Let’s be honest. Hotel self check in solutions are gaining popularity. Contactless hotel check-in technology is being embraced in hostels, 3-star hotels, and even in upscale hotels. And it does not stop there.
More than a third of executives reported in 2020 that they were already using the hotel check in kiosk or considering purchasing it. This tells us that we will see more hotel kiosks popping up in the future.
In contrast, many argue that self-service kiosks are counterproductive and may harm the guest experience.
Given this statistic, surely there must be some benefits of having a contactless hotel check-in system in a hotel?
In this article, we’ve summarized eight reasons why your hotel should install a hotel self check in at your property.
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Why is Contactless Hotel Self Check In Gaining Ground?
Before we reveal the eight advantages of hotel self check in, let's have a look at the reasons why your competitors are implementing it.
Contactless hotel check-in has been around for a long time. I still remember myself back in the early 2000s having to check-in via a hotel kiosk in an un-manned hotel nearby an airport in the middle of the night. Sadly, it was not a great experience. The system was bugged, and we ended up having to wait outside in the cold winter air until the employee on duty came to the hotel to assist us.
But that was back in the early 2000s. Technology has changed, and so have hotel tech - like kiosks.
Today, we see self-service technology all around us, from dealing with your bank errands, checking in at the airport counter, using it to pay at the grocery store. Your guests are used to this type of technology.
And guess what? They like it.
Research has shown guest satisfaction scores drop by as much as 50% when there’s a 5-minute wait at check-in. While a survey by Oracle and Skift showed that more than 70% of consumers are willing to stay at hotels that offer self-service technology.
Now the point is, times have changed.
Your guests don’t have time to wait in a queue to be helped by your staff. No matter how incredibly talented and service-minded your receptionists are.
They instead prefer to have a quick check-in experience and get the key to their room. So they can get on exploring your incredible facilities or neighborhood.
Hotel self check in are becoming so mainstream that large global hotel chains like Accor, Hilton, and Marriott are adopting them.
For example, Marriott recently debuted a pilot program of hotel contactless hotel check-in at several properties. They see the technology as exemplifying the art of modern hospitality and will use it to enhance the guest experience.
Just have a look at this quote from Stephanie Linnartz, President of Marriott International.
“... The new offerings are an added benefit to the personalized hospitality we are known for, and we look forward to enhancing our customer experience by blending contactless services with dedicated in-person interactions.”
What Are the Advantages of Hotel Self Check In Kiosks?
Let’s get right into it. We’ve listed some of the best advantages of having a hotel check in kiosk below.
1. Eliminate Queues at the Check-in
In the same way airports have introduced self-service bag drop counters for customers to reduce queues at the check-in counter - kiosks have the same function.
They are a great methods to reduce or prevent queues at the front desk. Because let’s face it. No matter how many receptionists you have on duty. Guests will always come simultaneously, especially during peak times in the early morning for check-out.
Today’s modern hotel kiosks allow guests to check-in or check out at their convenience.
2. Standardized Check-In Procedure
Another advantage of hotel self check in is that it helps you standardize the check-in procedures at your hotel and reduce errors. We all know that standardization in service is a constant battle in hotels — especially when the turnover rate is high and we're struggling to recruit talent.
The kiosks are programmed with a set of questions and actions. And it ensures that your guests will follow the same process, despite what time they check-in.
Oh, and remember that struggle trying to fill out the guest's e-mail address in the Property Management System without misspelling it?
Well... With kiosks, the guests will input all the mandatory fields by themselves, reducing the risk of your staff making any spelling mistakes.
3. Generate Additional Revenue
In these times, hotels are always on the lookout to capture additional revenue. A hotel self check in is a great way to get incremental revenue from the room and package upgrades.
It has been proven in restaurants that consumers ordering via kiosk has a 30% higher check sizes , compared to at the counter.
And guess what... more than 60% of customers would be open to spending more if they were offered an additional service or an enhancement to their stay. Don’t miss that opportunity.
