Mobile Check-In

July 11, 2023 by INTELITY

Hotel Technology 101: How Hotels Are Using Technology to Gain a Competitive Advantage

A few examples of how hotels are using technology to gain a competitive advantage

The hospitality industry can be inherently competitive — especially with the recent increase in summer travel. This means it’s imperative to woo consumers by leaning into what they want and finding ways to make those things happen seamlessly. Hotels that invest in delivering on consumer expectations will see an increase in brand loyalty, which leads to an increase in revenue.

When a guest stays at a hotel, they’re looking for a place where they feel comfortable and have access to the conveniences they’re accustomed to in their daily lives, and hotels are in a race to perfect this.

Hotel technology has become a key component in giving one hotel an edge over another, especially with the increasing popularity of a digital-first approach among travelers. By implementing the right tech, hotels can impress guests, streamline operations, and drive non-room revenue. It’s critical for hoteliers to stay current with technological advancements, so they can keep pace with expectations.

Mobile devices are the easiest and best way to reach guests, especially as the average hotel guest checks in with at least three mobile devices. Today’s travelers depend on them to provide information and easy access to essential features in their lives. Using mobile technology allows hoteliers to meet their guests where they’re already engaged.

Here are five examples of how hotels are using technology to gain a competitive advantage:

1. Branded Mobile Apps

Mobile apps are an ideal way to engage with guests before, during, and after their stay, especially when integrated with an existing loyalty program. Mobile app technology can also be beneficial in gaining insight into guest satisfaction and guest preferences, which can be used to improve the quality or types of services offered.

An app can track the most common types of guest requests, dining metrics and which menu items are the most popular, and how often they’re using the app to communicate with hotel staff. Management teams can use this information as a framework for making better business decisions and taking guest service to the next level.

2. Mobile Check-In

Mobile check-in is highly sought after by today’s self-service driven travelers. Giving your guests the ability to bypass the front desk not only enhances the guest experience, but it also frees up staff’s time, allowing them to provide more personalized guest service. Offering mobile check-in also incentivizes guests to download your property’s mobile app, which creates a further opportunity for upselling, pre-arrival communication, and to generally craft exceptional experiences.

3. Mobile Key

Implementing mobile key to your hotel technology provides guests with the convenience of reducing time at the front desk and prevents guests from ever losing or forgetting their room key. Mobile key also saves hotels money on plastic keycard costs and increases efficiency as staff doesn’t have to spend time programming keycards or replacing lost room keys.

4. Smart-Room Tablets

Smart-room tablets provide guests with easy access to hotel information and the ability to place service requests, order room service, control the in-room environment, book spa appointments, shop the hotel’s gift shop, and communicate directly with hotel staff. These digital compendiums can also be used to create upselling opportunities and promote upgrades and other special offers targeted to a guest’s preferences.

5. Voice-Controlled Rooms

Another example of how hotels are using technology to gain a competitive advantage is by embracing voice control. Guests can use this hotel technology to turn on lights, control the TV, adjust the thermostat, and more. Voice technology can also be used to submit guest requests, make reservations, and provide guests with information about the local area. While voice technology may not be as necessary as some of the mobile technologies available, it plays a large role in enhancing the guest experience.

Staying ahead of the competition by deploying the latest hotel technology in the hospitality industry is important to maintaining a competitive edge. Successfully implementing the right technologies is an easy way to distinguish yourself from your competitors and cater to today’s tech-savvy travelers. Hotel technology can change how guests experience a their stay and lead to repeat guests, positive reviews, and word-of-mouth referrals.

To learn more about how you can use hotel technology to gain a competitive advantage at your property, request a demo today.

March 21, 2023 by Benjamin Keller

Game Changer: Bringing the Casino Floor to the Guest Room Using Smart-Room Tablets

Smart-room tablets are one way to ensure your guests’ dollars stay on your property

A casino operator’s dream is to see every seat at the slot machines filled. So, what if you could seamlessly engage your guests with your casino’s gaming offerings while they’re relaxing in their guest rooms?

It’s all possible using one of the most popular casino resort technologies: smart-room tablets. These game-changers allow guests to use in-room tablets for all the more familiar uses — such as requesting services, making reservations, ordering room service, and communicating directly with staff, but casino resorts have the added advantage of a fresh, new way to promote gaming and special events directly to guests while they are most captive: relaxing in their rooms.

Gambling from the Comfort of Their Room

Casino operators can easily use smart-room tablets to send special offers, targeted promotions, and casino floor updates in real-time when guests are most engaged. Depending on where a property is located, some guests can even use in-room technology to gamble right from their room as some casino hotels now offer sports and other types of betting through in-room tablets or mobile apps.

