How hotel automation reforms the future of the hospitality industry

Hotel automation is beneficial for both guests and owners, improving hotel’s operational efficiency and enhance guest’s in-room experiences due to the hi-tech Hotel automation system

Over the past few years, Hotel automation has become a blazing topic in the hospitality industry. You can think of virtual concierges to electronic butlers, which provide fully robotic machines within a hotel. Hotels have embraced all useful technologies offered by hotel tech companies to maximize operational efficiency and improve guest experiences.

Hospitality software development services offer several automated hotel software solutions, including automated hotel task management, automated guests communication, etc. Hotel automation systems play a vital role in hotels as it doesn’t overthrow service quality. It’s supposed that hotel automation combines the human touch and hospitality technologies to create exceptional guest experiences and improve hotels’ operations. We’ve discussed the reason how hotel automation reforms the hospitality industry.

What is hotel automation?

Automation is a concept that has been applied in various industries, for example, how customers can self-serve at supermarkets, mobile check-in, etc. Regardless of the hospitality industry, hotel automation helps to serve guests in a tech-driven way, enhancing guest experiences. It’s not a situation where robots greet customers in the lobby lounge; however, it simply applies hotel technology into manual processes. Thus, laborious processes and repetitive tasks within a hotel can run automatically.

The hospitality industry has been trying to update hotel technologies. However, since the covid-19 pandemic, the service industry forces to uptake digitized technologies. These can be automation, virtual concept, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), etc. Amidst the pandemic outbreak, hotels have to run their operations with fewer resources. Thus, the usage of hotel automation has become more prominent. That allows hotels to do more with fewer resources and also improves operational efficiency.

Hotel room automation has gradually gained popularity for hotel technology, as it increases efficiency and creates visibility on operational hotel weaknesses. Hotel automation systems help hotels control over its operations whereas optimizing tasks to reduce operating costs. Hospitality software development services can help to guest room automation regarding:

• Guest room automation for mobile check-in/check-out, which means guests can check-in/check-out without receptionists.
• Mobile apps control light systems, fans, TV, air-conditioning, and all in-room technologies, supporting guest in-personal experiences.
• Meeting digital service requests from customers such as housekeeping, laundry, do not disturb, and more in an automated hotel. So all staff is also instantly informed.
• Automated scheduling and task management systems for staff, optimize schedule board to reduce costs and enhance workflow more efficiently. As the top custom software development company in Vietnam, Adamo’s experts see that many hotels use automated systems for their properties.

Hotel automation software systems should integrate with PMS within an automated hotel to connect all relevant departments such as owners, guests, receptionists, etc.

Tremendous benefits of using a hotel automation system

Hotel owners currently seek a custom software solution to maximize operational efficiency with fewer human resources while providing the same quality services for guests. Hotel automation would be a solution to achieve these goals. It offers high convenience for both hoteliers and guests.

Hotel automation save hotel operations

1. Guest room automation saves staff’s time

Applying hotel automation to your hotel deter manually responding to any problem or message from guests. Software development solutions introduced by hotel tech companies pre-program responses to various requests and circumstances in reality. Thus, hotel automation enables staff to pay attention to complicated problems.

Virtual concierges and mobile hotel butlers bring the same benefits for hotel operations. For example, some of them can use robotic butlers to deliver meals, necessary items to guest rooms. So hotel staff can focus on other tasks more efficiently.

2. Quicker responses to customers

Hotel automation ensures that hotels will respond to guests’ requests and concerns as quickly as possible. Guest room automation impresses guests by immediate responses, giving a higher level of satisfaction and trust between guests and hotels. Nowadays, many develop custom software that can customize or handle problems personally rather than ever. Nevertheless, not all responses from guests will be automatically solved by the hotel automation system.

For example, if guests are upset about something. In this case, customers would like to receive responses that are both sympathetic and useful as well. With these problems/concerns, hotel staff should handle them personally.

3. Hotel room automation reducing costs and increases revenue

Regarding operations, hotel automation can reduce costs as well as pull hotel revenue in some ways. Mobile-based information systems allow customers to easily ask for additional services through custom mobile apps or service industry software. That can convert into more sales for hotels.

