The majority of hotel guests are used to accessing certain pieces of technology when they arrive for a stay, from the TV in their room to the card that acts as a key. However, the functionality and services that visitors enjoy could be about to increase significantly as the tech that’s characterising our everyday lives makes it into the hospitality industry.
There are lots of examples of brand new tech that could be incorporated into rooms, lobbies and other parts of hotels – and with prices becoming accessible, hoteliers are sure to want to bring them in so they can provide the best possible experience for their customers. Let’s take a look at some of the phenomena that might soon be as ubiquitous as the TV and mini-fridge.
Automated smartphone-based services
Smartphones have rapidly become hugely important across the globe, with recent research from the GlobalWebIndex suggesting that 80 per cent of online adults now own one. Among smartphone users, three-quarters are accessing mobile internet services through their devices. If people are so used to doing everything from ordering takeaways to paying for goods on their phones, shouldn’t hotels be responding to this? Over the coming years, guests are likely to be able to perform ever-more tasks this way, including checking in. Indeed, it has been suggested that the room key will be phased out soon in favour of using a smartphone instead.
Virtual reality
VR is a phenomenon that people have longed for since the 1980s, but it is finally coming into its own thanks to developments in technology to support it. Perhaps hoteliers will be able to provide this service to their guests in order to allow them to explore as soon as they’ve checked in. For example, they could learn about local attractions and find directions from their rooms, without having to queue up and wait for the concierge. They could even be met by a virtual member of staff as they enter, something that could be ideal for night-time arrivals.
The Internet of Things
A new report from Verizon and ABI Research estimated that the number of different devices connected to the internet could rise to 5.4 billion by 2020 from 1.2 billion in 2014, with manufacturers keen to make everything from washing machines to heating smarter. There are obvious benefits to hoteliers for capitalising on this in terms of improving guest services. For instance, the hotel minibar could be re-stocked as soon as the refrigerator recognises that it is low on a particular product, while the air conditioning could come on as soon as the room temperature goes above a certain level. There is even the possibility of new towels being sent from an IoT-enabled bathroom if the rail gets empty.
High-tech sound systems
Traditionally, hotels have been known for being quite noisy places as guests turn on their TVs and listen to music with scant regard for those around them. There is also usually music piped in to public areas such as lobbies. However, new technology could revolutionise noise levels and solve this problem, making for a better stay for everyone. High-tech new systems are being created with speakers that only send sounds to one listener, rather than everyone in a room. Hoteliers could make the most of this by offering guests particular music while they enjoy the gym, or asking them their preferences as they enter the bar. Of course, putting them as standard in rooms would also mean guests are as quiet as can be when they retire.
Universal charging points
Many locations now offer people the chance to charge their smartphones and tablets while on the go, with airports a prime example. However, this can result in crowding around a particular space and a mess of cables. One new form of technology coming in that could get around this is the idea of any flat space being adapted to become a universal charging point, such as coffee tables. If hotels were to implement this, guests could get their phones charged as soon as they are put down in rooms or lobbies, meaning they won’t miss out on any important services because of a flat battery.
Drones
Drones have proved to be controversial thus far due to privacy and security fears, but people are slowly coming around to their existence and range of potential uses. It could be that they prove to be helpful tools for hoteliers in future, by providing services that would free up a human member of staff. One example could be using the robots to deliver parcels or towels to individual rooms, or even fixing anything that has broken on the outside of the building, such as satellite dishes. They might also offer functionality for hoteliers looking to better market their hotels, such as by taking photographs of exterior views for online brochures.
There are clearly lots of new burgeoning technologies out there and it will be interesting to see how many of them make their way into hotels in the coming months and years.
