Futuristic Value Addition of IoT in Hospitality Industry

Posted On: June 21, 2018

Marriott International got a major breakthrough for customer experience when it leveraged IoT towards the end of last year. November 2017 saw innovation in the hospitality industry, magnified and augmented by IoT. The international hospitality giant teamed with Samsung and Legrand, giving birth to the first ever IoT hotel room. The IoT Guestroom powered by Marriott’s own Innovation Lab at its headquarters in Maryland bridges the gap between IoT ideation and execution. With efficient hotel room designs, better construction models, sustainability efforts and goals, Marriott International aims to woo millennial customers who value each of these. As the first implementation of IoT in hospitality industry, the room transforms customer experience by boasting of IoT systems, applications, and devices that monitor all activities of the customer- and strive to offer best-in-class experience.

Customer experience transformation is a key component behind all; implemented and yet-to-be-implemented applications of IoT in hospitality industry. Through mobile and voice-enabled technologies, customers set up their own preferences within their rooms, to prioritize their feelings and their goals- experiences differ for a solo traveler who needs to relax, and a business person who needs peek performance and productivity.

 

Potential Applications of IoT in Hospitality Industry

Intel has estimated that the number of connected devices around the world is predicted to reach 200 billion by 2020. This wave of IoT is set to leave a dent (and a significant one) on the hospitality industry. IoT in hospitality industry is driven by the demand for sustainability and better customer experiences. This is innovation driven by necessity.

Here are some out-of-the-world ways in which we can expect to see IoT in hospitality industry-

Automated Guestrooms

Maintaining comfort and control that customers need in their rooms is the new normal for IoT in hospitality industry. With connected devices that pick up energy levels, regulate heat, and measure energy consumption, hotels can differentiate their services by bringing smart home technologies to their customers in their hotel rooms- bridging the gap between what they experience at their homes and away! Starwood Hotels and Resorts in China took the first step to become customer-centric by automating lighting consistency in their rooms as per inputs from the natural light entering through windows.

Improvement in Air Quality

The arrival of IoT in hospitality industry is a welcome change for hoteliers. It has even enabled them track & take action on parameters like air quality that make customer experience better. Air Quality Index is a measure of how fit the air around you is for breathing. With pollution levels in cities increasingly on the rise; hotels want to provide the best “air” to their customers. IoT in hospitality industry is helping achieve this. Only 3 months ago, Tallink Spa and Conference hotel installed an IoT-enabled system within their premises to keep track of air and water quality. As the hospitality industry becomes more and more about their customers, big players will bet large on these IoT-powered systems that help combat pollution and health risks for their customers. IoT systems can offer real-time alerts so hotels can regulate the quality of air and pool water.

Predictive Maintenance

IoT in hospitality industry can empower predictive maintenance. Through predictive maintenance, the appliances in a room ring off a bell when they suspect an anomaly in their working. Service staff can be deployed to check the appliance before it shows signs of a breakdown. Even before a problem is recognized, the service personnel will be able to identify and treat a need for device maintenance- thus improving the customer experience several folds.

Environment Regulation

IoT in hospitality industry can help regulate the environment for each customer based on their personal preferences. This hyper personalization of the environment inside a hotel room is the reason why IoT in hospitality industry is hailed around the world today. When the devices connect with each other and learn several preferences of the customer – specifics such as light intensity, brightness of the TV, air flow, etc., can be tailored for each customer.

Lighting, room temperature, TV, curtains – control at your finger tips!

Cost Saving

Cost reduction is another captivating reason for the success of IoT in hospitality industry. In cases when rooms are unoccupied, energy consumption can be regulated, thus helping hotels save huge amounts on electricity costs. With efficient processes, this could lead to a more sustainable model for the hospitality industry. Energy efficiency would allow businesses to improve profits while also remaining grounded to their purpose of becoming sustainable for the sake of the planet.

Mobile Integration

All is just a click away when you have leveraged IoT in hospitality industry. Visitors to hotels get to turn on their AC systems before they reach their room, turn off their systems after they leave, and control all appliances remotely, giving them a greater power over their experience. While they relax in their chair, they can get anything done without having to move at all. Smart connected devices also track their alarm systems, to turn on the water heating before the customer has to shower, and so on. These applications of IoT in hospitality industry are way more futuristic than we imagined.

Personalized control through mobile integration.

Partner with KocharTech to Implement IoT in Hospitality Industry

As an IT-enabling force, KocharTech helps hospitality businesses lay down a roadmap for IoT adoption in their business and offers specific solutions to bring digital transformation to reality. We offer an IoT setup along with actionable insights that help you kickstart your plans on leveraging IoT in hospitality industry.

Get in touch with us and let’s move towards a connected future.