One way they do this is by adding popular gaming apps to the in-room tablets as well as information and tips on how to play some of the more popular casino floor games. At some casino resorts, guests can also use tablets to get real-time keno and bingo results in their room, as well as to see who won daily drawings and receive real-time jackpot notifications. Using in-room technology in this manner means guests don’t have to worry about missing out on the excitement of the casino floor while they relax in their rooms. Who knows — they might even order up a few snacks or a bottle of wine while they enjoy these in-room gaming offerings.

Attract All Demographics

Today’s core casino customers are generally between 55 and 75 years old and this group is becoming increasingly comfortable using digital devices, including in-room tablets and mobile apps, which makes adding gaming to digital devices a logical, and smart, next step. Also, once they arrive in their room and find the in-room tablet integrated with the property’s loyalty program, they are apt to take advantage of customized and targeted promotions and other offers that encourage them to visit the casino floor.

Despite the core casino demographic typically being older generations, younger demographics are beginning to find their place in the gaming ecosystem thanks to the increased popularity in iGaming and sports wagering. With younger demographic interest on the rise thanks to these mobile-based games, in-room tablets provide the perfect conduit to promote your mobile gaming offerings, while meeting them where they’re at: on a smart device.

Ultimately, casino guests are eager to spend their time gaming — not standing in lines — so a streamlined mobile check-in process means more time they can spend on the casino floor, or using the custom-branded in-room tablet for gaming while they are in their room.

Looking to increase the reach of your casino floor to your guest room using smart-room tablets? Request a demo today.

March 2, 2023 by INTELITY

Casino Apps: The Next Big Thing for Casino-Hotels Is Here

5 reasons your property should implement a branded mobile casino app

Hospitality technology dates back to 1894 when the Netherland Hotel in New York City introduced the first in-room telephones for its guests. Needless to say, we’ve come a long way since then. Smartphones and other hotel mobile tech, such as smart-room tablets, have changed the way the hospitality industry communicates with and serves its guests. But how can these technologies benefit casino-hotels? The use of a branded mobile casino app can actually help keep guests — and their dollars — on your property. The following are five reasons to implement a branded mobile casino app at your casino-hotel.

Streamline Check-In

No one wants to see a long check-in line in a casino lobby, no matter which side of the desk they’re on. Mobile check-in options are ideal for “stay-and-play” guests, allowing them to get checked in to their hotel room ahead of their arrival. It’s also a boon for casino-hotels’ staff as they’re able to focus on other tasks, improving the overall customer experience. Perhaps most importantly, though, it quickly connects your guests to the casino floor. Cut down on front-desk friction and enable customers to go straight to their rooms, so they can get out on the casino floor and play.

Offer Highly Targeted Marketing Opportunities

All smartphones possess geolocation services. And while most people use these for GPS functionality or updating social media, did you know you can adapt them for your property to send out targeted promotions and special offers? Help your guests keep track of on-property events, sales, and activities they might be interested in by using hotel mobile tech to deploy targeted marketing messaging when guests are most likely to be receptive. This tech is useful for those time-sensitive promotions and events. Incorporate these marketing notifications to deploy directly from your branded mobile casino app to your guest’s pocket.

Attract Younger Generations

Younger demographics are finally finding their place in the gaming ecosystem thanks to the increased popularity in iGaming and sports wagering. With younger demographics interest on the rise thanks to these mobile-based games, having a branded mobile app for your property is a great way to meet them where they’re at.

Provide In-Room Customizations

In relation to the above, younger demographics, such as Millennials and Gen Zers, tend to avoid spending time talking on the phone. Hotel mobile tech, like a branded mobile app, allows them to engage with your property’s staff without ever having to pick up the phone. According to a 2023 survey, 75% say talking on the phone is too time-consuming, and 64% avoid phone calls because they don’t want to interact directly with a person.

Keeping that trend in mind, if this type of guest needs to request additional items or wants to place an in-room dining order, picking up the phone to call the front desk might not be their first inclination. Providing guests with a branded mobile app allows them to request missing items, control the lighting and temperature system in their room, and place room service orders — all without having to make a phone call, which also saves your staff time in the process. Using a branded mobile app, guests can also monitor the status of their order just like they would on their favorite food delivery service app.

