What could be worse than being tired after a long flight with hungry children in a huge queue to check-in at a hotel?
Or let’s imagine an even worst-case scenario, when you have to go up to the room with your suitcases on your own to find out the room key does not work.
None of these scenarios would give a nice first impression of your hotel to new visitors. Luckily, there are so many technologies available to enable you to avoid these situations.
According to the latest research, today there are more than 700,000 hotels and resorts around the world. This industry only keeps growing and developing every year and is worth more than $570 billion. According to IBISWorld, there are now 91,000 hotels in the United States alone, bringing in about $190 billion annually.
With the adoption of biometrics like fingerprints, face or iris scanning, or even voice recognition, biometrics have the potential to revolutionize the hospitality industry.
With this, new levels of efficiency and safety can be created. Let’s learn more about future biometrics for hospitality industry in the article!
What Is Biometric Technology?
Biometric technologies are solutions that are commonly used to identify a person based on some aspect, namely, a person's unique physical or behavioral characteristics.
The basic premise for biometric technologies is that each person can be accurately identified by their intrinsic qualities.
Biometric authentication technology is now widely used in corporate and public security systems, home appliances, and various programs.
Convenience is also one of the driving forces of biometrics since you no longer need to dial passwords or carry different keys with you.
There are two types of biometrics used to recognize a person. The first type is biometrics based on physiological characteristics. The second is behavioral biometrics. Physiological identifiers include the following:
facial recognition
fingerprints
finger geometry (the size and position of fingers)
iris recognition
vein recognition
retina scanning
voice recognition
DNA matching
digital signatures
How Does the Hospitality Industry Use Biometric Technologies?
Components of the hospitality industry such as hotels, resorts, and others often face the challenge of ensuring the safety of guests while maintaining all the amenities.
If your hotel has a lot of security measures, guests may not like it and they may never come back. If, on the contrary, security measures are weak, this can lead to theft or something else.
Then what the solution will be here? How does the hospitality industry provide security while maintaining comfort and convenience?
The best solution is biometrics, which can take full responsibility in case of any problem. The uses of biometric technologies can make life easier for hospitality businesses such as hotels, as well as improve operational efficiency, safety, and convenience in many ways.
One of the ways to use biometrics in hotels and other establishments in this domain is to implement registration using fingerprint or face recognition. Biometrics are already actively used in hotels in China.
FlyZoo Hotel in Hangzhou allows guests to select the floor and room number through a mobile app. Upon arrival at the hotel, there are several options for local and foreign check-in.
The first is that locals can register by scanning their faces through a mobile app. Another option is for foreigners who can check in by scanning their faces through vending machines located throughout the hotel lobby.
It has never been possible to avoid all the formalities associated with hotel check-in, but using biometrics such as fingerprint or face scanning can speed up the process dramatically.
In the same way, hotel staff control guest access to different parts of the hotel, for example by requiring a finger scan to access the pool.
Another way to use biometrics in hotels is to avoid key cards that allow guests to enter their rooms. Instead, a person just needs to scan their fingerprint, which greatly simplifies the system.
There is no need to keep an inventory of keys, give out new ones to guests if for some reason they have lost their own.
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Biometrics is also widely used to pay for various additional hotel services. For example, requiring your fingerprint to authorize any additional payments for your hotel stay, such as ordering food or drinks in your room, spa treatments, or purchasing various in-room entertainment, will allow you to quickly and accurately bill upon checkout.
It will also help save guests from unnecessary expenses. A child cannot independently order what he wants, without her mother's biometrics.
Benefits of Biometric Technology in the Hospitality Industry
Access Control System
Ensuring security in the hotel is one of the most important tasks, especially in terms of increasing threats to the hotel business associated with infringement on the lives or rights of guests.
For each team managing the hotel, one of the main tasks is to ensure the security of confidential areas and restrict guests' access to storage rooms, warehouses, and other technical areas.
Biometrics can easily help with this, which will allow you not to worry about the fact that some visitors can get into one of the technical rooms.
Previously, keys and locks were widely used to control the access of staff and guests to the hotel premises. Typically, cleaners, like other hotel workers, had to constantly carry a huge number of keys with them, which could easily get lost.
In addition, it was always necessary to run and close or open rooms in case of a visitor's loss of room keys or other problems. With the help of biometric security technology, such problems can be easily avoided, as the fingerprint will become the only key to all areas of the hotel, which greatly facilitates the work of technical staff and saves the hotel from unnecessary problems with visitors.
You can also monitor in real-time the access of staff to restricted areas of the hotel, such as guest rooms, washing rooms, etc. You can track which room a particular hotel employee has entered, thereby roughly understand their location.
