Self-Service takes off

1. Can a self-service kiosk really provide guests a high level of service? Why or why not?

2. What would be the real benefits, for guests as well as for properties, to implement self-service kiosks?

3. Are self-service kiosks really what guests expect when coming to a hotel?

4. Would self-service kiosks not be synonym of "individualism"?

5. Can self-service kiosks be implemented in every country/hotel?

6. In what ways do self-service kiosks provide a new kind of service?

7. Would implementing self-service kiosks not be an obstacle in creating a human relationship with the guest?

8. By implementing a check-in luggage in hotels, will a guest be easily willing to separate from his luggage earlier than usual?

9. Would implementing self-service kiosks in a small hotel (20 rooms for example) be worth it?

Wired Hotelier: Teleadapt

TeleAdapt Delivers Technical Solutions for Today’s Guests

This article shows once again that new technologies provide everything possible in hospitality. As my own experience, after working at the front desk, it is true that a lot of guests come and ask for a phone charger and often the answer is "sorry, we do not have any" or "sorry, there is no more left" which is kind of disappointing for a guest because he expects to find in a hotel everything he has at home. Therefore, what Teleadapt is introducing is great: AnyFill, an universal battery charging unit. This cell phone charging solution recognizes the battery type and the time it will take to charge it. It is very practical and useful for all guests' phones. We could conclude by saying that high-technology is once again at the service of the guest.

Fairmont hotels: Is technology delivering greater personalization or making hospitality impersonal?

To begin, I would say that on the one hand, technology makes the hospitality impersonal. Indeed, I think that in a way, going to a hotel is a relationship experience from a guest's point of view; you deal with a lot of staff persons, you meet people, it is a kind of human experience. If you replace the check-in experience and put instead self-service kioks, you get rid of this human experience. However, it is still an innovatice experience. But as my own experience, I've noticed that sometimes guests of luxurious, up-scale hotels, are used to always be guided; some don't know how to do things by themselves. Therefore it could be disadvantaging according this "type" of guests, even with a service agent on hand.

But, on the other hand, we can see technology as delivering greater personalization in the fact that guests can check in and out rapidly, chose a room that they like and receive their room key in only few clicks. This is a truly new experience for guests: they will have a greater control for their choices.

Finally, I would end by saying that in my opinion, technology helps a lot in delivering guests personalization but it has to be "behind the scene" like shown in this article about spas' resorts and hotels that use technology for remembering their guests and their treatment preferences. Technology should stay a tool for the staff and management in business but not for replacing people and the human experience.

Wired Hotelier: Radisson

Radisson Hotels & Resorts® To Provide Complimentary High-speed Internet Access In Guestrooms Throughout The Americas

I find this article about the Radisson hotels and resorts very interesting; this is a new step for the hospitality business and future guests while offering complimentary high-speed internet access. It is obvious that nowadays, guests expect to find high-speed internet connection in every hotel in which they stay, and the fact that it is becoming free as inroom amenities will increase guest satisfaction. Because, for example, high-speed internet access in a city like Paris is still very expensive (1hour = 15 euros!!). Internet has become part of every-day life for everyone; not finding a internet access in a hotel is a "shame" I would say and if in addition it is expensive...guests are not satisfied and disappointed. Therefore, this is a great step!

Wired Hotelier

The Lodging Industry Addresses Identity Theft Urban Legend

I find this article important in the way that it reassures guests and other people on the fact that magnetic-strip hotel room key cards hold personal guest's information is a "urban legend myth". I think it would be terrible if the rumor was true and of course, thousand of people would have been already burglarized. It would also be against hotel properties to actually put guests' personal information in room key cards, and people would never again stay in a hotel. However, it is safer to let know guests that this rumor is only a myth. Personnally, if I knew it was true, I would never go back and stay in a hotel and moreover, I would decide not to work in this field in the future because it's unethical towards private life.

InRoom Connect Providing Internet Connectivity

What does InRoom Connect mean by "no up front costs or capital expenditure"? Why is that important? What is the InRoom Connect business model that permits a hotel to purchase the system?

By "no up front costs or capital expenditure" InRoom Connect means that this service is a cheap cost for a hotel. Indeed, when users purchase the system, they don't need to pay for it in advance or it is not some kind of investment: you pay as you use it.

It is important because the hotel pays the system's company only when a guest is in-house. Moreover, the hotel will charge a fee to the guest for using the system which will pay directly the hotel a large amount of revenue. It is also important because that way the property does not need necessarily to invest a great amount of capital just in order to be able to have this system.

The InRoom Connect business model that permits a hotel to purchase the system is the application service provider (ASP) model; the system can be very expensive but as users pay only as they use it, the cost becomes very affordable.

Wired Hotelier: Press Pause

After reading Terence Ronson's article, there is something that "stopped" me and that can stop everybody, and which are the words : Press Pause. Indeed nowadays, time passes so fast that sometimes people don't realise what's going on around them. And I, personally, pretty much like this phrasing and the way we can think about it.

To illustrate this passing of time, Ronson zooms on some technology's facilities that some of us are maybe not aware of their existence and which could facilitate and enrich our lives. I think that thanks to the progress of technology, we have more information on hand and can use it easily and smartly.

Some people are still not aware -or not entirely- of all these facilities; they often don't take the time. That is why we should more often "Press Life's Pause button", look around us -because we are probably missing great things (as technology is growing very fast)- and catch our breath for a moment.