For many hoteliers, 2022 will most certainly be a year of experimenting, both with new technology and with current technologies that have found new uses. The sudden conclusion of the previous business cycle, caused by the introduction of COVID-19, shows that industrial visitors want greater flexibility in the check-in procedure. Traveler interest in mobile check-in was growing prior to the epidemic, but it is now practically required to obtain highly competed bookings. Unfortunately, many hoteliers that want to offer the service are hesitant because of misunderstandings regarding the technology. Here’s my attempt to debunk some of them.
- Mobile check-in necessitates a complex and existing technological infrastructure:
You don’t have to be a huge, branded hotel to distract people from the front desk and speed up the check-in process when exploring alternative check-in technology. Any property, regardless of hotel segment or independent classification, can easily implement mobile check-in if the technology is supported by the hotel’s property-management system provider, either through a proprietary application or through a third-party integration with industry leading providers.
- To enable mobile check-in, the hotel must have a branded app:
The most frequent approach for hotels to manage mobile guest bookings is with a branded smartphone app, however, there are ways for customers who do not want to download another app. Hotels that do not have an app can send messages directly to guests via the PMS, reminding them to stop by the front desk and pick up a key on their route to their room. As a result, even hotels that do not want their visitors to have to download an additional app, or those with a limited technological budget, may benefit from mobile check-in.
- Mobile check-in should be available only at hotels that cater to youngsters, such as Millennials:
The goal of this technology is to provide visitors more options so that they may travel on their own terms, mobile check-in is appropriate for all travelers, regardless of the sorts of hotels they choose. Some hotels have been misled into believing that this technology would be utilised exclusively by younger generations of visitors and so is not worth the effort. The truth is that today, anyone with a mobile device may be interested in mobile check-in. After all, even the most extroverted of tourists may experience safety worries.
- Mobile check-in is extremely costly:
Since its beginnings, mobile check-in has been considered a tool for major chain hotels that are supported by huge brands and can withstand the complexity of such a service. It is actually false. The added expenses associated with mobile check-in are negligible as compared to the utility they provide, and installation costs are considerably lower if hotels opt not to invest in BLE door locks. Advances in technology and implementation are making mobile check-in more affordable for everyone, even independent hotel owners, and leveling the playing field with bigger properties across the board.
- With mobile check-in, guest engagement levels fall:
To some extent, it might be claimed that some aspects of guest engagement would vanish when hotels implement mobile check-in. However, operators must keep in mind that many guests just do not desire a self-service stay.
- When hotels provide mobile check-in, they miss out on revenue opportunities:
Operators may use these technologies to help them upsell rooms, add amenities to bookings, and more, or they can give a more extensive check-in experience for each visitor, helped by mobile bookings. This technology has had a significant influence on the business since it can be used by anybody with a mobile device, allowing operators to quickly tailor the check-in experience to each particular guest’s preferences.
Don’t let any myth stop you and your hotel from providing the best contactless customer experience including mobile check-in. You can avail of all these features hassle-free with us at Servr. We provide a completely automated, easy, and customized solution to guide hotels into the next generation by consolidating all guest services on a single platform, right on your visitors’ phones. We provide both mobile check-in and check-out options. To avail the most of this feature and other Servr services, please contact us and schedule a demo right now. May this year bring you and your hotel a lot of success.
