HIGH-TECH HOSPITALITY

Indian business hotels are jumping onto the technology bandwagon and banking on smart devices to enhance customer experience. RIAAN JACOB GEORGE lists some of the major trends.

- Riaan Jacob George

Business hotels have the unique task of ensuring that the overall experience is as seamless—and swift—as possible. Corporate guests require quicker touch points—check-in, check-out, room service, concierge services—and hence these properties are increasingly relying on technology to enhance the overall customer experience. While leisure hotels largely depend on the “human element”, business hotels try to market their ‘minimised human contact’ peg aggressively. Let’s look at some of the prevailing technological developments that we see—or are likely to see—in the country’s business hotels.

NEVER LOSE KEYS AGAIN

The humble hotel room key has come a long way, from the chunky metallic key of yesteryear to the key-card of today. However, keyless entry is the trend du jour at many hotels. The mobile key is fast replacing key cards at many hotels across the globe. The guest has a key on his phone, which he can scan at the entry to access his room (or even the elevator). This is particularly favoured by larger chains as it gets guests to download their apps as well. In India, the Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park (marriott.com) offers such a mobile key, and thus, a keyless check-in. Mobile keys save hotel staff the trouble of replacing lost keys or key cards, and guests no longer have to worry about walking all the way to the reception for a duplicate key.

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