DO's and DON'Ts of Hotel Technology
by Terence Ronson ISHC, July 21, 2010
It is almost five years since we first issued the popular DO's
and DON'Ts
of Hotel Technology. A lot has changed since then - both in Hotels and
Technology, and so it's time for an update.
Here is our 2010 version which we hope you will find useful as
a check-
list and to benchmark your hotel.
Feel free to drop us a note with any items that you believe
should be
added to the list, and we will send out a further update.
DO ...
-
Use digital signage instead of printed posters
-
Have the staff who do in-room check-in, offer to help guests connect
their
computer to the HSIA and make them an Espresso if you have such a
machine
in the room
-
Put some free bottles of water in the mini bar so that they are nice
and
cool
-
Check all the peep-holes on guest room doors to make sure they are
secure,
and installed in the correct direction
-
Mount irons on wall brackets in closets instead of placing them on the
floor or shelves
-
Clearly display broadband charges, if your hotel has any
-
Make it easy to switch off all lights in the room from the bed -
especially
the bathroom lights
-
Have plenty of power sockets by the desk, or if not possible, provide a
small power bar in the drawer
-
Have an emergency torch/flashlight in the guest room
-
Have a CD/DVD lending library if you have such a player in the room
-
Make it easy to plug in a hairdryer, shaver or toothbrush in the
bathroom
-
Make the lighting in the bathroom sufficiently bright and natural
enough
for doing makeup
-
Have an illuminated make-up mirror in the bathroom
-
Have a simple but easy to read digital clock in the bathroom
-
Have easily accessible power sockets at the LEFT and RIGHT side of the
bed for Guest-use only
-
Check your TV channel reception in every room from time to time and
make
sure it's nice and clear
-
Make sure the electronic door lock on the guest room door locks quickly
when the door shuts
-
Check the speed and noise of the fan coil unit in the guest room
-
Have a shelf in the toilet cubicle where guest's can place their mobile
phone/PDA and maybe a book
-
Sleep and Work in your own guestroom from time to time and see how
comfortable
and practical it really is
-
Make sure the light inside the wardrobe does switch off when the door
is
closed
-
Make sure your guest room safe is bolted down to a floor or wall and
cannot
be easily removed
-
Install a power socket inside your guest room safe to charge items
while
locked away
-
Have some always-on power sockets in the guest room - desk and bed
-
Test motion detectors in the guest room to make sure they really work
efficiently
and don't turn off the power prematurely
-
Check the cable connectors for the HSIA - often the clips are
broken
-
Monitor the TV volume in the guest room so that it can go down very
low,
and not too high. Some guests like to leave the TV on all night but at
a very low background volume
-
Have a very low level nightlight in the bathroom/toilet
-
Have [international] power sockets easily available for guest-use in
public
areas, especially Lounges and Dining areas
-
Offer free boarding pass printing in Business centers
-
Provide MAC computers in the business center, and not just Window's PC's
-
Encourage staff to bring laptops to meetings and use them for note
taking
and not paper pads
-
Have a smart-phone compliant version of your hotel fact sheet available
for download on your website
-
Make sure excess cables are neatly tied, or cut to the right size
-
Have easily accessible [international] power sockets in Meeting rooms
-
Have a person to monitor social networking sites for mentions about
your
hotel
-
Have competent front line staff on-property who can deal with Guest
TECH
queries - make sure they posses the requisite social skills as well
-
Monitor what is written about you on sites like Trip Advisor
-
Realize that when you buy technology - you need a support agreement as
well - and this often doubles the cost over 5 years
-
Print your IM address on your Business card
-
Put an Internet browsing station in the Staff Canteen for them to check
email during breaks
-
Get your technology vendors to update you twice a year on their road map
-
Remember that guests trust their mobile phones to wake them up - more
than
they do your wake-up service - provide enough space for the phone and
charger
on the bedside table
-
Perform regular system backups (data and program) and store them
off-site
-
Allow guest's to tailor make their fruit basket if you plan to give
them
one - not everyone likes green apples and pears
-
Offer ePostcards from your website
-
Try and make a booking from your own website
-
Use a biometric reader or PIN pad for staff entrance/egress that is
linked
to the Time and Attendance/Payroll System
-
Deploy the very best cabling backbone you can
-
Use mobile computers to help staff work in a mobile manner and not
remain
stuck behind their desk
-
Be careful when using re-cycled paper in the photocopier as to what is
on the reverse side of that paper
-
Have an easy to use toasting machine on the buffet - one that actually
toasts and not just warms
-
Have a CCTV camera in your data Center/Computer Room to record who was
in the room and what they did
DON'T ...
