Smart Hotel: What is the future hotel front desk?

Source: Maidian Network Compilation: Mary

Self-service technology has been around for a long time. The airport has been using self-service machines to reduce queue time and improve customer service. These technologies are entering the hotel in their own way, and each move will bring other inspiration or consideration to the hotelier.

Some brand hotels have begun to adopt the “self-check-in” service, which allows guests to bypass the traditional check-in process. In the face of any new technology, the cost issue has always been an obstacle to the application of new technology in smaller hotels, but if the price drops, is it not worth trying?

It can be said that the biggest advantage of self-check-in is to save time. A self-service kiosk or mobile check-in device can help guests get things done quickly or skip the front desk altogether. These systems have more advantages in larger hotels. Larger hotels have thousands of travelers every day, and the self-check-in option gives each guest better customer service, even if some travelers don't use it. Guests using a self-service kiosk can help shorten the queue time at the front desk. There is no extra pressure on the queue length, and the front desk staff can better focus and help those who need help.

Smaller hotels can also benefit from it. The size of the hotel is small and its staff is correspondingly small. Often, each employee needs to take on multiple responsibilities. Ideally, the front desk has always been human, but in reality, this is unlikely. At night shifts, the presence of luggage at the front desk or the use of towels to the hotel guests sometimes occurs. During the time when you leave the front desk, there are occasional guests who need to check in. Before the front desk staff returns, the self-service kiosk in the lobby can help to check in.

Accepting these new technologies requires a learning process, so direct contact between people is always indispensable. The grocery store's self-checkout line is a good example. Pipelines move much faster than traditional queued checkouts, but if something goes wrong or someone is unfamiliar with the process, it quickly becomes less time-consuming, which requires staff intervention. So don't think that self-service machines can replace front desk people, because direct communication between people is always necessary.

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