Technology has been the catalyst of revolution in the hospitality industry. The use of technology became a prerequisite for operations of hotels in the pandemic. However, what started as a last resort to continue business has now become a necessity. Hoteliers and guests both have now experienced the value the technology brings to the service of the hotels and therefore, technology has become a priority in the hospitality industry.
The hotels already in operation are finding more ways to incorporate technology in their existing infrastructure, which can prove to be a challenge for hoteliers as it may require a major overhaul of the technology infrastructure. But this provides a great opportunity for New Hotels to plan for the future.
New Hotels can futureproof their properties by integrating technology while laying down the IT infrastructure when the hotels are being built. This gives those hotels an edge in the market over older hotels lacking technology in their infrastructure.
Here are some technologies that hotels being built can incorporate while laying their IT infrastructure, so that they can provide the best guest technology experience to their guests from the get-go:
Smart Hotel Rooms
Smart hotel rooms use technology to customize room settings as per the requirements of the guest. This includes providing a console to guests from which the thermostat and lighting of the room can be controlled. Similarly smart rooms provide the guests with smart screens, which users can use to stream content through their own devices.
Voice Recognition Services
Voice recognition technology has progressed leaps and bounds over the last few years. Services such as Alexa and Siri are part of many households today. The same can be implemented in hotels today, rooms can be equipped with voice recognition software to control various appliances and gadgets in the room. This can enhance guest satisfaction immensely.
5G / Wi-Fi 6 Connectivity
Internet speed is one of the key factors in guests rating for the hotels. With the implementation of 5G connectivity hotels can provide super-fast internet speeds for its guests. Similarly, Wi-Fi 6 is the newest standard of Wi-Fi which is much faster than previous standards and is ideal for areas with high traffic density and multiple devices making it perfect for hotels.
Cloud Based Property Management System
Property Management Systems (PMS) are an integral part of hotel management. With the advancement in technologies, now most advanced cloud-based PMS are available. New Hotels can implement these advanced PMS to better manage their properties and gain an edge over hotels still using legacy PMS.
Digital Concierge / AI based Chatbots
Instead of contacting the front desk for every query, hotel rooms can be equipped with digital concierges or AI based chatbots to answer queries of guests. These can be integrated into tablets equipped with hotel rooms or can be cloud based that can be accessed via the hotel’s app.
Cyber Security
With the use of technology, the need for cybersecurity is of paramount importance. New hotels need to ensure that proper measures are taken to ensure cyber security and proper protocols are implemented. Similarly, cyber security experts must be taken on board to ensure that a proper system of cyber security is in place.
Conclusion
Technology is at the forefront of guest satisfaction in the hospitality industry, with hotels finding it difficult to keep pace with the new technology trend. New hotels have the opportunity to design their technology infrastructure in accordance with new technologies and guest technology expectations. This will allow the properties to raise the level of guest satisfaction to the new levels.
Kazim Raza Ahmed is Research Analyst and Content Strategist at Advanced Hospitality Technologies, A pioneering IT Solutions partner in the hospitality industry. Being a content creator Kazim is dedicated to publishing material keeping pace with the rapid technological developments in the hospitality industry.
