The pandemic forced operational changes in the hospitality industry virtually overnight. One change that has a strong upside is the digital transformation of the guest experience. Contactless services born of life in quarantine won’t be going away. Digital demands like these are anticipated to persist and even grow as the effects of the pandemic subside.
Recent studies on guest demands for technology show:
- 85% would be more comfortable staying in hotels that use technology to reduce contact.1
- 86% want to be able to cast personal content from their devices to the TV.2
- 62% prefer to handle check-in/checkout via a hotel app.3
- 80% are now willing to download a hotel app to enable a contactless experience.3
- 70% of millennials are more likely to book a hotel that offers mobile keys, mobile payment and smart TVs.4
The “2021 Lodging Technology Study: Reimagining Hospitality” revealed that hoteliers are well aware of increased guest demands and have already begun planning or implementing long-term digital transformation strategies.
Digital amenities hoteliers offer or plan to offer5:
- 98% Free WiFi
- 96% Mobile reservations
- 90% Contactless payment
- 88% Smart TVs or content streaming
- 84% Two-way messaging with guests
- 82% Mobile check-in
- 76% Digital signage
- 76% Mobile room keys
As the influx of devices, data-intensive apps, and advanced technologies take up a larger share of network traffic, bandwidth capacity decreases and can affect performance across the entire network. Properties with agile, scalable networks will be able to capture — and create — more opportunities in the wake of the pandemic as digital technology continues to transform guest experiences and expectations.
Download the full whitepaper on “Keeping ahead of hotel bandwidth demands with high capacity networking” from Spectrum Enterprise to learn more. Or, contact a Hospitality Network Specialist to get started on your digital transformation today.
Sources:
- Ibid.
- “Hotel Internet Services Publishes New Research Report Analyzing Latest Trends in Guestroom Entertainment and Virtual Assistant Technology,” Hotel Internet Services, July 7, 2020.
- “Annual Connected Retailer Survey: New SOTI Survey Reveals U.S. Consumers Prefer Speed and Convenience When Shopping with Limited Human Interaction,” SOTI.net, Jan. 14, 2019, www.soti.net/resources/newsroom/2019/annual-connected-retailer-survey-new-soti-survey-reveals-us-consumers-prefer-speed-and-convenience-when-shopping-with-limited-human-interaction/.
- Chinmay Shukla, “Hospitality Going Digital,” PwC, April 2019, www.ahic.com/sessions/2019/Chimnay-Shukla-PwC-Digital-in-hospitality.pdf.
- “2021 Lodging Technology Study: Reimagining Hospitality,” Hospitality Technology, 2021.