Hospitality Technology conducted a study in 2021 that aims to discover the hospitality customers’ expectations and needs from technology. In addition to free and fast Wi-Fi, polled customers had requirements regarding other hospitality services driven by technology. The summary and percentages are listed below.
- 55% of the customers wanted content streaming technologies or smart TVs in their hotel rooms
- 34% of the customers need to control in-room amenities such as lights, thermostat and TVs via mobile phone app
- 31% of the customers reported they would like to use a voice-controlled device in the hotel room.
In addition to the survey, HT asked industry experts to share their views on the development of hospitality technology, and the possibilities hotel stays might offer. You can find more details in their article: The 2022 Guest Room Experience: What a Guest Wants, What a Hotel Needs.
What do hospitality industry experts say about Wi-Fi and Internet?
Hospitality Technology interviewed industry experts, including CEOs, general managers, analysts and products officers. They all agree that delivering fast, free and unlimited Internet connection to hospitality customers is essential for hotels to prosper and meet their clients’ needs.
According to Grant Harland, hotels that don’t meet their guests’ internet needs risk missing out on large amounts of revenue. Paul Andrew reported that Shepard’s Beach Resort significantly improved its customer relations after contracting with Hotel Internet Service. Gary Patrick pinpoints the correlation between incorporating in-room IoT devices and fast internet connection. Tammy Estes shared his view on how important implementing bandwidth management technologies is, while Kara Heermans focused on hotel internet security.
InnSpire CEO Martin Chevalley says that fast and reliable Wi-Fi is not only mandatory, but it’s not enough anymore. According to him, hotels should implement innovative solutions allowing their guests to connect their mobile devices to the network automatically and effortlessly when they arrive at the premises.
What do hospitality industry experts say about in-room IoT devices?
Another topic of interest was the rise of in-room IoT devices. Various experts contributed to the discussion by emphasizing the importance of meeting customers’ expectations by replacing manual technologies with IoT devices.
Andy Abramson commented that IoT sensors help remove unnecessary friction between guests and hotel staff. According to David Goldstone, they also allow hoteliers to detect in-room dysfunctions and broken amenities quickly by remote monitoring and to achieve their sustainability initiatives, such as reducing energy consumption. Kris Singleton shares that hotels should invest in simple-to-understand in-room devices that don’t require a powerful internet connection.
What do hospitality industry experts say about using guest mobile devices in hotels?
The two most significant advantages of hotel mobile and web apps for guests’ mobile phones are the inexpensive initial investment (you don’t have to purchase hardware) and the ability to transfer the guest room experience outside the room.
InnSpire CEO Martin Chevalley says that in addition to those benefits, hotel apps can be used to make requests, report issues, and even upsell before arrival. You can use them to offer new guests to enjoy a drink upon arrival at their room or upgrade a standard room to a suite.
What do hospitality industry experts say about streaming services?
According to Andy Abramson, hotels should focus on providing their guests with the opportunity to stream their own content, rather than live TV or available on-demand selected by the hotel. In addition, streaming services are not only used for entertainment but also online business meetings and conferences. Gary Patrick adds that hotels should use user-friendly and intuitive platforms that will not cause friction for customers.