The evolution of check-in: kiosks, smart phone keys...
Do you sometimes feel like avoiding human interaction? You’re not alone! After a long day of meetings and a five-hour flight all I want to do is by-pass the hotel front desk and go straight to my hotel room to unpack, unwind and re-charge.
Many of the major hotels are finally embracing this concept. Giving hotel guests multiple options on how and when they check-in to the hotel and the extent to which they want any human interaction is making it closer to mainstream. And not without recognizing the loyal guests that we are, with all our personal preferences!
Just as the airlines, car rental companies, grocery stores, restaurants, amusement parks and my dry-cleaner have won me with a personalized service over the years.
What a world we live in!! We are finally catching up with Esurance Insurance, whose slogan is “Technology when you want it, People when you don’t”.
True, there are many organizations that feel traveling is such a lonely experience that not only is the hotel front desk the only human interaction we may get that day, but just the type of interaction we travelers want – and possibly the one chance the hotel will have to establish a “relationship” with its hotel guests. Hhhmmm… really?
Hoteliers are finally looking at ways to give their guests more ownership of their stay and their experience at the hotel - including the check-in process. Waiting in a very long, frustrating line to check-in at the hotel and get to your room should not be part of the “experience” you are required to enjoy during your hotel stay.
Fortunately we are finding many hotel chains experimenting with various offerings including kiosks, RFID key cards, smart phone applications and web-based applications.
Having this sort of self-service option will be a basic, if not mandatory requirement to the next generation of traveler. A generation who is growing up on a self-service approach and will make their buying choices on just this self-service concept.
RFID/Bar-code/Smart Phone/Web-based applications and/or mobile key cards allow a guest to check-in hours before their arrival or simply swipe a device mounted on the room door. Genius! The guests have an option to bypass the front-desk, receive an exceptional experience and the ability to get to the room instantly.
Many people long for the day they can take full advantage of all the technology available today across all channels; thus, making their life simpler and more efficient giving extra time for human interaction for when it counts.
