Would James Bond Want to Use Your Hotel?

He's also been the most tech-savvy guy around since the 1960s and unless you've been keeping up with the latest hospitality trends, you probably haven't seen him in your hotel in a mighty long time. That's not to say, of course, that all of your guests are in need of a place to hack into an enemy's top secret data storage or re-charge their grenade-pens, but that doesn't mean that you should set your standards low. Today's hotel patrons have high expectations when it comes to the tech that hotels have on offer, so it may be time to evaluate your own. 

 

Here are a few "Bond-worthy" technologies that every modern hotel should employ:

1. Self Check-In/Out

Self-Service is widely used and appreciated by customers when banking, checking into flights at airports, and even shopping, so why wouldn't you want to take advantage of this within your hotel? The top hotels are working to satisfy customer demands for speed and convenience by enabling them to take advantage of technologies like check-in kiosks or the ability to check out through TV and phone systems. Customers are happy because they don't have to wait in line while hoteliers benefit as employee time is freed up to handle more pertinent tasks and operate more efficiently. And, of course, this type of tech enables Bond to fly under the radar and maintain his privacy.

 

2. VoIP

Traditional landlines are so passé. Guests expect a luxurious and premium experience from the hotels that they patronize, and that means having the ability to enjoy all of the conveniences that come from a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system. These systems offer a lot more than extremely clear and reliable calls (which are a must when Bond is phoning the MI6 with an urgent message). Instead, they offer guests the ability to customize their experience via features like personal and secure voicemail, personalized wakeup calls, and much more.

3.  Convenient Charging Stations

The more time that your patrons spend inside the walls of your hotel, the more opportunities you have to make money. You might make sales as guests mingle in your hotel bar or dine together in a restaurant, but not if it's too inconvenient for them to stick around. These days we are all reliant upon our mobile devices at all hours of the day. If Bond's phone runs out of power during cocktail hour, he's likely to head back to his room to recharge and stop patronizing your bar. Setting up charging stations (similar to those you'll find in busy airports) will encourage guests to hang around common areas. This will improve their guest experience and ramp up your revenue.

4. Keyless Entry

Let's face it -- neither Bond nor any of your other guests have the time or energy to dig around in their pockets trying to look for that elusive room entry card! There's one thing that tech-savvy patrons always have on hand, though, and that's their phones. Leading hotels are taking advantage of this by enabling guests to use nothing more than their smartphones or other mobile devices to unlock their doors.

So, would James Bond be able to rely on your phone system to get through to Moneypenny in his hour of need, or would the world come to an end due to his inability to remotely shut down the launch codes to a villain's missile? Don't do a disservice to your country by being behind on the times. Learn more about updating your hotel's tech by reaching out to the experts at PhoneSuite today.