Promote Cardless Interactions

No one wants to carry around a debit or credit card on a casino floor if they can avoid it. Instead of insisting that customers carry their cards on them, consider adopting a cardless system that works with your branded mobile app. Stations Casino’s Cardless Connect system is a perfect example. Guests sign up for a “boarding pass” through the app, and as long as they’ve got internet access, they can play at their favorite gaming tables and machines without having to worry about chips, cards, or losing more money than they intended.

To learn more about creating a branded mobile app for your casino-hotel or other examples of mobile technology for hotels, request a demo.

January 26, 2021 by INTELITY

PM Network Magazine: Do Not Disturb

This article was originally published in PM Network’s January/February 2021 issue.

The road to recovery for the hotel sector is a long one. Travel screeched to a halt in the early months of the pandemic, with the average occupancy rate of hotels in mainland China falling to 7 percent in early February, according to STR. The data and analytics firm also reported that rates dipped below 30 percent in Europe in March. Rates were under 15 percent for luxury hotels in the U.S. during early May, typically a busy tourism period, according to McKinsey & Co.

Still, the sector has been abuzz with projects—from health and safety upgrades to the completion of new builds that had already been launched. Marriott alone opened more than 160 properties in 2020, and Hilton opened 60 hotels during the second quarter of the year. The bulk of these projects began two to five years before the pandemic hit, and many sponsors calculate that opening them to a lukewarm reception is still better than keeping them closed and enduring costly delays.

“I’m very optimistic that once these vaccines get distributed, people’s perceptions around travel are going to change toward the positive,” Zachary Sears, a senior economist at Tourism Economics, told CNBC.

No Reservations

As hotels continue to welcome guests, projects to improve health and safety protocols have become essential. In April, Hilton debuted CleanStay, a program to upgrade its sanitation. Marriott rolled out electrostatic sprayers with hospital-grade disinfectants. Choice Hotels established training for its franchisees and introduced on-demand housekeeping, prepackaged breakfast, hand-sanitizing stations and furniture arrangements that promote social distancing.

Technology, particularly that which can reduce the need for hotel staff and guests to interact, is proving valuable in widespread safety efforts. Demand has surged for products such as Intelity’s contactless guest services platform, which makes it possible for guests to use their mobile phones to message staff, order room service and unlock their rooms.

“Many hotels have known that they would eventually need a mobile app, but thought they could put it off for a few more years,” says Ira Dworkin, CTO for Intelity, Los Angeles, California, USA. “Now they’re asking us, ‘How soon can we get it running?’”

Project metrics—from number of users to revenue generated by in-room dining—are easy to track. For example, The George, a boutique hotel in Montclair, New Jersey, USA, that uses the Intelity platform, saw mobile check-in requests increase fivefold in 2020.

“With everything that we’ve seen and heard, it’s obvious technology that enables contactless service is skyrocketing among travelers during the COVID era,” Dworkin says.

April 23, 2020 by INTELITY

Why Mobile Check-In is a Necessity in the Age of Social Distancing

With the meteoric rise of contactless delivery and contactless payments, expect contactless check-in to become a key differentiator for hotels across the world.

In the midst of unprecedented uncertainty for many industries, one word has become a near-magical beacon to consumers that companies are taking health concerns seriously and are safe to interact with: contactless.

The restaurant industry is the best example. As a response to national restaurant closures and social distancing measures in early March, Postmates rolled out contactless delivery to all 4,200 cities they serve globally, with other delivery services like UberEats and GrubHub soon following behind with contactless strategies of their own. Individual restaurants and large chains alike are doing the same. When choosing between two restaurants, one that offers contactless delivery and one that doesn’t, the choice for consumers is clear. Safety first—and companies that can deliver it are gaining more than just business; they’re also gaining consumer trust.

The same phenomenon is sweeping grocery stores, as Instacart and AmazonFresh offer contactless delivery of grocery and store supplies. In many areas, delivery slots are filled almost as soon as they open, with supply unable to match demand. But it’s not just contactless delivery seeing a rise. When the country re-opens, ApplePay and Visa are also expecting a boom of contactless payments.

Overall, the more companies can reduce physical contact between them and their customers, the better. For hotels and resorts, that poses quite a challenge. Traditionally, one-to-one human contact has been the backbone of hospitality. A smiling face greeting guests at reception or delivering food to their door could be a difference-maker for satisfaction and reviews. But now, guests will be more concerned with safety than a warm welcome.

Last week, we highlighted five predictions from industry leaders about where hospitality is heading in light of the COVID-19 crisis. Three out of the five predictions centered around how hotels can make guests feel safe through technology and distancing strategies.

