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It’s 3:00 p.m., check-in time at your hotel and the start of your afternoon rush. Only this time, long lines of stressed-out travelers queued up at your reception desk are replaced by happy guests who checked in hours earlier on their mobile devices. As you gaze around the room, you watch as others navigate to your convenient self-service kiosks in the lobby or engage with team members equipped with tablets. Freed from tedious paperwork, your staff offers warm welcomes and personalized assistance. And your visitors effortlessly float off to their rooms, ready to start their vacation fun.
Nope, this isn’t a dream. It’s the new reality properties can experience when employing automated hotel check-in solutions.
Automated check-in for hotels encompasses a variety of digital solutions that empower guests to seamlessly check in to their rooms, and it includes tech such as mobile check-in, self-check-in kiosks, and tablet registration. These solutions let guests bypass the traditional front desk hassle for a better overall experience that’s defining the future of hospitality.
From enhancing guest satisfaction to boosting operational efficiency, automated hotel check-in delivers multiple benefits for your business.
Your guests are frustrated with the long wait lines and in-person processes they often have to deal with upon arrival at your hotel — the less interaction with your staff, the better. And recent research confirms that most of them expect your hotel to offer automated digital check-in options, along with the added convenience of mobile keys.
With mobile check-in and keys, your guests can enjoy more leisure time, or get started right away on business. Bonus points if you use a web-based solution. Nearly 80% of consumers abandon a transaction when businesses require them to install an app first.
The labor shortage is still significantly impacting the hospitality industry, with an unemployment rate of 5.9%, well above the national average. According to Oracle research, over one-third of guests admit that slow service resulting from staff shortages is their number one deterrent to rebooking at your hotel.
By using hotel mobile check-in, you free staff from performing more mundane, repetitive tasks, and give them more time to personalize experiences, efficiently handle more complex requests, and connect with guests on a deeper level. Staff efforts like these help foster greater loyalty.
Imagine how happy your guests will be to find their favorite pillows, extra blankets and the crib they always request already set up in their room when they arrive. Your guests expect personalized service based on their past stay history.
An automated hotel check-in platform lets you collect information on guest preferences and interests. It can also integrate with your other systems, such as your customer relationship and property management solutions. These insights give you a competitive advantage and help increase loyalty by allowing you to anticipate needs and ensure each guest enjoys a tailored experience.
Hoteliers understand that upselling is crucial for revenue generation, and consumers are increasingly inclined to pay more for upgrades. So, it only makes sense for hotels to adopt automation systems that seamlessly integrate these aspects.
Automated digital check-in lets you capitalize on data insights to customize upsell offers based on a guest’s preferences and booking history. For example, you might prompt a business traveler to book breakfast on the go or upgrade to a room with a workspace. By leveraging these opportunities, you create a win-win situation that allows you to increase profits and deliver a better, more personalized experience for guests.
The Dream Hollywood lifted guest satisfaction scores to 4.92 stars and boosted revenue after implementing Canary’s mobile check-in solution which also enabled upselling.
Traditional paper-based systems leave sensitive guest information vulnerable to theft and cyberattacks. And even with new technology, 7 out of 10 guests are concerned about privacy and security issues, with 65% of them losing faith in your brand following a data breach.
When you use a state-of-the-art digital check-in system such as Canary’s Mobile Check-in, proprietary technology and secure authentication protocols check for fraud and help reassure that your customers’ information remains protected at all times.
Hotel automation can be a cost-cutting powerhouse for your hotel. With mobile check-in and key, self-check-in kiosks, digital registration and AI chatbots, you can reduce your front desk staffing needs by 50%. In addition, automation minimizes the risk of errors associated with manual data entry, mitigating potential costs related to guest dissatisfaction, chargebacks, and audits.
Survey results show that the majority of travelers choose hotels that make sustainability a priority, even if it costs them more. Hotels that use contactless check-in reduce their environmental footprint by reducing the paper and plastic waste associated with traditional check-in processes and the use of key cards. Digital check-in can be a great way to showcase your environmental stewardship and dedication to eco-friendly practices.
Rather than requiring cumbersome app downloads – which your guests don’t particularly love – you can simply send guests a link via email or SMS.
Mobile Check-in, one of Canary’s flagship products, eliminates barriers to entry and simplifies guest arrivals through a user-friendly mobile link that guests can easily access on their devices with just one click.
Whichever mobile solution you choose, make sure it integrates with digital key solutions so that together, they allow visitors to bypass the front desk entirely. Such improvements also save your staff valuable time on the more tedious aspects of their jobs, improving job satisfaction, and allowing them to focus on having more meaningful interactions with your customers.
You can also harness Tablet Registration as part of your digital check-in solution. Armed with tablets, your team members can connect with guests more casually, as opposed to standing in front of and behind a desk.
This modern approach complements the mobile check-in process by allowing your employees to digitally collect and retrieve guest registration cards in seconds. By maintaining digital records, you not only reduce your environmental impact, but you minimize chargebacks and facilitate audits by providing a comprehensive digital trail.
The boutique hotel, Mr. C. Coconut Grove, eliminated 700-1,000 sheets of paper per month with Canary’s Tablet Registration.
It’s likely no surprise that artificial intelligence (AI) is a top tech trend for hotels , with 77% of guests interested in using it for customer service requests.
Through AI-powered messaging, you can elevate the mobile check-in experience by providing assistance and guidance throughout the process, from confirming a reservation to accessing a digital room key. This instant flow of communication lets you respond to guest requests and provide personalized recommendations in real time, setting the stage for an unforgettable stay.
Hospitality Technology’s Customer Engagement Study reveals that 53% of travelers appreciate the use of self-service kiosks for checking in at hotels. These user-friendly kiosks reduce wait times, and satisfy customer demand for contactless, self-service options by empowering them to check-in independently.
With a kiosk, your guests can swiftly complete the automated check-in procedure, including ID verification, room selection, and receiving tailored upgrade offers. This stage of the guest journey is also the perfect time to upsell your guests by allowing them to curate their own experiences, increasing average daily spend and customer satisfaction at the same time.
Staypineapple properties has seen a 200% increase in upsell packages since implementing Canary Upsells.
Transitioning to an automated hotel check-in process requires comprehensive staff training for buy-in. Start out by educating staff on the benefits of automation, such as reduced workload and the ability for each team member to better connect with visitors and offer real value in helping to grow guest loyalty.
Choose a provider that offers hands-on training sessions where staff can become familiar and comfortable with the technology. And encourage open communication to address any concerns they may have about the new process.
Last but not least, select a technology partner that offers ongoing support and resources to ensure that your staff feels confident and empowered in their roles.
Advancements in technology continue to reshape hotel operations and the way you interact with your guests — hotel mobile check-in is only the beginning. Looking forward, hotel automation trends will include AI-powered chatbots for greater personalization, virtual and augmented reality for pre-check-in room exploration and biometric authentication for enhanced security. These advancements will equip hotels with new levels of immersion, customization, and convenience.
In the midst of all this, it’s crucial for hoteliers to partner with technology providers that prioritize scalability and stay ahead of emerging trends. A forward-thinking provider will continuously update their solutions to incorporate the latest advancements, ensuring you can adapt and remain competitive both now and in the years to come.
Automated hotel check-in isn’t just a fad, it’s the future of hospitality. And hotel operators stand to reap significant benefits by automating the process. By embracing innovative and integrated solutions, you not only help enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction, but you also unlock valuable data insights for continuously refining your entire check-in process.
Are you ready to elevate your digital check-in process with hotel automation in 2024 and beyond? Request a demo to see how Canary can help you improve at scale.
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