In today’s digitally dynamic world, the importance of high speed internet access (HSIA) cannot be emphasized enough. HSIA has become an indispensable amenity in hospitality, which delivers both guest satisfaction and promotes workforce efficiency. Investing in HSIA for hotels lifts them above the competition as guests now demand fast and seamless connectivity as a must-have for their stay.
Here’s why HSIA for hotels is now an essential part of exceptional experiences.
1. Guest Satisfaction
Tech-savvy travelers today are online at a lightning speed; after check-in, it’s about the Wi-Fi password, swiftly followed by connection in zero time. Additionally, keeping the children entertained while on vacation is paramount as families rock up to hotels with several devices, all of which need connectivity. Facetiming family and friends, watching videos and playing games are all activities that require a robust and reliable internet connection. Slow, glitchy connectivity will lead to negative reviews. Today’s guests prefer streaming in the comfort of their hotel rooms, saving on their data limits and avoiding roaming charges, so guest entertainment is now a huge part of the guest experience.
2. Streamlined Operations
Technology is being added to the hotel in so many different ways that it’s important to remember that the Wi-Fi really is the backbone that enables and supports many of these applications. Automatic check-ins and self-service kiosks give guests control and flexibility with their travel plans, while freeing up front-desk staff. Smart hotel rooms can enhance guest comfort and save energy by adjusting the heating, lighting and AC, based on occupancy in the room. For hotel maintenance, built-in sensors catch water leaks and send warning alerts while remote troubleshooting of smart appliances avoids expensive call-out charges. For a more personal touch, a digital voice assistant in a hotel room can help guests with requests, check-outs and local recommendations, again relieving staff of routine, yet timely tasks.
3. Business on the Go
For business travelers, HSIA in hotels is non-negotiable; today’s corporate guests need essential business tools such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, emailing and access to cloud-based software. A hotel with a solid infrastructure will build loyalty as corporate guests make recommendations and return visits, if they have a productive and seamless stay. According to Pew Research, just over one-third of workers in the U.S. who can work remotely do so all the time — while 41% are at least part-time remote on a hybrid setup. With so many remote or hybrid workers, even when traveling for leisure, many guests will use the network for work purposes during their stay.
4. Elevate Revenue
Instead of treating Wi-Fi as a fixed cost, smart use of Wi-Fi technology can turn it into a revenue generator for hotels. Using key guest insights from analytics creates opportunities for upselling, personalizing the guest experience – a hotel guest can be offered a discount voucher for the spa, for instance. By providing a tailored Wi-Fi plan, hotels can generate revenue, offering packages with a faster speed or bigger data allowance to guests who need it, such as conference attendees or event managers.
5. Winning Edge
Winning edge investment in HSIA for hotels provides hoteliers a competitive edge over their rivals to stay ahead of the game. As the hospitality industry changes, guests and their needs are evolving. The importance of management is even greater, and with Nomadix Hotel Portal, hotels can create branded experiences, enable secure authentication, manage conferences, see real-time insights and align to stringent brand standards. This is a win-win for the property and users on the network.
HSIA for hotels is not about offering standard internet access to guests; it’s about delivering guest satisfaction and exceptional experiences. Customer engagement research shows 92% of guests state free hotel Wi-Fi is very important to them. In today’s connected world, Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity that defines the modern hotel experience and hotels that fail to invest are left in the slow lane. If you want to know more about connectivity solutions, reach out to us now.
Mike Womack is vice president of Americas partner sales with Nomadix, an ASSA ABLOY company. He brings more than 20 years of successful sales leadership with a proven track record of exceeding annual sales targets, capturing new markets and positioning organizations for growth.