Kiosks are a popular way for hotels to offer guests a convenient and customized experience. However, the suitable kiosk for a hotel depends on many factors, including upfront costs and fit with the typical clientele.
During downtimes, kiosks can be on-demand concierge and support service requests. Guests can purchase upgrades on their terms and drop off or arrange transportation upon checkout.
Streamlined Check-In Process
Guests often complain that they must wait too long for the front desk staff to check in their room. With the hotel kiosk, they can bypass that line and get their rooms sooner.
Unlike the traditional way of checking in, kiosks make it quick and easy for guests to enter their details, confirm their reservations, and pay for their stay. The process is also highly efficient and less prone to errors.
As kiosks are designed with modern and sleek technology, they look attractive and complement the hotel décor. In addition, they can be located anywhere on the property where guests are likely to see them. Kiosks also reduce paper use. For example, when guests print out receipts, maps of the area, or other materials from the hotel, they can opt for a digital version on the kiosk instead. Hotel kiosk check-in will save the hotel money on printing and also reduce their environmental footprint. Guests checking in through the hotel kiosk can access other services from their mobile phones or devices. This can help them plan their trip more effectively and make better decisions about their hotel experience.
Convenience for Guests
Kiosks make it easy for guests to accomplish multiple tasks in one place, minimizing time spent at the front desk. They can also help increase guest satisfaction by providing an enjoyable experience from start to finish.
Adding some fun hotel trivia at check-in or creating a customized loading screen that displays information about the property or city is a great way to keep guests entertained as they process their credit cards.
With their attractive, user-friendly interfaces, your hotel’s interactive kiosks allow customers to easily browse and purchase add-ons or upgrades that would otherwise be difficult to sell when talking with a staff member. This can generate incremental revenue and improve your average sale size.
Kiosks can also reduce human errors by allowing guests to input their details and preferences directly into the system. This can save valuable staff time and money. The data entered into the system is saved in the guest profile and can be retrieved for future visits.
Convenience for Staff
Guests often prefer self-service options because they are convenient and fast and offer them more control. The hotel kiosk can also gather valuable guest information to help staff deliver more personalized experiences.
Kiosks can be positioned in lounge areas, near the front desk, or anywhere easily accessible for guests. They usually have an attractive design that will blend into the hotel’s décor. They are sleek and modern, requiring minimal operating space, making them an innovative solution for any hotel’s lobby.
Kiosks eliminate long check-in queues, allowing guests to bypass the front desk and start their stay immediately. Guests are less likely to get frustrated when they have the option to handle their check-in, which can give them a positive first impression. A hotel kiosk can also upsell additional services, such as room upgrades and breakfast packages. This incremental revenue can make a big difference in the bottom line.
Increased Revenue
Kiosks can be a great tool to generate additional revenue for hotels. For instance, they can be used to sell upgrades like room service or breakfast packages. Guests are generally more receptive to these offers when presented on their terms rather than while interacting with staff.
Additionally, kiosks can collect valuable guest data such as previous purchases, room preferences, and special requirements. This information can be accessed quickly and easily by staff and used to create more personalized experiences for each customer.
Hotel kiosks can also be an excellent way to boost lobby and front desk sales during slow periods. Consider incorporating hotel trivia during check-in, adding augmented reality features like virtual tours or interactive maps to your hotel’s kiosk, or working with local students to showcase their work on the kiosk screens (e.g., drawings, paintings, handmade notes). By minimizing the time front desk staff spends on manual or mundane tasks, kiosks free up their attention to prioritize other, more meaningful customer interactions.
Personalized Experience
Hotel kiosks provide guests with a personalized experience. Kiosks use popular tech tools to give hotels a modern, easy-to-navigate, and user-friendly look. They’re also quick: guests can check-in, scan documents, and print their critical cards in under a minute.
It’s a common misconception that hotel kiosks take away from personal interaction, but that’s not true. A kiosk frees up time for front desk staff to add that special touch to their interactions with guests. This could include providing tips to local attractions, helping a business traveler with an urgent issue, or simply striking up a conversation.
Additionally, kiosks save the preferences and information of a hotel’s regular customers in their PMS, which means they can quickly retrieve that data when checking guests into their rooms. This allows the hotel to provide a bespoke service for its loyal customers. This creates a more personalized experience and helps the hotel improve customer service. It also decreases the need for a hotel to hire more employees.
