Before COVID-19 hit, the lodging industry was beginning to recognize the power of technology in creating a smart, contactless experience for guests. Tech adoption has grown steadily but it has been hard to standardize hotel processes globally. For example, no single technology has emerged as the golden ticket to unlocking the check-in experience. To say that this is a difficult problem to solve would be to underestimate the complexity of hotel operations, the booking and the check-in processes.
In this changed world we are all realizing that tech is not just a nice addition to a hotel’s customer offering, it’s an essential component for the future of this industry. Without tech, we can’t move forward. As people travel, book hotels and eat out once more, they need reassurance that their experience will be safe. It’s clear that tech solutions will be at the heart of this recovery process.
Over the past five years there has been a huge change in terms of people using their phones for every type of activity. Food delivery, calling a car, reserving a table at a restaurant and checking into a flight. However, a frictionless hotel self check-in process that really works, removing the front desk, has alluded many. This area has become even more significant as hotels look at ways to renew guest confidence. Now more than ever, with the fear of contracting COVID, guests want to access their room on their own, avoiding touch points.