Moreover, hotel automation systems use robotic butlers instead of using more staff. Hence, hotels can reduce payroll costs. Some introduce an automated hotel in which hotel room automation can help save energy costs related to keycard-activated lighting,

Useful hotel automation system for guests

1. Enhancing self-service 

We are living in a world where people, especially millennials, would like to do things by themselves. Some people state that customers prefer to use ATMs at the bank rather than work with tellers, and mobile check-in for their flights, etc. So guests will expect the same efficiency while staying at the hotel (According to New York Times).

In many circumstances, visitors want to adopt self-service at least. Hoteliers need to combine hotel automation with impeccable services for many cases. Many hospitality software development services introduce mobile apps for check-in/check-out. Applying self-service for check-in/check-out should not take service authenticity away from guests. Hotel automation is essential for hoteliers to give customers more options.

2. Customized service when using guest room automation

Hotel automation introduced by hotel tech companies can store data regarding guests’ preferences and related information. That guest room automation can be integrated with the existing PMS system of your hotel. Thanks to customers’ insights stored in the hotel automation system, hoteliers can design a customized experience for guests.

For example, if hotels know a customer enjoys therapy service at a spa. Maybe they can send special offers or discounts, even promotions for guests via custom software of hotel automation. Accordingly, using guest room automation somehow helps hoteliers offer customized services for guests, boosting customers’ satisfaction.

3. Hospitality automation providing convenience for guests

Last but not least, automation in the hospitality industry can provide convenience for customers. After a long journey on the plane, guests have to wait in front of the reception desk for check-in. Mobile check-in/check-out in the hotel automation system will eliminate this waiting line. Besides, thanks to hotel automation, customers can place an order in advance for what they want, the places, restaurants, etc.

Hotel automation systems can help them to resolve problems that are regularly done by hotel staff promptly. Thus, hotel technology has changed the likelihood of the hospitality industry somehow.

How can hotel room automation work within an automated hotel

Regardless of automation in the hotel industry, there are many possibilities. It can be options for various departments and touch on stages of customer journey even when they’re visiting hotel websites. Hotel tech companies introduce custom software development services to create an automated hotel via guest room automation systems.

Hotel task management system  

In many cases, guests get lost with the complicated customer journey, leading to failure to handle guest requests. Guests often request something from hotel staff that they meet for the first time during their stay. However, this person is rarely responsible for tasks. To solve it, hotel automation introduces the hotel task management system, benefiting hotel operations.

Software development outsourcing companies develop hotel automation systems that set up automated regulations and notifications for hotel staff when a task comes in. Thanks to custom software solutions, the hotel staff only need to handle the issues related to their duties, resulting in fast and efficient resolutions. Besides, hotel automation offers an escalation system that ensures tasks are done quickly.

Automated hotel system for feedback management

Feedback is essential for any service business. Reviews are ideally responded to within 72 hours as guests probably see the most recent feedback. It might be a challenging obstacle for many hotel businesses in terms of responding to guests’ feedback. So, hospitality software development services introduce custom apps or develop hospitality software for addressing the problems related to feedback. It’ll automatically create tasks when receiving negative feedback.

When there’s any feedback not being responded to on time, hotel automation will transfer it to the customer service department that solves it. So the automation in the hotel industry will help hoteliers in prompt responding to the guests’ reviews thanks to hospitality software services.

Hospitality automation enhancing guest communication

Sometimes, you’ll see that many customers ask for the same problems. For example, amongst 30 hotels in a chain, 63% of all communication solves the same 8 problems. Even those are simple questions; however, hotel staff takes lots of time to answer. That’s why hotel automation is one of the most essential hotel technologies in recent years. Now hoteliers can automatically respond to many questions by leveraging chatbots, which will ensure a timely response.

Moreover, setting up communication guidelines for hotel operations is pretty vital. So that you can communicate with guests at the right time in the customer journey. For instance, you can reach out before their arrival to share important information during their stay, during the stay, or even when they left our properties via mobile apps.

6 features for automated hotels that are worth investing

There are 6 tips for hotel automation you should invest in to improve business operations. These are pre-stay guest engagement; check-in and check-out; guest access; employee scheduling and reporting; payroll and energy-saving.

Pre-stay guest engagement: Ensure customer satisfaction before arrival

In addition to providing your guests with digital guidebooks, you can use pre-stay communications to ensure they have everything they need prior to their arrival.

An in-app two-way messaging solution is straightforward for your customers to use. This hotel automation solution keeps them within your branded digital experience and makes it convenient for them to arrange an upgrade or other upsells.