Improving Staff Efficiency
To continually meet the needs of guests and provide them with an excellent hotel experience, managers must continually hire more and more employees.
But with the increase in the number of employees, it becomes more difficult for hotel management to keep track of the working hours of each employee and manage them effectively.
Fortunately, biometric identification technology can help with this. After all, such technologies are aimed not only at improving the safety and convenience of customers but also to facilitate the internal management of the hotel.
The use of biometric will help you easily monitor staff time, improve employee efficiency and ensure transparency in payroll accounting. Biometrics are also used to track visits by hotel staff, which reduces the likelihood of theft and other unpleasant things by several times.
Personalized Guest Experience
According to one study, 41% of hotel visitors visited the hotel more often and stayed in only one hotel if an employee could recognize them without giving their name. In another survey, 62% of hotel guests believe that such actions by staff will greatly improve their experience of the hotel.
Using biometric technology can help you easily refer to a visitor by name, as well as obtain information about the visitor and their preferences, without having to ask for any additional information.
For example, a guest arriving at a hotel scans a fingerprint at the front desk, after which the concierge will immediately receive all of his personal information, room, and service preferences, to make his stay at the hotel as pleasant as possible.
Conclusion
The adoption of biometric solutions has grown exponentially in a very short period. This technology began to be used all over the world in various industries. The hospitality industry is no exception.
You no longer need to rely on traditional methods of security, registering guests, granting them access to rooms, and tracking hotel technical staff.
All these functions can be replaced by the introduction of biometrics, which will radically facilitate hotel management and create even greater comfort for visitors.
In addition, invoicing visitors for hotel services becomes very easy. Customers can also feel secure if they only enter and exit the hotel using biometric scanning technology.
Combined with CCTV cameras, biometric technology can be the best weapon against security threats. A huge network of hotels around the world, which are found in different parts of the globe, creates a complex and confusing system that requires centralized resource management and the exchange of data between different departments. This can be easily achieved with biometric solutions.
Not all companies can provide quality custom software development for travel and hospitality services. That is why you need to be very careful while choosing a vendor that could help you with the implementation of such an idea.
The professionals in Intellectsoft have years of experience in developing innovative solutions based on biometric technologies for the hospitality industry.
Feel free to contact us, so we would take a close look at your project and offer you the best possible solution.
The hospitality industry depends a lot on keeping customers happy, but it’s getting harder to attract and keep them. The pandemic hit this industry hard, and now market competition is tougher than ever, with competitive offerings swaying customers. Hospitality businesses are willing to spend big to win customers back. The main questions for many are: how can we stay ahead of the competition, keep our customers, and increase revenue? Keep reading—we’ve got some answers.
Customers today have so many options that getting their attention is a real challenge. It’s not easy to make them choose your business over others. What worked 10 years ago doesn’t work the same way now. Back then, people often chose businesses based on reputation. But with new types of businesses (boutique hotels, craft cafes) popping up or big enterprises getting a new strategy, expectations have changed. The good news is these businesses have shown what works: great customer service. They focus on personalizing the experience, making things easy for customers, offering loyalty programs, and using smart technology.
In this article, we’ll explore these tech strategies and show you how they can help your business grow, and double the revenue. Keep reading to learn more!
The Importance of Customer Satisfaction in the Hospitality Industry
Customer satisfaction, which equals exceptional customer experience, is the backbone of the hospitality industry. It plays a central role in driving revenue and loyalty, as satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend a hotel, restaurant, or other hospitality business to others. In fact, a study by the Harvard Business Review found that a 1% increase in customer satisfaction can lead to a 0.5% increase in revenue. Moreover, loyal customers are more likely to forgive mistakes and continue doing business with a company, even if they experience a negative encounter.
Let's quickly review the challenges the hospitality industry is facing right now so we can move on to the solutions and our case studies.
Challenges in Hospitality
As businesses navigate the changes in the hospitality industry, there are some key areas where a little improvement can go a long way. From improving customer service to embracing digital transformation and tackling labor shortages, we’ll take a closer look at today’s biggest challenges—and, more importantly, how technology can step in to help. Let’s get started!
Poor Customer Service
Even with strong and high-quality business offerings, poor customer service can drive potential customers and existing customers away. Common issues include:
Long wait times in customer service queues (it is worth remembering that our attention spans 8 seconds, and we live in a very busy world, so quick and efficient responses are more important than ever.)
Poorly trained customer service representatives
Lack of follow-up
Services not being done properly or quickly
Recall issues that require multiple service calls
These problems can frustrate customers. But, at Intellectsoft, we believe that the right approach, combined with technology, can address them effectively.
