to a suite of mobile features will serve as an incentive to get guests to download the app.

Using the hotel brand app on a smartphone, hotel guests will be able to pick a specific guest room, use mobile check-in, open the door to their hotel room with a mobile key, and access digital hotel services.

In an interview with The Drum, Geraldine Calpin, Hilton Worldwide global head of marketing and digital, said, “We are using digital to create a better stay experience, and we will continue to innovate in that digital hospitality experience because for us it’s about a better experience.”

“In some cases, people don’t want to talk to people, so enabling digital and technology to provide guests with more choices and control over their stay is what we want to do. The big thing is how can we make that easier and with less friction for our guests.”

(Video: John Vanderslice, VP of Hilton Worldwide Lifestyle & Luxury Brands, talks to Bloomberg TV from Intelity on Vimeo.)

Hotel staff is able to leverage hotel in-room tablet technology to improve service and increase hotel revenue.

Adoption of touchscreen tablets in restaurants has increased over the past few years as reports are released supporting their usefulness in improving business and making customers happy. Numerous chains have been so impressed by pilot runs with restaurant tablets that they’ve expanded the food and beverage technology into hundreds of locations.

But these benefits are not just for kiosks and tablets in restaurants. Hotels have been able to translate the same principles to leverage in-room tablets for hotels and kiosks for a wide array of competitive advantages. Here are a few of the proven results possible from the installation of hotel guest room tablets.

Increased Hotel Revenue

The general numbers don’t lie. The ease of use provided to customers by hotel tablets when it comes to completing tasks like reviewing menu items and placing orders, whether in the guest room or dining at the hotel restaurant, promotes better sales. Studies show the user experience of tablets causes higher sales conversions, more so than on desktop computers, laptops or even smartphones. Businesses using tablets for ordering have reported higher average check amounts and a 15-percent increase in tips.

Improved Hotel Marketing & Upsell Opportunities

Hotel tablets allow for the presentation of full menus with visuals that can be accessed in only one or two taps of a finger. Guests are able to scroll through numerous items with automatic electronic prompts to add on. A guest ordering an in-room dining meal might be encouraged to add a bottle of wine or fitting side to order before submission. One chain was able to increase the sale of appetizers and desserts by 20 percent thanks to the use of tablets for ordering meals.

Enhanced Hotel In-Room Entertainment

The state of hotel room entertainment has shifted in recent years due to hotel technology trends, such as mobile device use by guests for streaming content and announcements of hotel brand partnerships with modern media companies like Netflix.

Hotel in-room tablets can add to the hotel in-room entertainment experience by providing guests with another means of control and personalization of the guest experience. Tablets can be used to stream movies in the hotel room, play games, read digital newspapers and magazines, or browse the Internet. Reports are that at least 1 in 10 tables opts to order premium content such as unlimited games on touchscreen tablets when available, which shows further potential for expanded revenue intake for the hotel.

More Efficient Staff Operations

Tablets are being implemented in the hospitality industry at large, and one of the major draws is the improved operational efficiency. Hospitality tablets are able to “[expedite] the whole process [of food ordering]” as well as “[cut] down on labor costs.”

For instance, hotel tablets running on the INTELITY hospitality technology platform are able to electronically send all tickets to appropriate departments, which can then be managed and tracked to fulfillment through a single back-end portal. Hotel managers are able to review service performance and make changes as necessary to improve speed and efficiency.