Automated check-in and check-out: Simplify reservation process

Incorporating mobile check-in provides visitors with independence and convenience. Here is an example of how automated check-in operates:

• This app will synchronize with your PMS and smart devices.
• When your guests book, the app automatically sends them a link to a branded web app via text message or email.
• As part of the online check-in process, they can peruse your guidebooks, verify their identity, and submit a security deposit here.
• Their unique mobile key is then activated automatically based on their check-in time.

Guest access: New experience with digital mobile key

Providing digital access with a mobile key is a component of the solution for a completely optimized hotel check-in process. This hotel automation tool can convert your existing locks to smart locks at a fraction of the cost of replacement.

In addition to a revamped guest experience, you’ll gain a clearer view of your operations and be able to manage departure cleans more efficiently. That’s thanks to automated notifications that are triggered when guests check out.

Employee scheduling and reporting: Automatize the employee’s daily tasks

As previously mentioned, you can automate your team’s schedules with software. For instance, you can set task time estimates in your task rules so that the software automates the daily schedule based on who is working that day.

Therefore, when you appear in the morning, the team will already be aware of how the schedule will be divided.

Payroll: Paid-on-time salaries motivate staffs

By incorporating payroll software with your scheduling solution, you can ensure that employees are paid on time and accurately. To generate paychecks or direct deposits, you only need to confirm the weekly timesheets.

Energy-saving: Automated energy managements creates an eco-friendly hotel

You can automate energy control by programming your heating and cooling to kick in based on check-in and check-out times with a smart thermostat connected to a manager’s dashboard that integrates with your PMS. 

Your customized temperature settings provide guests with comfort upon arrival, and you can market your hotel as eco-friendly while saving money.

Increasing profits using hotel automation solutions

To remain competitive when it’s difficult to find qualified employees, you need a solution that not only reduces their workload but also removes time-consuming duties from their day-to-day operations. In doing so, your team can provide guests with a level of hospitality that will significantly enhance their stay.

Hotel automation processes will provide guests with the independence they desire, give your staff the room they need to perform at their best, and enable you to save money while enhancing the guest experience.

Top hotel automation system that you might know

Operto: A great hotel automation system

Amongst hotel automation platforms, Operto got highly recommended by most hoteliers and service providers. It gives guests control to customize their stay whereas allowing hoteliers to lower operational costs.

This hotel automation seamlessly integrates with PMS to combine all existing technologies within a hotel. It also has a portal for staff, not only for guests. For example, laundry can have schedules and real-time updates based on the time guests check-in/check-out. Each of them receives a unique code, and management can personalize based on their positions. Operto is a great custom software to apply hotel automation within a hotel property that you should know.

Cloudbeds: One of the best hotel room automation

Cloudbeds refer to one of the leading hotel room automation solutions. It is commonly set up in small to medium-sized hotels, integrating 6 essential tools into a single hotel automation system. It characterizes a booking engine and a reservation system. This price intelligence index collects real-time data, optimizing products/services pricing based on the benchmarks.

This hotel automation system can gain popularity due to its friendly interface and convenience in bookings management, check-in/check-out processes. Cloudbeds can integrate with other hospitality automation systems like Operto, supporting contactless check-in/check-out procedures.

Mews: A popular example of hospitality automation

Mews is a PMS that helps service providers automate their operations. This hotel automation system is based on the cloud and helps to optimize the processes using six interfaces. Many hospitality software development services offer custom software solutions, having the same features as News regarding booking engines, payment automation, housekeeping management, etc.

Open Key: Solution for hotel automation

Open Key is an inclusive solution for hotel automation. It’s digital key software that allows guests to access their room through a mobile app. This custom software for hotels is available for iOS and Android. Besides, it enables guests to check in/check out without waiting in front of the reception desk. This mobile app development also promotes amenities directly via custom software for service providers.

Adamo – Top Travel and Hospitality Software Development Company

How can hotel automation change the hospitality industry? Hotel automation systems help hoteliers to enhance guest experience comfort and their operations via mobile app.

As a leading software development company in Vietnam, especially in the travel and hospitality industry, Adamo Software has experience in building custom software solutions for travel agents, tour operators, and hospitality companies. If you want to transform your business operations within the travel and hospitality industry, Adamo is here to assist you in every single project. 

With the immense benefits of hotel automation, hotel tech companies have introduced custom software that can automate some parts of hotel operations and even all of which. The article has just provided information related to hotel automation benefits, how it works, etc. If you want to share something about hotel automation, don’t hesitate to contact us.