Blog Assignment # 3The Electronic Guestroom
Hospitality Upgrade Magazine
Inge, Jon (2006, March).
The electronic guestroom. Retrieved
October 8, 2007 from , Web site:
http://www.hospitalityupgrade.com/_magazine/magazine_Detail.asp?ID=56
Summary:In today’s hospitality industry, hotel guests push for user-friendly technology that not only enhances their experience, but also blends comfort with convenience.
Guestroom electronics range from audio/visual entertainment, flat-screen televisions and surround-sound to iPod connections, mini-bars, electronic do-not-disturb indicators and intelligent thermostats. A simple television and stand are no longer acceptable, a soda-filled refrigerator is of the past, and wireless internet is not an amenity, but rather a necessity.
Entertainment in the room now involves pay-per-view movies, games, iPod connections and flat-panel displays. These flat-panel displays are equipped with laptop connections and high-speed internet; however they are usually in awkward positions. Considering that most displays are wall units, hotels can also utilize stand-alone guest workstations. These workstations can be utilized as a display for a laptop or for access to the internet and “hotel-specific” information. Guests could potentially make restaurant reservations, enter wakeup calls, access the concierge, view folio information, create and print documents, etc, all at one workstation.
Phones are also changing their technology to focus on guests. They could be a VoIP unit or just a “multipurpose control” unit that is touch-screen, and allows for access to weather, sports, travel conditions, events and restaurants. For group meetings, display icons could be used to pertain to a particular guest’s group, which could tell them who has arrived, the agenda for a meeting and directions to the conference rooms.
Mini-bars are centrally managed, allowing hotels to record real-time activities, charge the guests folio automatically, check expiration dates of food and drinks, give “drink-mix discounts (e.g. charging a lower price if both gin and tonic water are removed,)” and notifying the staff to only bring certain items needed for restocking instead of wasting time and labor on manual inventory or every room.
In-Room safes are also changing their features, by coming in different shapes, sizes and varieties. They many include a power supply inside to charge laptops and cellular devices; and the usual pin-code entry may be replaced with “fingerprint recognition” or “swiping the guestroom keycard.”
Reflection:
The technologies the article described are certainly one-of-a-kind and attractive to tech-savvy individuals. However, if one guestroom contains all these amenities and technologies, I’d hope they would not confuse the guest. Of course, some of them aren’t even tangible, but many of the devices require some previous knowledge and older guests may not be too eager to use them. Despite the risk of being non-user-friendly, these technologies are a great way for a hotel to gain competitive advantage. They can increase revenues; put guests in full control of their stay with the guest workstations; and improve upon guest satisfaction with the customized room temperatures, safes and more. Overall, I agree with the usage of such technologies in guestrooms. The hotels just have to properly manage their networks, bandwidth use, and convergences between these systems to eliminate overlapping, overspending and more importantly, overwhelming the guest.
6 comments:
Making technology as easy and accessible for the guest as possible is becoming a big plus for hotels. The guest workstations from this article are a prime example of how a guest can do everything they need to do at one place. Instead of having to go to the front desk or business center to print or check on their bill they can access it all in their rooms. The new phones are also an amazing asset for the hotels. When guests have the ability to check the weather and do so much more on their room phones they enjoy the experience much more. With the new technology for the mini bars like the summary said they cut down on labor because the system already lets the hotel know what exactly needs to be restocked. Also since they are automatically and easily charged to the guests folios it is much harder for guests to steal from the bar.
The new technology is definately setting these hotels up with a competitive advantage. It is great that the guest will be able to do so many things from their room, much like the ammenities in their home. It is greating going to decrease the amount of labor for the staff. I do agree that as many older consumers are unfamiliar with this new technology, hotels are going to need to be careful as to how they implement the technology.
By providing many high-tech amenities, such as those mentioned in this article, traveling becomes so much more attractive. It also provides guests the reassurance that their stay will be a comforting one. I really liked the idea of power supplies inside of safes. It leaves guest with a sense of relaxation to know that their valuables are safe from theft. Workstations would also be a great addition in rooms for providing convenience to guests. To be able to have everything available with the touch of a button would be a great advantage for hotels, but would require complex systems and expenses. Although this may be very difficult to implement in hotel rooms, it is definitely something to image and set goals toward.
I think these new technologies will give hotels a certain competitive advantage. However, hotels still must be constantly searching for new innovative ideas. Hotels that implement these new technologies I’m sure will be favored more by guests as opposed to hotels are not carrying these new technologies. I do worry that not all guests will be able to use these technologies. Some may find them to be too confusing. I think that is an important point for managers to keep in mind so that there investments pay off.
It is an interesting article, and I believe you make appropriate comments in your reflection. I do think that the technology will become more and more necessary for guests as we become more dependent on technology as a society. Personally, the nicest hotel room I have ever stayed in (and probably the most expensive) was loaded with all types of new and amazing technology. I was having a ton of fun with my brother and sister just checking out the room and playing with all the high tech gadgets. There also seems to be technology which is expected to be in rooms (that serves as a standard), and then theres the technology which is above and beyond, which creates for a unique experience, and thus provides for a competitive advantage. I also feel that expensive, refined, and classy technology serves essentially as luxurious amenities, which typical guests are sure to appreciate.
I think that these new amenities really enhance the guest experience, but there is always the risk that they will confuse the guest as well. High-tech products & amenities in a guest room must be user-friendly and easily used. Also, there is always the risk that they may be stolen from the room. This may raise the cost of the technology, but overall I feel that this technology does more help than harm for the hotels.
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