Digital Transformation Gaps
Approximately 50% of hotels are adopting new technologies, with 43% automating repetitive tasks and 39% upgrading existing systems. Source: workstaff.app
While many businesses are adopting digital solutions, some still struggle with outdated systems and fragmented data. Legacy companies often face chaos when trying to manage their data and create new systems or add features.
Some of the recent examples include clients coming to us to create AI solutions for their services while their data simply was not ready for the advanced tasks. We advise stepping back, communicating with a company objective, and working on keeping the data clean (centralized, structured, and segmented).
When we’re asked to create advanced systems using AI, we always emphasize the importance of organized data. To train AI and build such complicated systems that truly work, you need to start from the very beginning—collecting, storing, centralizing, and organizing it. We encourage our clients to align all departments to work internally on the data so we can create a unified digital system that delivers personalized experiences.
If you’re unsure where to start with your data, we can help. Collecting feedback at various touchpoints along the customer journey is crucial for gaining insights into customer satisfaction and loyalty. Book an IT consultation with us, and our experts will guide you in mapping out a path to get more from your data and build a system that works for your business and team.
Reskilling Staff
The pandemic hit hard in early 2020, especially for the hospitality and travel industries. Even five years later, many businesses are still feeling the impact. Recruiting and retaining skilled staff has become a major challenge post-pandemic.
Reskilling to address technology’s impact is of utmost importance, as about 40% of hotel General Managers place it among their top three workforce challenges.
We strongly believe that adopting the right technology can help. For example, creating an app to train your staff not only saves time but also ensures consistency in learning. AI assistants can also work alongside your team, helping with tasks like recruitment (providing industry insights, crafting emails) and staff training. Imagine having an app dedicated to making your team’s work easier and more efficient!
How Technology Tackles These Challenges and Supports a Customer-Centric Hospitality Culture
Automation, AI, and similar technologies may threaten many. However, the debate about replacing humans isn’t about that—it’s about cooperation and working hand in hand with technology to achieve the highest standards and establish brand-new “golden standards.” Technology is here to assist staff in listening to and collecting customer insights from data.
Let’s review some of our cases to see examples of how technology helps improve customer experience and supports customer service.
Examples of Intellectsoft projects
Property management systems (PMS)
We created a web platform and mobile app that makes managing daily tasks easier and offers extra services to improve residents’ experience. It gives a clear overview of daily activities and helps with managing units and users. Residents can easily book amenities, submit service requests, and report incidents. The platform also includes features for equipment management, key instructions, workflows, and custom permissions. This makes it easier for staff to stay on top of equipment and ensure residents have all the information they need. Plus, tools like announcements, quick votes, a forum, and a community calendar help build a connected and engaged community.
Guest Experience Management App
Our next app helped our client improve their guest experience by replacing printed marketing materials and the need for phone calls with a smart solution. Now, guests can easily order in-room dining, make reservations, and interact with staff— through a simple tablet in their room. The solution includes three parts: a custom in-room tablet with a variety of services, an admin panel for hotel staff and service providers, and a backend system that connects everything together. This approach makes things easier for guests and staff, improving both convenience and efficiency.
Existing Customers First: Building Loyalty with Personalized Touchpoints
Keeping existing customers is not just a strategy; it’s well-known that retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. In fact, research shows that it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. KPMG named customer retention as the number one revenue driver for the company.
Moreover, a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25% to 95% increase in profits, showing the significant impact loyal customers can have on a business’s bottom line. Retention strategies, like personalized experiences and loyalty programs, can foster long-term relationships and generate recurring revenue, ultimately making them an invaluable part of any business model.
Personalization: How Technology Can Help?
Everyone loves to feel special—it’s part of being human. In hospitality, personalization has evolved from being a luxury to an essential standard. With the right technology to manage your data effectively, you can deliver those “wow” moments that guests won’t forget.
More than half of hotel chains are already using personalization features on their websites, booking platforms, and apps, and another 39% are planning to follow suit soon. They’re tailoring experiences to fit guest preferences perfectly.
Source: Deloitte
How does technology make it happen?
CRM Systems: They help you keep track of guest preferences, booking history, and special requests so you can offer services tailored just for them.
Loyalty Programs: Personalized rewards and offers show your guests that you value them, keeping them coming back for more.
AI Personalization: AI analyzes guest data to predict what they’ll love (from room upgrades to local recommendations) before they even ask.
IoT Gadgets: Smart room features like voice-activated assistants, or temperature controls adjust to your guests’ preferences, making their stay more comfortable.
With tech-powered personalization, you’re building loyalty and maximizing the lifetime value of every customer.
