The latest developments in technologies are redefining the hospitality industry. The competition in the industry is fierce and hoteliers are trying new and creative ways of enhancing the guest experience, which, in turn, to bring higher customer loyalty and higher occupancy rates. Guests are becoming more and more tech-savvy expecting instant gratification – from the few clicks necessary to make a booking to the quick checkout. Here is why it comes as no surprise that hotel kiosks are the next big thing in the industry:
1. Make queues at the reception desk a thing of the past
Waiting in a queue at the reception on arrival is far from the perfect beginning of the holiday. It is more than clear that everyone would like to skip this very boring part of the stay, if possible. Actually, a hotel kiosk would help guests do just that. The check-in would become hassle-free and really convenient. Using the intuitive interface, you can quickly complete the check-in and get your room key card issued. Eliminating the stop at the front desk not only brings a speedy check-in, but also simplifies and personalize the whole process.
2. Boost revenue
More and more guests choose to use the self-service kiosks due to the benefits that come with it. Apart from skipping the waiting line at the reception desk, one gets to decide when how many times and when to use the kiosk. It is very convenient for making inquiries about amenities, various extra services, room upgrades, special promotions for regulars and various other hotel products. This is how hotels can use the kiosk capabilities to promote upsell upgrades and extra services significantly improving their bottom line.
3. Reduce costs
Another serious advantage of hotel kiosks is the cost reduction they bring. Many routine tasks otherwise performed by the reception desk may be left to a self-service kiosk – check-in, completion of guest registration cards, room key card issue. A key moment here is that your kiosk is to be well-integrated with the hotel's property management system. As a result, the hotel staff may focus their efforts on more important matters really requiring personal attention and thus considerably improve guest experience.
4. Prevent errors
No more misspelled guest names or wrongly allocated rooms. With the kiosk's automated check-in system, you can avoid all these errors, as well as the duplicated profiles. Letting guests themselves type in their personal details and preferences as part of the check-in reduces human errors to minimum. The entered data is directly sent to your PMS and information can easily be retrieved. For example, next time regular guest stays at your hotel, they can use the fast check-in option based on already stored guest profile data. You can even go a step further and make a nice surprise for the guest based on the data of their preferences. Everybody likes the personal touch.
5. Enhance customer experience and loyalty
Hardly is there any better foundation for building guest loyalty than the incredible guest experience. A kiosk connected to the whole property management system can take the guest engagement to the next level. Here is why a growing number of guests expect to find a kiosk at the hotel lobby and be able to control various aspects of their stay like check-in, extra services, payments, etc. from start to finish.