In the face of consumer demand and possible regulations for safety, limited contact will become a front-and-center piece of hospitality business strategies going forward. Technology like mobile check-in and mobile key, once regarded as luxury purchases, will become increasingly necessary for hotels and resorts of all sizes. Contactless check-in displays a clear commitment to guest safety, one that guests will trust to permeate every part of their stay.

As a result, expect contactless check-in to be a clear differentiator for booking, especially in the first few months of travel after stay-at-home orders are lifted. Eventually, it will likely be a standard option for guests at every property. Hotels that have measures already in place—or that start implementing them now—will see a greater share of bookings than those who do not.

Beyond limiting staff and guest contact, mobile check-in technology has clear benefits for hoteliers. Find out more from the mobile check-in one sheet.

Get the Mobile Check-In One-Sheet

Prefer to see mobile check-in up close? Request a demo to see how it can make a difference at your property.

April 7, 2020 by INTELITY

Recouping Losses from a Drop in Occupancy

Short-term and long-term strategies to future-proof properties and recoup hotel losses once travel resumes and the pandemic is contained

The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged the travel sector into a cloud of uncertainty. As the result of worldwide travel slowing to a near standstill, US occupancy rates have declined over 67% compared with the same time period last year, with average daily rates (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) seeing similarly drastic drops.

However, there is some silver lining. The hotel industry is cyclical and has shown its ability to come back from every major downturn it’s experienced in the past. Two relatively recent events, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the 2009 financial recession, severely impacted hotel ADR and RevPAR in a similar way to the current coronavirus outbreak. In both cases, though, these average performance metrics for hotels quickly rebounded and exceeded their pre-event levels as economies recovered and mass traveling resumed.

The strength of the hotel industry lies in coming together in the face of hardships, and this current situation is no exception. Here are some steps hoteliers can take — both today and in the future — to position themselves to recoup losses once travel and hospitality resume on a global scale:

Do Now

1. Stay top of mind by leveraging digital marketing channels.
People around the world are currently working from home and planning future aspirational travels. While working remotely, they are more likely to engage with digital advertising channels like email and social media. Hoteliers can keep their brands relevant through targeted messaging on these channels.

2. Email future-stay discounts to loyalty members.
Engaging with and showing appreciation to loyal guests through personalized discounts and offers can strengthen relationships with these valuable customers, further ensuring they remain repeat customers when they begin traveling again.

3. Offer direct booking perks and gift cards.
Gift cards and perks that can be redeemed for future stays provide ancillary revenue in the immediate while locking in future occupancy for the travel bounce-back. Restaurants, service providers, and other establishments are using similar methods to help lessen the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on their businesses.

4. Consider ‘staycation’ messaging and marketing promotions.
It is very likely that once daily life begins to return to normal, many people will be eager to get out of their homes, but may still be cautious about traveling on planes or to far-flung destinations. By targeting a local audience with staycation messaging, hoteliers can address short-term occupancy rates once social distancing measures are scaled back.

Future-Proofing Through Technology

From telemedicine to self-driving cars to remote work software, the coronavirus outbreak will undoubtedly lead to an increase in technology adoption across numerous industries. The same will hold true for hospitality technology; the outbreak is forcing hoteliers to re-think the role of technology in providing an optimal guest experience while ensuring the public health safety of staff and guests. In order to bounce back from the current occupancy drop and be best positioned for long-term success, hoteliers should consider investing in technology tools that:

1. Limit unnecessary guest-staff interactions.
While relationships with guests are at the core of nearly all hotels, future guests may want to avoid unnecessary face-to-face interactions, especially in the time immediately following a return to normalcy. Investing in technology such as mobile check-in and digital communication tools allows hoteliers to adapt to this new normal.

2. Capture more revenue from every booking.
Technology that drives additional revenue from each guest can help hoteliers accelerate the bounce-back from the coronavirus outbreak. For example, offering in-room dining through a mobile app or tablet can increase the average dining check size by up to 30% per order, and tools like digital storefronts unlock ancillary revenue streams by allowing guests to purchase the linens, pillows, and even wall art used throughout a property.

3. Maximize cost-saving opportunities.
In addition to increasing revenue, hospitality technology can also help properties save costs, primarily by automating many traditionally manual processes. By providing self-service tools to guests and capturing critical guest behavioral data, hoteliers can use technology to spend less and spend smarter.

These are challenging times for the hospitality industry, but past resilience has shown that hotels will bounce back from the current public health crisis. Implementing immediate and long-term strategies will become necessary as travelers change their habits in the face of changing norms. To learn more about how INTELITY’s solutions are built to maximize hotel ROI, schedule a demo with the INTELITY team today.

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