In today’s fast-paced world, hotels are constantly looking for ways to provide guests with a seamless and convenient experience. It is precisely to meet this requirement that self-service kiosks are used. But which kiosk is the right fit for which hotel? We will consider two different scenarios to show when each type of kiosk is the best choice.
1. The Individual Hotel
A charming family-owned hotel is operated by a dedicated owner. The hotel reception is not open 24/7. One challenge is dealing with unexpected or late arrivals and last-minute reservations outside of reception hours. For example, if a guest arrives late, and the reception is already closed, extra staff would need to come to the hotel to complete the check-in.
Which kiosk fits?
In such cases, an outdoor self-service kiosk allows guests to check in independently 24/7, 365 days a year, even outside regular reception hours. Guests can arrive at any time and gain access to the hotel and their room through the outdoor self-service kiosk without requiring anyone from the hotel to leave the premises. This not only relieves the burden on the hotelier but also provides guests with maximum flexibility and convenience.
In which cases an outdoor self-service kiosk generally makes sense?
- Hotels that are not open 24/7 and have difficulty handling unexpected or late arrivals
- Hotels facing staffing shortages or simply unable to find staff
- Hotels looking for ways to reduce costs without compromising service quality
2. The Hotel Chain
Now let’s consider a larger hotel chain with numerous locations and hotels that are open 24/7 to provide guests with maximum flexibility. Like some other hotel businesses, this chain is grappling with ongoing staffing shortages, which negatively affect guest satisfaction and jeopardize long-term profitability. The challenge is to maintain operations efficiently and economically without compromising guest satisfaction.
Which kiosk makes sense?
- Hotels, die rund um die Uhr geöffnet sind und eine effiziente Lösung für den Gästeempfang benötigen
- Hotels, die viel Wert auf ein gutes Markenimage und einen qualitativ hochwertigen Service legen
- Kettenhotels, die nach einer konsistenten, modernen und effizienten Lösung suchen, um ihren Betrieb zu optimieren
In which cases an indoor self-service kiosk generally makes sense?
For hotels that are open 24/7, self-service indoor kiosks offer an efficient way to support reception staff. Guests can check in, pay, and access their rooms independently, without relying on hotel staff. This allows guests to avoid waiting times at the reception desk, and it reduces the workload for existing staff. This proves to be an efficient solution for managing check-ins and check-outs during peak times or handling rapid guest turnovers.
Conclusion
The choice between indoor and outdoor self-service kiosks depends on various factors. Family-owned and individual hotels often benefit from outdoor kiosks to offer more flexibility to guests, reduce staffing needs, or cut costs, while chain hotels opt for indoor kiosks to enhance efficiency or provide more time for personalized guest service. In both cases, self-service kiosks contribute to increased customer satisfaction and meeting the changing needs of guests.
All kiosks seamlessly integrate into straiv’s existing modular solutions. The PMS integration, payment terminal, and key card coding work with all major providers that have an interface with straiv.
