What Are The Main Types Of Contactless Hotel Technology?

During the pandemic, we’ve seen an uptake in the adoption of contactless hotel technology. But what different types of contactless hotel technology are there?

Popular types of contactless hotel technology

1. Contactless check-in and check-out: it is important to provide guests with the confidence that when they arrive at a property, they won’t arrive in a long queue and have the option to use technology that they are already using in other industries right now, like the online check-in and check-out at airports. It reduces the workload for your staff as repetitive tasks can now be automated, and so they can free up time to spend on offering guests on-site a better service.  

2. Contactless keys: many hoteliers offer the option of contactless check-in and check-out integrated with a keyless system. This means that guests can seamlessly drive the whole process from their phone: from check-in to opening their door, to check out.  

3. Guest Messaging & chatbot: traveling is often paired with many questions, about the hotel, the destination, how to get there, etc. and most guests face similar questions. However, since the pandemic, travelers are facing many more questions about local restrictions, availability of facilities, etc. Guest messaging, therefore, offers an option to guests to reach out to hoteliers through their favorite messaging apps. A chatbot can then support hoteliers in providing fast responses more efficiently and reduces noise at reception while making sure you have consistency in responses.  

4. Workflow & collaboration tools: when thinking about contactless hotel technology, we cannot only look at it from the perspective of guests but also the staff. Automated task systems provide a way for hoteliers to streamline their operations, alerting teams when new tasks come in. This reduces internal face-to-face communication while also increasing efficiency as tasks now don’t need to travel via different staff members anymore.  

5. Biometric technology & voice recognition: Under biometric technology, we can understand advanced technologies like facial recognition and temperature checks. With facial recognition, guests can self-check-in, unlock elevators, etc. It reduces contact with surfaces and face-to-face contact. We have also seen a spike in interest in voice recognition, where hoteliers implement systems like Siri or Alexa in their rooms. However, there is still some hesitance regarding these technologies, as questions of privacy arise.  

General drawbacks regarding contactless technology

During the pandemic we were all pushed into using more technology: think about Zoom calls, online shopping, etc. Although, some are faster in adopting technologies than others, and we cannot rush anyone into using them. It’s therefore important to offer the option of more traditional processes to guests besides these contactless hotel technologies. A guest who isn’t comfortable talking to a chatbot should have the option to speak to an agent and a guest who prefers face-to-face check-in should have the option to skip contactless check-in.  

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