Driving Change in the Lodging Industry with Technology

Last week we covered the Food and Beverage industry and how the kiosk technology is having a positive impact. This week we are going to dive into the Lodging Industry, one of five sectors that make up the hospitality industry.

The lodging industry is a huge business and consists of hotels, motels, resorts, chalets or any option that is providing you with a room and a bed to sleep in – for business, adventure, vacation or just getting away.

Travel (business or for vacation) used to be pretty much the same experience for everyone – you called, made a reservation, arrived and then checked in. From there all needs, requests and questions went through the front desk. The shift in experiences has been occurring for the last 20 years driven in part by technology and different customer expectations.

Today, you can tour not only your room, but the entire hotel or resort, ask question and have them answered by chat bots, reserve the stay and pay without talking to a single person all from your phone or computer.

Technology is changing, for the better, the lodging experiences by being more personalized while using data to better understand the needs and expectations of the guests.

The end results are to create experiences that cater to the guest and to also create a memorable stay that is shared with friends and family through other technology and social channels.

8 technical advances in the lodging industry

Data and Analytics
The ability to capture, analyze and then act upon data is key to understand your guests, their needs and creating experiences that meet their expectations.

Self-Service Kiosks
Within the lodging industry, the kiosk has so many different uses – check-in, ordering food and beverages, checking events, checking out and much more. The kiosk experience is also a data collection device that can streamline operations.

Gamification
People love the elements of games and gamification with include gaining rewards, scoring points, competition with others. With gamification, you can add incentives to keep people coming back and engaged.

Video/Virtual Reality
The ability to showcase your establishment via video and virtual reality are important in setting exceptions and getting your guest excited for what they can experience.

Chatbots
Deliver experiences, engage and automate some functions that frees up staff to really focus on the guest and the customers.

Mobile Apps and Location Based Services
Both of these work hand-in-hand to create experiences based on your location and delivering content that augments your stay.

Mobile Check-in/Digital Keys
Going keyless is another part of the contactless experience that guest are expecting as part of their experience.

IoT and Smart Rooms
The IoT provides solutions that really personalize the guest experiences the minute they enter their rooms.

The brands that make the digital transformation are the brands that will meet and exceed the expectations of customer and will give them a competitive advantage. Technology will be at the center of that transformation

Technology is driving a lot of change in the lodging industry and the key to implement the right changes with technology that meet and exceed the expectations of your guests.

Next week will tackle the Recreation & Entertainment Sector.

Articles in this series

The Intertwined Intricacies of the Hospitality Industry
Kiosk Technology in the Food & Beverage Industry

EZ-Chow has solutions such as an Online Ordering Solutions and Self-Ordering Kiosk Solutions that integrate into your existing POS systems. To learn how EZ-Chow can help you with these initiatives and more, get started by contacting us here.

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