Digital applications in the hotel sector improve the experience of guests, who are customers increasingly familiar with technology. This differential value can be decisive even for retaining frequent visitors, such as business people who regularly stay in the hotel when visiting the city or when visiting establishments in the same chain in different locations.
Using an app, travellers can manage all the reservation details and receive messages on their device, as well as have a digital key installed on their mobile or tablet.
Apps for hotel customers have an even greater impact when they incorporate digital keys; that is, technology to open the room door simply by holding the smartphone near to the reader installed next to the door handle.
Digital keys are especially valued by travellers who are staying for just a single night or two, as they can directly access their room without having to go to Reception, unless it is for something essential. In short, apps can manage the entire process of reservation, check-in, check-out and even access to the room itself. Let's see the particular advantages of this functionality!
Digital keys in hotel apps: an added value
Did you know that digital keys are part of the hotel trends for 2021? Here are some of the reasons why digital keys provide enormous value, integrated into the hotel application or through a specific access control application for hotels and the hospitality sector:
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Customer experience
Users have dozens of apps on their mobile phones so, unless the hotel's app gives them added value, they are unlikely to download it. However, having digital keys to open the electronic lock easily and safely is an additional functionality that improves the visitor experience which can be added to by many others.
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Efficiency
The digital key is not only beneficial for the guest, but also for the hotel itself, since fewer people will go to Reception. Also, if there are travellers arriving at night, and the hotel has no night reception service, no problem. Guests can access their room thanks to the mobile phone permissions and check in the following morning. Similarly, this system lets hotels reduce Reception hours, which no longer needs to be open 24 hours a day.
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Versatility
What if guests decide to extend their stay? No problem! The digital keys have information, such as the expiry date and time of their permits, which can be modified from Reception. Similarly, some hotel staff, e.g. cleaning staff, may have different permits to enter at a specific time.
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One key for everything
Similarly, if the guest books a spa session from 10am -12pm, for example, the permissions can be activated to allow them to access the spa during this time.
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Security without copies
Electronic lock systems are extremely safe, as they prevent keys from being copied and allow access to be reviewed if there is any problem.
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Audits
Entry and exit times can be audited using the system, which also allows for better understanding of the guests’ behaviour, preferences and the use they make of the amenities.
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Connected technology
To go one step further, many of these systems allow the same digital key that opens the room to open other devices, such as hotel safe.
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Contactless process
Finally, digital keys have become a good solution for minimising contact between workers and guests, as well as with common hotel objects, such as a physical key. These access permissions, managed from an application, are part of Contactless technology, which is increasingly common in hotels.
If you want to implement this technological solution in your hotel or in your accommodation network, Omnitec will help you find the most efficient option. Contact us for more information.