Enhancing the guest experience with humanisation

One thing for sure is that generic or impersonal hotel companies will struggle to survive.
Your hotel must have a personality that connects to both existing and prospective
guests. It’s a vital ingredient for travellers who are looking for a unique travel
experience. Obviously this personality must be conveyed via your staff and the property
itself.

Expanding guest convenience with hotel technology

1. Mobile Door Keys

Phones are replacing plastic cards as a way to access hotel rooms. All guests have to
do is download a mobile app and keep their phones or devices handy. Because key
cards have a history of being hit or miss this hospitality technology innovation elevates
the guest experience with a more convenient tool they are already accustomed to
using. 

2. Custom Travel Itinerary Apps 

Big hotel chains are getting into personalized tech, which includes tools that help
customers make more informed choices during their stay. These apps can list things to
do both on and offsite, create a nice visual of the itinerary, provide concierge-worthy
recommendations, and even serve as a direct booking platform for guest self-service. 

How to Use It: If live events are an important part of your marketing strategy, you can
easily promote your get togethers through your own itinerary app to fuel attendance. 

3.Customer Service Texting 

 Most guests (about 67% of them) would rather text strangers than call them. Which is
why customer  service messaging programs are trending in hospitality tech right now.
Brands like the Shangri-LA are already finding success with customer based texting
since its addition to their services only a few months ago. 

How to Use It: WiFi texting is great for hotels that accomodate mostly international
clientele. You can either adopt a popular third party service (like Shangri-LA did when
they chose to partner with WeChat) or add the feature to your hotel brand app. 

4. AI Virtual Agents 

Robots will not be replacing your front desk agents any time soon but they can offer
assistance for central reservations. The programs on the market today can
autonomously answer customer questions (with a high level of user satisfaction), reduce
labor associated with low ROI interactions, and help your team focus on revenue related
tasks. 
5. Personal Voice Assistant Usage 
If your rooms come with a voice assistant, you should consider allowing your guests to
use them in a new way – by connecting them to their own personal accounts. It’s a
move that has called data security into question in the past, but brands like  Westin say
the change has been a hit. 

6. 5G Connectivity 
Move over other high speed internet options, shiny new 5G is here and it’s ready to help
guests download content and transfer data exponentially faster than ever before. This
will become increasingly more important as hotels continue to adopt the latest
technology innovations like the ones mentioned above. And, it’s important to note, fast
internet is one of the biggest reasons hotels get (and keep) their 5 star reviews. 

7. Facial Recognition 

Facial recognition technology is being used to scan hotel guests’ faces and create
personalized room key cards. It makes checking in a lot faster (in 3 seconds some
reports say) and simpler for everyone involved. It can also be used to automatically
open doors and pay for amenities or services. 

8. Circadian Friendly Room Lighting 

What It Is: Natural light and blue light from devices directly affect our daily circadian
rhythms and our sleep quality. So it makes sense why hotel lighting options are now
being equipped with features like mobile task lights and other products that provide LED
bulbs (a key lighting component that promotes better sleep hygiene). 

9. Advanced Energy Management 

Hotels are turning to both hardware and software solutions to save energy costs for
things like heating, cooling, and electricity. Although energy management isn’t new, the
hospitality technology innovations we use to monitor, assess, and adjust it is. 

10. Real-Time Language Translation 

Guest communication is obviously important and sometimes you don’t always have
someone who can speak the right language available at the right time. Use real-time
voice translation tools to help guests on the spot with a little help from Google. 

11.Kiosk service

Hotel brands are taking advantage of more advanced automation, such as check-in
kiosks.The benefit of these self-service check-in kiosks is two-fold. It allows customers
to bypass the line. At the same time, it cuts labor costs for you.
House Keeping Control Desk:
 The Housekeeping control desk is the nerve centre of the Housekeeping
Department. 
 It is the one point contact for all Housekeeping activities which also controls, co-
ordinates and keeps a constant link among the various activities taking place at
different locations by Housekeeping staff. And also people associated with
Housekeeping within the Hotel premises.
 Coordinates with the Front office for room status. updation and sorting out room
discrepancy issues.
 Coordinates with the maintenance department regarding guest room
maintenance issues.
Registers / reports maintained in Housekeeping control desk:
Departure register:
To keep track of change of status of guest rooms from Dirty to Clean for re-selling.  It
also acts as a control book for Mini bar consumption checking in check out rooms.
Expected Arrival Register: 
Keep track of arrival of pre-registered guests as regards profile/VIP status, timing, pax,
any special request.
Room Status Report:
Shows the list of all room in the hotel with their current room status, ( Eg: Dirt Vacant,
Vacant Clean, Dirty Clean, OOO – Out of order, OOS – Out of service etc. )
Guest call Register:
To note down any relevant messages pertaining to guest rooms and adjoining areas.
E.g. Maintenance, requests, special instructions etc. It helps in keeping a track of the
completion of the activity and the duration of the same.
Note: Download sample call register tracking sheet.
Mini bar and Laundry Posting Reports:
Shows the list of postings / sales under the revenue head Laundry, Mini Bar, Dry
Cleaning Etc.
Control desk checklist:   
To keep track of all keys, key cards, “I need it now” cupboard items etc during
changeover of shifts.
Missing item Register:
Any item placed in guest rooms [other than consumable items] found missing in a
departure room is recorded in this Register after duly informing the Lobby Manager on
duty.
Breakage Register:
Any breakable item found damaged/broken or that opts damaged/ broken while
handling is duly recorded in this Register.
Lost and Found Register:
Any personal item/article of guest found anywhere in the Hotel premises is recorded in
this Register with the relevant details.

Cleanliness – it’s one of the most researched items when consumers are exploring
where to stay for business or leisure. It builds customer loyalty, generates positive
praise (via word of mouth and social media) and drives hotel profitability. Regardless of
property size, brand affiliation or location, cleanliness is an unwavering top priority for
hotel guests

#1 – Invest in Training = Invest in Employees

Staff training is crucial to improving housekeeping job performance. Hotels are increasingly

tapping the services of outsourcing agencies specializing in commercial cleaning to
instruct in-house housekeeping staff on how to implement safe and hygienic sanitization
practices as well as provide personalized service to guests.

An investment with cleaning specialists is an investment in the employees themselves

who are responsible for helping shape the highest levels of guest satisfaction

5 – Embrace Technology to Drive Efficiency

Adopting effective housekeeping technology solutions empowers staff to make

smart in-the-moment job decisions, increases employee productivity, and allows
hotels to optimize room inventory – ultimately raising guest satisfaction scores.

Maintaining information about the real-time status of rooms key.

Housekeeping must determine what rooms are to be cleaned in priority order,

Helps to make discrepancy report .

The right technology solution ensures enhanced communication between

housekeeping and the front desk and that accurate information is seen and then
shared all around so job responsibilities are flawlessly executed.