HospitalIT: How Tech Is Influencing the Hospitality Industry 

The hospitality industry keeps evolving. With technological advancements and the ease of getting around today, the travel process is changing in many ways. While most changes are positive, some aren’t. Here are a few of the ways tech is influencing the hospitality industry.

1. Voice Search

Voice search once seemed like only a dream. However, the popularity and feasibility of voice search skyrocketed in the past three years. Voice search is no longer relegated to sci-fi stories. And since voice search is used by 40% of adults at least once per day, it affects how people search online. Using voice search means users phrase searches differently than when they type them.

With that in mind, businesses need to adjust their search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

2. Using Your Phone as a Key

Physical key card may soon be a thing of the past. Some hotels, including Marriott and Hilton, are adopting the ability to use your smartphone as your key card. All you need to do is touch the phone to the digital keypad. It makes life so much easier as you don’t need to take your key card everywhere you go.

3. “Do Not Disturb” App

It’ll probably be a while before this becomes the normal mode of operation, but a hotel in Las Vegas uses a tablet to control many things in the room. One of the things it controls is the “do not disturb” sign — it’s a digitized sign rather than the paper one you stick on your doorknob. You can also control the curtains as your wake-up alarm. This changes the flow of work that employees need to do in the hotel.

4. The Automatic Bar

You can meet a host of fascinating individuals at the hotel bar. However, some don’t like the social aspect, and others feel unsafe. An automatic wine maker allows you to enjoy alcohol in your room.

A few hotels have introduced automatic bars and even automatic bartenders that can pour a glass of wine. The wine costs the same as it would down at the hotel bar.

What’s a potential consequence of these conveniences? Patrons may not leave their rooms as much, which could affect other aspects of the hotel business, such as dining and spa.

5. Inclusion of Robots

Robots are becoming more commonplace. Select hotels around the world are experimenting with robots that can perform a variety of tasks, like bringing towels down to the hotel pool or storing luggage away in a locked bin.

These robots may replace staff in the future, but only time will tell whether this becomes the new normal.

6. Increased Safety

Keeping customers safe is one of the most critical aspects. A hotel’s maintenance team used to consist of human employees, but that’s changing. For example, predictive maintenance uses sensors to detect hazardous trends.

It also alerts hotel staff so they can address issues quickly.

7. Personalized Rooms

Personalization is the future. Why not have hotel rooms personalize themselves to your favorites? Do you like your room cold? How about the brightness of the lights?

All of this is customizable through hotel-specific apps. You can arrive in a room that is already set up exactly to your liking. This kind of service is bound to have nothing but a positive impact on the guest.

The Future of Hospitality Is Here

The hospitality industry is changing, with technology driving its evolution. These changes will only increase as time goes on.

Author Bio: Nathan Sykes is a technology blogger and writer. He is also the editor of Finding an Outlet.