Our Case Study: Smart Hotel Management & Loyalty Program
For one of our clients, we created a smart room solution, complete with a custom IoT system. Guests can use a mobile app to control services, explore amenities, and find resort information-- with a special touch to their suite type. For the client’s entertainment business, we improved their legacy software by running a full IT and code check, fixing issues, and making the system better for customers.
Along with that, we developed a mobile app for the loyalty program, allowing businesses to effortlessly reward their customers and keep them engaged with exclusive benefits.
Our solutions not only helped the client with special experiences for guests; it also improved operations, cutting costs by eliminating inefficiencies. Here's what our experts shared:
"We transitioned away from ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) systems, which previously cost millions, and replaced them with more efficient, self-managed solutions. Similarly, we’ve implemented Device Farms that improved operations and saved resources."
Leveraging Software to Increase Upsell Opportunities
Here are some examples of tech tactics that will help your team sell more and introduce new offerings to existing customers, improve overall efficiency leaving your team grateful:
Dynamic Pricing Algorithms
For finance and marketing teams, manually calculating pricing by segment to introduce your clients can be incredibly challenging. AI-powered tools can strongly optimize these strategies by analyzing your database in detail.
Upselling via Apps
Boosting revenue in the hospitality business often comes down to personalized experiences. Imagine this: a guest books a room, and then your app suggests a spa package or a room upgrade at just the right moment. Later, it nudges them to book a dinner reservation or a guided tour designed to their preferences. With apps offering these personalized recommendations during and after bookings, you’re not just increasing your revenue per guest but also skyrocketing their experience. And you do it in a sustainable way, not by speculating, but by offering what your customers desire based on their previous experiences. It’s a win-win: seamless, helpful, and far from pushy.
Inventory and Resource Management Software
Making every resource count in your hospitality business is key. Inventory and resource management software allows you to effortlessly track everything from linens to room availability, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Having real-time insights to reduce overstock, avoid shortages, and optimize operations assists sustainably keep everything under control and know what you need to focus more. It helps maximize room occupancy by aligning bookings with available resources, ensuring every room and item is used effectively. This approach leads to smarter management, better guest experiences, and a noticeable boost to your bottom line.
Adopting these strategies not only optimizes your operations but also drives business growth. Ready to discover how technology can elevate your goals? We’re here to create a tailored solution for you.
Steps For Implementing a Customer Service Technology Solution
Improving customer service in hospitality doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right technology, you can smooth the path of your operations, speed up response times, and elevate the overall guest experience. Here’s where you can make it happen:
1. Understand Your Needs
Start by identifying the challenges your business is facing. Are you struggling to manage high volumes of inquiries, track customer feedback, or personalize the guest experience? Pinpointing your needs will guide you to the best solutions.
2. Pick the Right Tools
Choose technology that aligns with your goals. Look for solutions that are scalable, easy to use, and integrate effortlessly with your current systems. Options like CRM software, live chat tools, or a guest experience app can make a difference.
3. Equip Your Team
Technology is only as effective as the people using it. Train your staff to make the most of the new tools, so they can deliver exceptional service and resolve issues quickly. Confident, well-equipped staff creates happy, loyal customers.
4. Keep Improving
Once implemented, monitor how well the solution works. Are response times improving? Are customers more satisfied? Regular evaluations will help you fine-tune your approach and keep things running harmoniously.
Some Tech Ideas for Hospitality Businesses
CRM Software: Manage customer interactions and preferences.
Guest Experience Apps: Delight guests with personalized experiences right at their fingertips.
Amenity Management Systems: Simplify operations for everything from room service to facility bookings.
Live Chat Tools: Offer instant support and answers.
Social Media Management Tools: Keep customer interactions engaging and organized.
Integrating these strategies will not only improve your customer service but also deliver unforgettable customer satisfaction, loyalty, and, ultimately, your bottom line. Ready to take the next step? Book a consultation with our experts.
Conclusion
To wrap up everything we've discussed, customer satisfaction and experience are at the heart of hospitality. Retaining customers is more than just keeping them around—building strong, long-lasting relationships and consistently meeting their evolving needs. By understanding their pain points and offering personalized solutions, you can inspire loyalty and drive progress. With the right technology and continuous improvement, your business can stay ahead, let go of what no longer serves you, and keep growing.
At Intellectsoft, with over 17 years of experience in software development, our expert team is ready to help. We create everything from mobile apps to full-fledged portals and systems, leveraging the latest technologies like AI, Cloud, and Machine Learning. With deep experience in the hospitality industry, we’re here to craft personalized solutions that bring your business unforgettable customer experience and retain your valuable clients.
Ready to double your revenue and level up your customer retention strategy with personalized technology? Contact our experts, and we look forward to working hand in hand with you to build or revitalize the perfect app or system for you.
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