Op-Ed: Most guests want contactless check-in
Brendon Granger: Here's why, it's good for them and good for hotels
Nobody likes to queue. And that’s certainly true for hotel guests — particularly at check-in when they’re tired, possibly jet-lagged, and eager to get to their rooms.
Of course, for hotels, minimising those queues isn’t always easy during busy periods, or when they’re dealing with staff shortages. Which is where contactless, pre-arrival technology can help.
How contactless tech improves the guest experience?
Pre-arrival check-in is now commonplace at most airports, but the hotel industry has been slow to catch up. That’s despite the fact that, according to recent research, 73 percent of travellers want to use their mobile to manage their hotel experience, including checking in and out.
So how does pre-arrival technology work for hotels?
Around 48-hours before arrival, a hotel sends the guest a link that lets them check-in on their mobile device. Typically, the guest just needs to provide photo ID, their credit card details and then sign a digital registration card.
There are no downloads and the whole process takes around two minutes. So, on arrival at the hotel, the guest can simply grab their key from the front desk and head straight to their room.
Big benefit to hotels
For hotels, pre-arrival check-in platforms reduce contact time at the front desk — typically from five minutes to less than one minute. And as a result, that can cut down front desk workload by up to 50%. But there are other benefits, too.
Platforms like ‘Canary Contactless Check-In’ let hotels offer customised upsells, such as early check-in, or a bottle of wine in the room, all before a guest arrives. Aside from an additional revenue opportunity, this early engagement can help hotels build rapport with guests and tailor their stay experience in a way that might not have happened during a busy traditional check-in.
In addition, some hotels are introducing key dispensers to complement mobile check-ins. In a typical scenario, a guest that has checked in prior to arrival is issued a QR code. When they arrive at the hotel, they simply scan the QR code on a digital console to receive their key — a truly contactless experience.
Give guests the choice
Most hotel guests want a faster and more seamless check-in. But the kind of experience I’ve described above won’t be for everyone, which is why offering a traditional check-in process is still important.
Ultimately, a pre-arrival check-in should support (not replace) what most hotels offer today. But if rolled out effectively, it can relieve the burden on your front desk team, reduce admin and paperwork, and turn what is often a transactional process into a more welcoming and personal guest experience.
Article originally published HERE
With a great passion for all things hotels, but in particular technology and a desire to help others his role as director at Technology4Hotels allows him to do both. Brendon has worked with hundreds of hotels to help them with their in-room technology. In the last few years he has helped them to increase guest satisfaction, strengthen guest loyalty and encourage repeat bookings as well as win awards such as the best business hotel, best city hotel, best upscale hotel and best luxury hotel in Australasia. Always going the extra mile, Brendon began his hospitality career over twenty five years ago working in 5 star hotels whilst completing his Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management. He has held various management positions within 5 star hotels, worked as a consultant in both hotel feasibility and technology and has an extensive background in hotel technology.
