How Digital Technology is Shaping the Future of Our Hotels

The hospitality industry has not had it easy over the last few years. Hoteliers in particular, have faced an increasingly tough time. The challenges of hiring and retaining staff, rising costs of daily consumables and hikes in energy prices combined with the changes in consumer behaviour, hitting many operators bottom-line profits.

Whilst these challenges still remain, hoteliers are now also facing a further hurdle – that of digitisation.

It is recognised the hospitality sector has been a little slower to embrace newer technologies than other industries, however there is now a notable shift towards their adoption. Operators are beginning to recognise the potential of certain technologies and the role they can play in redefining and elevating a guest’s overall experience. This is allowing hoteliers to offer more tailored and personalised solutions, a powerful tool in their fight to stay ahead of the competition.

There is a vast amount of technology on offer; from Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms and keyless entry room systems to self-service kiosks and AI robotics. Each solution has the ability to bring its own range of benefits; not just to the customer but behind the scenes too, improving efficiency and reducing costs.??

Challenges of this New Technology????????

Unfortunately, this demand for innovation does however present its own set of obstacles. New technologies that are adopted need to be integrated into existing systems, and they need to work seamlessly to create a satisfactory guest experience. The more technologies that come on board, the greater the challenge to ensure they can all communicate efficiently with each other.

It is not uncommon to find that many hotels are actually still operating on legacy systems too, which are not compatible with the demands of cutting-edge devices and modern software.

Even newer systems can have their issues with integration due to the technologies storing data in different formats, the communication protocols of the assorted devices and contrasting technology standards amongst the varying forms of equipment. These factors make it increasingly difficult for programs to exchange information between them leading to congruency issues and ultimately resulting in poor user experience.

Solutions for Hotel Operators

Technology Powered Services (TPS) currently support thousands of hospitality users across the UK, through the design of bespoke infrastructure solutions capable of supporting new and emerging technologies.

Our experience within this field allows us to bring together the fundamentally different and often incongruous elements to create solutions that work and enhance the flow of digital information throughout the business.

We transform ideas into outcomes, delivering resilient, future-proof infrastructure services that optimise business performance. These solutions allow us to help hoteliers, and others within the hospitality sector, embrace this next generation of technologies that are set to shape the industry in a way previously unseen.

The following are just some of the digital innovations that we are supporting:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems

A good CRM system will allow hoteliers to harvest data about their guests preferences and movements around the facility during their stay. This can then be used, together with any historical booking data, to personalise a customer’s experience with the view of increasing sales and encouraging repeat business.

This style of profiling allows hoteliers to target specific guest segments to offer a more tailored and personalised experience; for example, providing customers who demonstrated interest in using the spa facilities with details of forthcoming ‘spa breaks.’

Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS)

Whilst EPOS systems have been around for a while now, later generations allow for a more streamlined experience and accurate reporting. The collection of valuable customer data can produce a range of statistics on sales, stock and guest purchasing preferences – information that can be used to inform future business decisions.

These versatile systems are also available with added features that can be integrated with marketing and payroll apps for enhanced capabilities or with CCTV for added security and theft prevention.

Mobile Check-Ins

In a survey conducted by travel industry news site, Skift, findings showed that travellers have a certain level of expectation when it comes to digital technology, particularly the process of checking-in and checking-out.

Guests no longer want to queue at reception or fill-out paperwork after their journey, preferring instead to perform these tasks on a contactless basis prior to their arrival.

The ability to offer mobile check-ins therefore has significant advantages, with over 70% of guests stating they are more likely to stay at a hotel that offers this style of system.

Self-Service Kiosks and QR Codes

The technology to order food and drinks at will within our hotel environments is allowing guests to take control over the pace of their visit. QR codes and self-service technology provide users with the ability to order what they want, when they want. This allows hoteliers to enhance the service experience for guests, whilst also freeing up staff time so that they are able to concentrate on other aspects of service, such as quality control or customer service delivery.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics

Whilst slow to be adopted by the UK hospitality industry, it is not uncommon to be greeted or served by a robot in more modern hotels and restaurants around the globe.? Their use however is not limited to this function. Robots are now being used to cook food, clear dishes and wash up, allowing hospitality providers to save as much as 70% on staff costs.

In a survey of American hoteliers, findings indicated that many businesses struggling with rising costs and the difficulties of hiring and retaining staff, would opt to replace up to 82% of their workforce with this emerging technology. As AI becomes more widely adopted, we are highly likely to see this becoming a consideration for UK businesses too.??

Voice-activated AI is also emerging as a positive way to collect customer feedback. Rather than waiting to speak to a member of staff, or leaving without saying anything, guests are invited to communicate with the hotel by leaving voice messages at varying touchpoints around the premises. AI software can then sift through this feedback in real-time to identify any key issues that require staff action.?????

Whether back-of-house technology such as CRM and EPOS systems or front-of-house solutions, including mobile check-ins, QR codes, self-service kiosks and the varying functions of AI robotics, these latest systems all share the same benefits - they improve efficiency, save on time and reduce costs.

Not only that but amongst today’s digital-savvy customers, these innovations have the ability to enhance the overall customer experience allowing guests a greater sense of independence. This ability to rethink and transform the customer journey through the use of self-service technologies, suggests that this latest digital shift is just the beginning. Could we see the time when a fully contactless experience becomes the norm?

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One thing is certain, hoteliers must embrace what their customers demand if they are to retain a competitive edge. The introduction of new technologies into existing businesses will undoubtedly involve overcoming a number of hurdles, however with the correct advice and support TPS can ensure your business has the agility to achieve this.

If you would like to discuss how our infrastructure solutions can help your hospitality business, please call a member of the team on 0161 660 9974 or email [email protected]

TPS (Technology Powered Services) has an industry wide reputation for delivering exceptional infrastructure, connectivity and technological solutions. The company also offers a comprehensive range of Break-Fix, Testing and Maintenance services including reactive 24/7 Engineer Call-Out with guaranteed response times.

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