It seems, so far, that the race to best please the guest through advanced mobile solutions is being won by Hilton Worldwide.
The hotelier recently announced the launch of a new mobile effort, which will allow guests to choose their rooms and make special requests from their smartphones or tablets. By the end of 2014, 4,000 properties will offer this unique feature. In addition, in 2015, the company will introduce a technology to let guests unlock their hotel rooms with their smartphones.
“For nearly a century, our guests have counted on us to consistently deliver exceptional experiences around the world, and in today’s digitally connected culture, that means providing them with more choice and control over their hotel stay through technology,” Christopher Nassetta, Hilton Worldwide’s President and CEO, said in a written statement.
As highlighted in this USA Today story, Hilton HHonors members will be able to sign into their accounts through their mobile devices, tablets or computers at 6 a.m. the day before they arrive to check in. From there, they can select their room using floor maps or lists of available rooms, as well as view photos of the rooms.
A big driver of this move by Hilton was insights gathered from an internal online survey, which found that 84 percent of 1,009 travelers want to be able to choose their rooms through their mobile devices.
Hilton is also rolling out digital checkout this summer, which is clearly going to be a game-changer in the travel industry, according to industry experts.
“If the hotels can streamline the process where travelers can seamlessly book, select the best room for their needs, check-in and pay without stopping at a desk to complete merely administrative tasks, it’s fantastic,” said Robert Cole, Founder of RockCheeta, in the USA Today article. “It saves the hotel labor cost and also frees the staff to focus on providing hospitality to help guests have better travel experiences.”
The new frontier of mobile hotel guest solutions is finally coming to the forefront, and it seems that Hilton is a leader. In the coming year, we imagine other major hotel brands will follow suit, making the guest the ultimate winner.