-
Use Walkie-Talkies in public areas without discreet ear pieces
-
Deploy connectivity or aux panels without in-room cable kits
-
Put a bedside clock that makes a ticking sound
-
Charge for local phone calls unless you really have to
-
Make it difficult to use a mouse on the desk by having one with a glass
surface
-
Charge for Wi-Fi use in Banquet and Meeting rooms, if the guest already
paid to use it in the guestroom
-
Automatically do dynamic currency conversion on credit card
transactions
unless the customer knowingly approves in advance
-
Charge exorbitant rates for printing or photocopying in the Business
Center
-
Issue replacement room keys without first seeing a valid photo ID
-
Allow staff to use thumb drives in work computers
-
Use wired mice at the Front Desk - use the wireless type
-
Print reports - electronically circulate PDF versions only
-
Send faxes when you can send emails with PDF attachments
-
Print folios - ask the guest if you can email them
-
Use worn out ribbons on F&B Guest check printers
-
Assume your backup power generator will auto- start in the event of a
mains
power failure. Test it
-
Use paper registration cards - use electronic ones
-
Assume all guests use an iPod or iPhone - there are other successful
products
in the marketplace
-
Put "last updated..." on your website if you don't do it frequently
-
Put the number of visitors to your site - no one really cares
-
Put a chair at the desk which is difficult to pull out or is
uncomfortable
to sit in - even if it looks nice
-
Just limit guests to connect two items to the Wi-Fi in the room - often
guests carry more devices, and more importantly, if the room is
occupied
by more than one person
-
Clutter the desk with collateral's and printed materials - make them
digital
and multi-lingual
-
Place a loudspeaker in the bathroom unless it has a volume control and
the sound quality is good
-
Have so many TV channels that it's difficult for the guest to quickly
access
what they really want to watch
-
Put a CD player in the room unless there is already a disc inside for
the
guest to quickly listen to
-
Operate a 1-button Call Center unless the staff who take the call are
full
trained to handle ALL queries
-
Put a 4-in-1/ printer /fax machine in the room with just 2 or 3 sheets
of paper inside for the guest to print on - have at least 20 pieces
-
Have electronic curtains/drapes unless they can be opened/closed from
the
bedside as well as a wall switch
-
Put a hairdryer in the bathroom that is underpowered
-
Put a reading lamp at the bed which is so powerful and direct that it
can
burn your forehead
-
Have multiple phones in the guestroom unless you really need to
-
Overcharge for IDD calls - explore if you can connect your PBX to a
VOIN
service to reduce the calling costs
-
Just rely on the technology to operate your business - it will
fail
and at the worst possible time. Make sure you have a contingency plan
in
place for ALL systems and test it periodically
-
Change any configuration on a guest's computer unless they ABSOLUTELY
agree
and you have a written record of the changes made
-
Allow iPods or MP3 players in the workplace to be connected to your
computers
-
Make it complicated for guests to use your technology - they may only
stay
one night
-
Lend guest's headsets in the gym unless they have been pre-sterilized
-
Allow social networking connections on workplace computers unless it's
for work
-
Have water pipes inside your computer room or data center
-
Just have a single cooling source for your Data Center - have a backup
-
Use Flash on your website unless you really have to - not all
Smartphones
can handle Flash
-
Automatically believe that by putting loads of technology into your
hotel
that the guest experience will be enhanced
(c) Terence Ronson ISHC
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