4. Saves Your Guests Time
Another added benefit is that it saves your guests time. Instead of waiting for an available employee to assist them. Guests can simply complete the check-in independently.
For example, we examined the check-in time for our hotel kiosk back in 2019 and discovered that the average check-in time was below 4 minutes and check-out time was around 2 minutes.
5. Improve Hotel Staff Productivity
Today, hotel technology is often seen to reduce labor costs. More than 37% of operators plan to implement tech to combat the increased wages.
A hotel check in kiosk is one strategy you can take to combat the increasing wages and employee shortages, as it improves your productivity. These kiosks help streamline business processes and free up your employees' time.
The extent to which it increases your productivity depends on how well it is embedded into your operations. It is not uncommon for hotels to only use it to complement their traditional front desk. But based on our own conservative calculations, hotels save up to one to two full-time employees.
Plus... Instead of dealing with the mundane tasks of entering the guests' details in the Property Management System and checking them in. Your receptionists can spend their time moving away from their monitor screens and focusing on delivering unique experiences to your guests. For instance, greet guests personally recommend nearby attractions or restaurants.
6. Increase Guest Convenience
Many hoteliers worry that a contactless hotel check-in solution will negatively influence the guest experience. They are often seen as impersonal, and they fear that it doesn’t include any human interaction that the hospitality industry is known for. But this could not be further from the truth. Research has shown in other industries that:
66% of shoppers prefer to use self-service technology, compared to traditional counters, because it saves them time and gives them a better shopping experience.
Self-service technology in airports creates convenience by reducing queues and easier access.
Another factor that increases the guest’s convenience is omnichannel technology. Newer hotel kiosks solutions allow guests to start the check-in process on their own device at home and complete it when they arrive on the property through the kiosk. Now, how convenient isn’t that?
7. Increase Security
Many fear that hotel self check in is unsafe. They have a presumption that it's impossible to control if it's the same guest checking in as in the reservation details. But times have changed.
Today’s modern hotel kiosks are fully equipped with advanced security technology. For instance, facial recognition can recognize whether the scanned document matches the guest's face. They can even be integrated into e-visitor authentication systems.
Besides that, all the scanned documents are often stored digitally in a secure and encrypted database. There are no more copies of guests’ passports lying around the front desk tables.
8. Strengthen Brand Identity
Last but not the least, a hotel kiosk can strengthen your brand identity. If you want to give your guests the impression that you’re a sleek, modern hotel, contactless technology is necessary.
It is becoming a point of differentiation for many hotels, besides that. Like us at Metasphere, many vendors allow you to customize the interface to your hotel-branded colors and add images of your gorgeous facilities to the kiosk's interface.
Conclusion: Advantages of Becoming a Self Check In Hotel
The future of hospitality is changing rapidly. Hotel self check in is gaining traction and becoming increasingly common in hotels, from hostels and 3-stars hotels to luxury ones. It can be found everywhere!
And we can anticipate it to become even more mainstream as more than a third of executives reported in 2020 that they are either planning to get it or are already using it.
This article broke down eight advantages of installing a contactless hotel check-in solution in your properties. Here’s a breakdown of the advantages that we uncovered in this article:
Utilize hotel kiosks to reduce queues at the front desk, ESPECIALLY during peak hours.
Standardize the check-in procedures as the self check in solution has its predefined process.
Capture additional revenue through the up-selling features.
Save your guests time as they don’t have to stand in any queue to check-in.
Increase employee productivity as guests take over check in/out tasks from your staff.
Increase guest convenience by letting the guests check-in at home or on the way to the property.
Improve security by incorporating facial recognition for verifying identification documents.
Strengthen your brand identity by adding hotel images and your color palette in the kiosk.
Now, if you’re still not convinced about hotel check in kiosks, have a look at this comparison that we wrote about earlier regarding traditional versus contactless hotel check-in.
I hope this article was helpful and gave you some great insights into the advantages of self-service kiosks. If you have any questions about kiosks or want to check out our hotel kiosk, Self Check-In Hub, we’ll be more than glad to host a free demo session. Just click on the link below!