Digitalizing processes and workflows in hotel operations is essential to save time and money while increasing guest satisfaction. An important component here is the Digital Registration Form. Digitalizing the registration form is the first step toward gradually digitizing the entire check-in process.
In this article, we would like to give you an overview of all the relevant requirements so that you can start digitalization successfully.
What is a Digital registration form?
A Digital Registration Form at the hotel is an electronic form that must be filled out by hotel guests to record their personal data and information during their stay. It is a digital version of the traditional paper registration form that guests must fill out upon arrival at the hotel.
Most hotels provide the Digital Registration Form on a Progressive Web App. Guests can fill out the form online and no longer have to do so at the front desk upon arrival. The Digital registration form offers the advantage of being faster, more convenient and more environmentally friendly than the conventional paper registration form.
Current legal requirements
With the Third Bureaucracy Relief Act, which came into force on 01 January 2020, a new regulation for registration forms was introduced, which allows digital solutions for the special reporting obligation in lodging establishments. In the process, an optional digital registration procedure was introduced that could replace the handwritten signature with another secure procedure (Strong Customer Authentication).
In addition, the Accommodation Reporting Data Ordinance was promulgated on June 17, 2020, to govern the implementation of the digital registration process. In March 2021, the experimentation clause for digital registration procedures came into force as a supplement. This enables lodging establishments to test other electronic procedures and thus fulfill the obligation to register their guests electronically.
How does the Digitalization of the registration form work with straiv?
The Digital Registration Form with straiv allows guests to fill out the registration form digitally and contactless with their own smartphone or tablet, without the need of an app download. This saves time and reduces waiting times at the reception. The Digital Registration Forms are automatically saved as PDFs and can be quickly located when visiting authorities. In addition, manual interventions such as the storage and disposal of the registration slips and the associated costs are eliminated. Everything is done digitally, which is not only more sustainable, but also more efficient.
Another function of the Digital Registration Form is the automatic transfer of all information from the registration form to the existing Property Management System (provided there is an interface with straiv). This minimizes the effort for the reception and the guest. The data entry itself is also simple and fast. The guest accesses the Registration Form contactless via their own terminal device and can enter all information relevant to the it. After successful data entry, the guest receives a confirmation and all data is stored digitally on a registration form that complies with data protection regulations.
Another important aspect of digital data capture is the digital signature, which is also possible contactless. Guests can use the SCA (Strong Customer Authentication) process to digitally authenticate themselves with a credit card and then provide the signature via their own smartphone. The SCA procedure ensures a secure and data protection compliant data transmission (prerequisite for the use of the SCA procedure is an interface with your payment and property management provider).
Conclusion: Why switch to the Digital Registration Form?
All in all, the Digital Registration Form in the hotel offers many advantages. It not only saves time and money, but is also more sustainable. By reducing wait times at the front desk, employees have more time to provide personalized guest service, which increases guest satisfaction. In addition, the Digital Registration Form offers more flexibility, as it can be accessed from any location and at any time. This increases guest satisfaction through faster and more flexible data collection.
If you are not yet using the Digital Registration Form, you should consider it and learn about the possibilities.
