A study shows hotels adding mobile tablets to guestrooms can boost satisfaction by 47 points and those featuring a mobile app can drive approval ratings by 58 points
2018 is shaping up to be a pretty good year. A recent article published by Lodging magazine reports that “across the board, hotels are making their guests happier than ever.” Citing results from a newly released J.D. Power 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index study, “overall satisfaction for the industry increased eight points to 825 on a 1,000-point scale.” Guestroom technology is one contributing factor to hotel-stay happiness. A significant finding in this study, Lodging reports, is that guest satisfaction can rise by as much as 47 points when a hotel provides an in-room tablet. Hotels offering a mobile app can achieve a 58-point approval increase.
“INTELITY has always been a forward-looking company,” said David Adelson, INTELITY chief executive officer. “Back in 2010, we were the first hospitality company to introduce a guest-service mobile app and an in-room tablet. These tools make it possible for travelers to engage with a hotel before, during and after their stays. It’s gratifying to see that these mobile technologies continue to drive guest satisfaction. Both the mobile guest app and in-room tablets are growing in demand daily across the globe for their ability to keep hoteliers connected to their guests, and vice versa.
“Our customers tell us that their guests appreciate INTELITY’s mobile app and in-room tablets because both provide an efficient way to interact with the hotel,” Adelson said. “As operators, they enjoy being able to offer the conveniences of technology without compromising their high standards of service. Today, 90% of guests are using ICEbedside when provided, of whom 75% are using it to order room service. On average, customers report that checks have increased by 12% from upselling through the digital in-room dining menu presented on INTELITY’s in-room tablets.”
Early Adopter Says ICE is Nice
When Stephen Johnston, managing director and general manager of the Boston Harbor Hotel, heard about the mobile guest app after its initial launch, he said he was skeptical. From increased revenue and guest satisfaction to a stronger ability to communicate with hotel guests, it sounded too good to be true. Understanding the growing importance for weaving technology into the guest experience, Johnson and his hotel’s management team knew that hospitality technology was no longer a “nice to have,” but rather a “must have.”
“When INTELITY was first presented to me years ago, I was intrigued because at the time the Boston Harbor Hotel did not fully utilize technology, and we were looking for new ways to do so,” Johnston said. “After installing INTELITY’s in-room tablets and launching the mobile guest app, any doubts have more than dissipated. The numerous benefits realized through the use of the platform surpassed expectations.
“We listen to our guests a lot and value their feedback,” he said. “We’re very engaged as a Forbes Five-Star hotel. Since we added the hotel tablets to the rooms, I have received so many positive comments from our guests. Guests appreciate this new and efficient way to interact with the hotel, and we enjoy being able to offer the conveniences of technology without compromising our high standards of service.”
Johnston said about 80 percent to 90 percent of guests use the mobile guest app and in-room tablets as the primary method of placing requests and communicating with hotel staff. Both tools offer a new interactive guest experience. In addition, in-room print costs have decreased by 90 percent.
Satisfaction Spreading Across the Globe
INTELITY’s guest technology is also enabling the Rancho Santana in Nicaragua to more efficiently share and update information about on-site activities, amenities, events, pricing and marketing promotions. Resort guests and residence owners are receiving important notifications without stopping by the front desk.
“With the mobile app and in-room tablets, we have one space we can constantly keep updated and don’t constantly waste so much paper,” said Stephanie Judge, the hotel’s marketing and administrative specialist. “Guests really like being able to see the information and not have to come to the concierge to get it. Because our property is so large, it might be a drive for a guest to get to the concierge. Instead, they can just pull up information right on the in-room tablet or their phone.”
Rancho Santana’s staff are also benefiting from these mobile guest-satisfaction and engagement tools. Receiving guest requests directly through the Request Manager module of INTELITY’s back-end system has increased accuracy, as staff is no longer required to manually record requests. Members of staff also don’t have to field as many questions from guests about basic information that is now entirely housed on the in-room tablets and app.
“Since implementing these INTELITY technologies, I stayed at a 5-star luxury hotel in Orlando and was able to experience the mobile guest app and in-room tablets as a guest,” Judge said. “It was cool to see that our coastal hotel is in the same league as other prestigious 5-star properties as far as being progressive with technology. It was fun to see other creative ways to use this technology to improve the guest experience and I have new ideas for how we can use it in the future.”
