When one thinks of hospitality, it brings
forth a wide umbrella that includes
everything ranging from comfort, to
leisure, to luxury, and opulence.
However, accessibility towards anything and
everything at any point in time has become a
prerequisite for the modern traveler's needs. In
today's world, the greatest asset and tool to not
only survive, but also thrive is technology. The
world around us runs on the internet and every
little piece of information, right from trivia, to
news to movies, to music, to extremely critical
business e-mails can be accessed on the web.
The hospitality business has traditionally been always
dependent on a simple age old factor - reliability. Guests
have always relied on the timely services, whether it be a glorious
five star hotel, or a comfy Airbnb. The idea is to provide everything
the traveler seeks. However, today for most travelers the internet
is at par with basic security needs such as scrumptious food and
a comfortable stay. According to a survey, the average hotel guest
logs onto Wi-Fi in 7 minutes of entering the guest room. This
clearly means that it is an extremely important factor that is
considered by the modern traveler while zeroing in on their stay. It
can not only enhance the guest's experience but also instantly get
them to get a sense of warmth and hospitability.
While Wi-Fi does get the guest to instantly feel accustomed to
their environment, it can rapidly boost profitability and greatly
increase the number of guests. Free Wi-Fi undoubtedly is a
stupendous advantage for getting picked for a stay. Additionally, it
can aid with a host of customer impacting avenues such as online
reputation, popularity and acts as a tool to further propel digital
presence. It can substantially improve online ratings, and help get
return visits as well as recommendations to friends and relatives.
Also personalizing the entire Wi-Fi experience can provide
brownie points when it comes to winning the customer experience
game. Business and leisure travelers alike consume massive
amounts of streaming media. Personalizing one's guest Wi-Fi to
support all mobile devices and streaming of content will further
make the process easier. It can also add a streamlined set of check
in processes for all guests in order to improve efficiency and reduce
the stress of onboarding. Furthermore, the social login along with
guest access allows the hotel to acquire more information on the
users and collect data for targeted marketing campaigns. It can
help develop a database and understand and analyze not just
age demographics but also additional features such as interests,
preferences and browsing habits of guests.
With the advent of technology, the latest Wi-Fi solutions are
easy, unchallenging and trouble free to deploy. They come with
easy installation processes and can be quickly implemented with
minimal labour costs. They can also connect a huge
chunk of space that can encompass even huge hotel
areas without causing a traffic overload and can
eliminate slow internet issues.
Wi-Fi solutions can also greatly help with
organization, servicing and accessibility within
the hotel premises. The staff can work together
in a much more compact way with the use of
Wi-Fi and can constantly be on the move and
up to date with the activities and happenings
of the hotel. They can serve guests in a better
way with the use of a hotel app, interconnectivity
within the premises will also aid in much greater
guest satisfaction.
Wi-Fi solutions will further fortify and provide maximum
uptime without the hassle of dispatching technicians on an
everyday basis, and make for an extremely convenient option
for hotels to manage their standard activities and procedures. Its
intelligent edge connectivity can also assist guests in their daily
routine during the stay and accommodate their chores.
Additionally, it is also a major boon when it comes to business
travelers. According to a survey conducted by hotels.com, it was
found that 49 percent of business travelers consider free Wi-Fi
a deciding factor when it comes to their choice of hotel. This is
almost half of the entire diaspora, and when one keeps in mind
that business travelers are some of the highest paying guests,
we come to understand that Wi-Fi is undoubtedly becoming an
inevitable part of the service offered by the hospitality industry.
But it isn't just business travelers who give Wi-Fi this special
status. According to the same study, majority of leisure travelers
also consider a free internet connection the most important amenity
a hotel can offer, giving it higher priority than free parking or even
a swimming pool, a classic desideratum for almost everyone on a
vacation or a weekend getaway.
While the hospitality industry has evolved time and again to
cater to the ever expanding needs of the traveler, tourist and
businessman alike, Wi-Fi is fast emerging as an indispensable
requirement to provide a wholesome and indelible experience. It
has truly enhanced guest experience and is undoubtedly shaping
up a revolution for the hospitality world.
The views expressed within this column are the opinion of the author, and may not necessarily be endorsed by the publication.
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