The hospitality industry has undergone a radical transformation in the last several years, driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic and technological innovation. Hotels, specifically, are now being retrofitted with technological enhancements that have dramatically altered how they interact with and serve their guests. This has been met with acclaim – with many guests proclaiming how efficient and effective it can be – with notable examples including Antamedia’s Digital Guide and Sojern’s HotelKey, to name a few.
One of the keys to realising the tangible benefits of both technological efficiency and guest satisfaction is to ensure each experience is as personalised and automated as can be. Automation in the hotel industry has gained significant traction, with 93% of hoteliers reporting efficiency improvements and 58% of guests appreciating AI-powered bookings. However, hotels can ill afford to overlook other benefits beyond efficiency and recognise how to make each guest receive a welcoming and tailored experience that meets their needs and contributes to an overall positive experience.
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With this in mind, it’s prudent to look at how personalising guest experiences with the help of automation technologies is possible and how effective it can be.
The technological evolution of guest experiences
When perusing hotels to stay in, many modern travellers expect more than simply a bed in a secure room. Depending on the extent of their travels and journeys, seamless, intuitive and personalised experiences help meet their needs, anticipating them before they even articulate them to the hotel. This shift is being accelerated by sophisticated technology that is enhancing every touchpoint of guests’ interactions with hotels.
Let’s explore how some of these touchpoints are being enhanced with the help of automation.
Check-in and check-out processes
Traditional front-desk interactions are rapidly being replaced by digital check-in processes. Many hotels are now implementing smart technologies within self-service kiosks and mobile check-in systems to allow guests to bypass queues, reduce wait times and provide instant room access. For example, guests can now complete their entire check-in process through a smartphone app, receiving digital room keys that can be used directly from their mobile devices.
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By GlobalDataThey can even enter a unique access code to enter car parks, with modern garage doors now intrinsically linked to smart infrastructure to open automatically once the system has validated who is trying to enter, seamlessly matching their vehicle registration plate with the hotel booking reference.
These automated systems do more than simply expedite administrative processes. Upon check-in, guests might receive personalised recommendations based on their booking history, such as preferred room locations, dining suggestions, or local experiences that match their previous preferences. Therefore, this integration allows hotels to make more bespoke, tailored suggestions for guests before they’ve even set foot on the premises.
Smart room technologies
Hotel rooms are evolving into modern, contemporary, and intelligent spaces that can adapt to individual guest preferences. They can now enter rooms where the temperature, lighting, and ambience are remotely controlled, with even electric blackout blinds now being adjusted and triggered to guests’ ideal settings. Many hotels now offer guests the ability to customise their room environment through integrated smartphone apps, allowing them to make adjustments before they even arrive with their luggage.
These aren’t just technological quirks, but genuine improvements to the everyday guest experience which provide a sense of personal control and convenience.
Personalised service requests and communication
Automation has transformed how guests make service requests in hotels. From AI-powered chatbots and 24/7 messaging platforms to intuitive deep-learning mechanics that learn from previous interactions, guests can achieve a service like no other. Whether they need additional towels, room service, or a specific type of food, guests will find these preferences memorised and proactively addressed with smart hotel technology.
Real-time personalisation
Data analytics and AI are vital in creating personalised experiences. By analysing guest booking histories, previous interactions with hotels, social media and booking preferences, hoteliers can make their service offerings highly targeted and bespoke.
This may include customised welcome amenities, targeted room upgrades, personalised dining recommendations and carefully curated local experience suggestions.
Operational efficiency meets guest satisfaction
While guests get to experience seamless interactions and recommendations, hotels benefit from tremendous operational efficiency improvements. With automated systems for:
- Housekeeping scheduling
- Planned preventative maintenance
- Inventory management
- Delivery logistics
- Rotas and schedules
Hotels can witness improved staff productivity, reduced operational overheads and enhanced guest satisfaction, all directly impacting the bottom line.
Security and contactless technologies
The pandemic accelerated the adoption of contactless and wireless technologies in hospitality, an industry that was arguably the most dramatically affected by forced closures and stay-at-home orders. However, with these now consigned to history, contactless technology benefits extend far beyond the preservation of guest health.
Contactless technology powers automated check-ins, keyless room entry and exit, and communication channels between hotels and guests, without compromising guest safety and autonomy. What’s more, many advanced hotel security systems now incorporate AI-powered surveillance and enhanced threat detection on WiFi networks, ensuring guest and network safety while minimising the risk of intrusion.
The future of hospitality: Continuous innovation
The hotel industry is at a critical point where technology can prove to be a continual integral part of business operations. According to recent market research, investments in hotel and hospitality technology are expected to grow dramatically, with automation and AI technologies expected to exceed £1.2 billion by 2026.
Hotel groups are already demonstrating impressive integrations, with Hilton’s AI-powered round-the-clock robot concierge, Marriott’s personalised room environments, and many boutique hotels implementing hyper-personalised welcome experiences being some of the most noteworthy examples.
It’s fair to say that automation is far removed from what it once was – a trendy technological buzzword. It now represents a fundamental shift in how hotels conceive and deliver memorable, positive guest experiences. Embracing these innovations and integrating them methodically into their operations will allow hotels to create more engaging, efficient stays for their guests that tick all their boxes as far as expectation is concerned.
The hotels that thrive with innovation in tow are those that view technology as a powerful augmentation tool to enhance their operations and keep customer service at the forefront. As the industry evolves, automation and personalisation will remain vital differentiators in a competitive hospitality market.
About the author: Annie Button is a freelance writer based in the UK. She specialises in business development, sustainability, digital trends, marketing, and HR.
