Econo Lodge Franchise Association has formed an agreement with Aavgo to offer its Smart Reception capabilities at more than 700 Econo Lodge hotels across the U.S. and Canada. The partnership will let Econo Lodge owners provide guests with a streamlined, personalized check-in experience.
Aavgo’s Smart Reception kiosk connects guests with a certified and trained front-desk agent who is dedicated exclusively to helping manage operations at a single property. Real-time response agents are available to care for guests at check-in 24/7, 365 days a year, and Aavgo’s end-to-end platform offers all Econo Lodge hotels an all-in-one contactless solution that can reduce operational costs.
With Smart Reception, guests get all the services offered by a traditional front desk, such as check-in, receiving room keys, and speaking with a remote agent, which properties can provide without diverting scarce resources away from hotel operations.
Aavgo's remote agents provide a full scope of critical guest services, including:
- Checking guests in and out, including managing both advance reservations and walk-ins.
- Signing guests up for loyalty or rewards programs and informing them of their capabilities.
- Managing payment transactions through cash, card swipes, EMV chips, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and more.
- Responding directly to guests’ requests or questions about the hotel and the surrounding area.
- Generating guestroom keys.
Through Smart Reception, remote front-desk agents can also provide assistance with administrative and clerical tasks, freeing onsite hotel workers to focus on direct guest interactions. Some of these back-of-the-house tasks include:
- Managing the night audit process.
- Responding directly to online reviews.
- Opening, managing, and responding to housekeeping and maintenance ticket requests.
- Answering phone calls to the property from both on-premise guests and off-property requests.
“We are excited to partner with Aavgo to welcome their remote front-desk technology to Econo Lodge,” ELFA President Pradip Patel said in a statement. “This technology is helping hotel operators remain efficient and profitable in an environment that is increasingly competitive. Using Aavgo, our hoteliers will be positioned for success despite the many challenges limiting operations across hospitality.”