Unified Communications Across the Hotel

As the hospitality industry grows more competitive, it’s important for hotel owners and managers to take the necessary steps to keep business operating smoothly, and to keep guests completely satisfied. In order to accomplish this, a unified hotel communications system is a must. The good news is that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) not only makes this possible, but also makes everything easier for you, your staff, and your guests. Here’s a quick look at how VoIP can bring uniformity to your hotel.

• To the front desk from an outside line – Although your hotel probably has a standard way of answering an incoming call to the front desk, there is no guarantee that the phone will always be answered. If the phone rings while the attendant is occupied with another call or guest, or has stepped away from the desk, the incoming caller will not receive the same experience as someone else. A hotel system that utilizes VoIP telephony can resolve this issue by making use of an auto attendant. This attendant can provide useful information to callers, help to direct call traffic, and route future guests to a reservation hotline service. You can also implement cascading ringing, which means that if the front desk does not pick up by ring two the call will ring on to the concierge, then at ring four the manager, and so on, based entirely on what your preference is. Another bonus that a VoIP phone system has to offer is that attendants are able to answer calls and handle console functions, even while they are away from the desk, via a call forwarding. This means that callers will always be treated with professionalism and promptness.
  
  
• To the front desk from an inside line – As in the case of outside callers, your current guests deserve a consistent and uniform treatment when attempting to reach the front desk. Regardless of if the attendant is available, or has stepped away from the desk, VoIP telephony can help your guests get the information or help that they need. And a state-of-the-art hotel phone system will also take your guest’s experiences to the next level. Because your phone will provide your attendants with a readout on the guest’s name, room number, native language, and VIP status, you can create a customized call experience for them. As an added bonus, this feature helps to deter nuisance calls so that your staff can focus on taking care of legitimate customer needs.
  
  
• To guest rooms – Make your guest’s stay at your hotel as pleasant as possible by eliminating any annoying calls from 1-800 numbers with a VoIP system. By alerting the front desk of these types of calls, they can be declined and avoided. Guest experience can also be improved by providing guests with their own in-room voicemail that is automatically deleted upon checkout, for privacy. These VoIP phone service functions make it possible to create a uniform and excellent stay for all of your guests.

• From the front desk – Whether calling inside or outside lines, VoIP telephony makes it extremely easy for your staff to make calls – every time. With a few clicks of a button your attendants can find a guest by name, transfer calls, or reach an outside line.
  
  
• From guest rooms – For the safety of guests, all emergency 9-1-1 calls are given top priority, and the guest is notified of these calls. You also have the option to  provide guests with pre-programmed speed-dial functions for commonly requested businesses (ie: the local pizza delivery service). Finally, create a uniform and seamless experience by eliminating the possibility of unexpected charges. Allowing guests to set credit limits on long distance calls is ideal. Automatic detection is also wise, as it guarantees that guests are only billed for completed calls.