Ireland-based hotel software company P3 has rolled out a new service that lets hotel guests who check in online to collect their room key at a kiosk rather than join a line at the front desk.
The "collect your key" kiosk service was initially integrated into self-service kiosks at selected properties in the U.K. and Ireland, and is now being implemented at properties in additional regions. Using the new P3 solution, guests arriving at a hotel can independently check in and collect their own room keys in less than a minute before heading straight for their room.
P3 describes the new service as being “a bridge” between collecting keys at reception and keyless cell phone entry into hotel rooms, saying it would allow both hotel operators and their guests to make better use of growing demand for online check-in and other contactless facilities.
“Online check-in has proven increasingly popular with hotels and hotel guests in recent years," P3 CTO Peter Hinds said in a statement. "Yet while it vastly reduces the amount of time an individual guest has to spend at reception when they arrive, they can still be delayed by other guests. P3’s new ‘collect your key’ kiosk functionality completes the contactless check-in process for hotels and their guests by connecting the digital and physical experience. Travelers who choose to check in online no longer need be at the mercy of front-desk queues. They can head straight for a self-service kiosk, issue their own keys, and be on the way to their room in less than a minute. This happens using existing technology that people are familiar with, making it easy to use for guests and cost efficient for hotel operators who also get to free up staff for greater value interactions with other customers.”
P3’s "collect your key" kiosk functionality is fully automated and integrated with Oracle Hospitality's Opera property management systems. Before arrival, guests click on a button in their online check-in email and are directed to a check-in page on the hotel website where they can select their estimated time of arrival.
“Hotels are on a path which will most likely lead to guests using their mobile phone for keyless entry into their hotel rooms – but that technology isn’t quite there yet, and it will also come with a significant price tag,” Hinds added. “A hotel operator could end up paying for expensive new locks for every room in their hotel and find that guests don’t want to download the app required for use. Our ‘collect your key’ kiosk functionality is a great way to bridge the gap while waiting for seamless mobile technology to improve to facilitate mobile keys. We’re really excited about this new feature and believe it provides a convenient and affordable solution for hotels and their guests.”