Study shows mobile technology is dictating the experience guests expect and demand; Intelity is meeting those demands with mobile check in/out, mobile key and more
[Orlando, Fla. – September 13, 2017] — With the 2018 budget season quickly approaching, hoteliers need to evaluate their customers’ needs today to identify which technologies will help them engage with guests of tomorrow. Those who are unaware of what their customers will be expecting/demanding in the coming year should reference Hospitality Technology's 2017 Customer Engagement Technology Study. According to the 6th annual report, 57% of hotel guests are expecting/demanding mobile check out (but only 24% of hotels provide it), 54% are expecting/demanding mobile check in (but its only available at 35% of hotels), and 45% of guests are expecting/demanding a mobile key be sent to their smartphones so they can bypass long lines at the front desk (but that service is only available in 16% of hotels).
Meeting these specific demands is not as daunting as one may think. Today, a growing number of hotels worldwide are already meeting guests’ expectations/demands with the MiKEY module of the Intelity Guest Service Platform. MiKEY enables the Mobile Check-in, Mobile Check-out, and Mobile Key functionality that today’s hoteliers are looking for. Presented as a mobile app that is downloaded on a smart device (phone or tablet), guests can book a hotel, check-in remotely, skip traditional front-desk check in and use their smart device to securely unlock their room door. The Intelity MiKEY solution integrates with a hotel’s existing Bluetooth Low Energy door locks to streamline the check-in experience. The transmitted key code is safely stored in a key vault on the mobile app. When a guest arrives at his or her room door, they touch the MiKEY icon within the app, and their personal digital key information is transmitted via Bluetooth over a secure communication channel to unlock the door.
“Findings from this study show that more than three-fourths of consumers surveyed would like to use innovative and new technologies when interacting with hotels because they feel it positively impacts their overall experience,” said Gregg Hopkins, Intelity chief sales and marketing officer. “If the technology-driven service is delivered ‘seamlessly, flawlessly and friction-free at every touchpoint,’ it’s a win-win for guests and staff. The key to successful technology implementation stems from a proper balance between people, business process and technology. This balance is the fundamental core of the Intelity Guest Services Platform.
“Our solution facilitates mobile guest service when it’s wanted and enables personalized staff interaction when it’s not,” he said. “Hoteliers who will be budgeting for a hyper-mobile, personalized engagement strategy in 2018 will find that MiKEY equips them with the service platform their guests expect and demand, and their staff needs and appreciates.”
Guests Want Even More . . .
Hyper-connected guests are expecting/demanding even more mobile capabilities while on property. Here are a few mobile features guests say are important while on property, identified by the Hospitality Technology study, published with research support from UNLV's Willian F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration and Drake University:
- 62% of hotel guests say the ability to request services via their smart devices is important
- 55% would like to order room service, schedule a wake-up call or pay their bill via mobile means
- 52% think controlling the room (i.e. lights, drapes, temperature) via mobile device would be cool
- 42% want to see integration between their mobile device and the room TV
- 35% want to purchase merchandise using their preferred mobile payment method
Making room reservations via a personal mobile device is also a top priority according to the study, with 51% of travelers saying the ability to make reservations from their mobile device influences their booking decision. Good news for travelers, 86% of hotelier respondents said they are offering this capability today. Other top reservations/booking features that guests expect/demand include the ability to modify and manage existing reservations (46%), manage loyalty points (43%), search and find hotels using location-based integration (37%), complete guest satisfaction surveys (33%), and access property maps (30%).
Intelity Delivers on Demand
“Intelity has mobile solutions that provide two-way communication with guests along every step of their journey, including location-based technology for more targeted guest interaction; this is important, especially when 57% of study participants said they search for hotels with location-based integration and 35% are influenced to stay at a hotel with location-based marketing practices,” Hopkins said. “We also have solutions that enhance the in-room experience providing self-service room controls on a bedside tablet . . . solutions for the lobby that decrease demands on the front desk, such as kiosks that provide details on hotel services, area events and flight information . . . and solutions for the web that help hoteliers stay engaged with guests before, during and after their stays.
“Intelity also has mobile solutions for staff that enable them to communicate in real time via direct-to-guest messaging,” he added. “And, coming soon, we will have solutions for Apple TV that provide passive-to-interactive entertainment, including the ability for guests to access personal content via iTunes, Netflix, Hulu and other over-the-top services. So, while mobile technology continues to dictate the experience guests expect and demand, Intelity stands ready to deliver those experiences . . . flawlessly. If you are budgeting for mobile in 2018, budget for Intelity.”
