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The pandemic accelerated digital transformation in the hospitality industry, with contactless technology gaining immense popularity. Over half of travelers are eager to see permanent adoption of contactless check-in and checkout in the next three years. This technology not only benefits guests but also eases the workload for staff, especially in an industry known for high turnover rates. With turnover rates in hotels at a staggering 73.8%, digital transformation is enhancing guest experiences and reducing staff burdens.
One such innovation is the introduction of self-check-in kiosks. These kiosks represent a significant step toward streamlining the guest experience and meeting evolving traveler preferences.
Self-check-in kiosks are electronic devices (often a touch screen found in the lobby of a hotel). They enable guests to check in without assistance from your hotel staff.
With self-check-in kiosks, guests can fill out pre-stay information like name, address and credit card information. They can also understand the terms and conditions of their stay.
It's a handy alternative to paper or PDF registration cards, often stored in filing cabinets. Kiosks can help hotels streamline data collection within the cloud and stay PCI DSS compliant. And with the rollout of PCI DSS 4.0, this is becoming ever more important.
Self-check-in kiosks are convenient, quick and easy for guests to use—and for you to manage. They aren’t dissimilar to those used to check-in at airports and enable guests to check in at their own pace and access their rooms quickly. Kiosks also offer a level of personalization. Guests can choose their preferred room or make special requests, such as extra pillows or early check-in.
Because of this level of customization, the check-in process with a kiosk may not be the same for every hotel. Here’s what a guest might experience when checking in through a kiosk:
While manual check-in is still crucial (especially for guests who prefer it), relying on it alone can slow down your operations and impact your guest experience. Afterall, the last thing guests want to do is line up for an extended period after a long journey.
Then there’s your staff’s workload. Hotel staff members responsible for manual check-in processes may become overwhelmed during peak periods, which can impact their ability to provide personalized service to guests.
Manual check-in also leads to paper wastage, and manual input of information. Workers may experience language barriers and guests may feel uncomfortable sharing personal information in a public and often crowded lobby.
Self-check-in kiosks have become increasingly popular in the hospitality industry, offering an efficient and tech-savvy alternative to traditional manual check-in methods. But why? Let’s look at the benefits these kiosks bring to hotels:
Check-in kiosks typically expedite the check-in process, enabling guests to complete their check-in quickly and avoid long lines at the front desk. Guests will no longer need to wait in long lines to be checked-in.
Guests have the flexibility to check in at their convenience, whether that's upon arrival or in advance via a mobile app. They can also choose their room from available options, providing a sense of control over their stay.
Self-check-in kiosks are available around the clock, enabling guests to check in at any time, even outside regular front desk hours. This is especially useful for late arrivals or unexpected travel delays.
Some guests may feel uncomfortable sharing personal information in a public and often crowded lobby area. Kiosks keep your guests’ data safe, accurate and secure while speeding up the process.
Self-check-in kiosks are PCI and GDPR-compliant and remove the need for paper or PDF registration cards. Some guests may also prefer a more private check-in experience.
Self-check-in kiosks minimize the risk of human error, such as mistyped information or miscommunication between guests and front desk staff.
Paper or PDF registration cards add to your hotel’s wastage. Transferring this information to the cloud is a great way to be more sustainable and free up space in your front office.
Registration cards are stored indefinitely in the cloud after the guest has departed the property. This makes it easy to retrieve returning guest information and boosts your sustainability efforts.
Manual check-in often requires the manual input of information. This can lead to errors and wasted time. Capturing sensitive information digitally helps you transfer guest data to your PMS.
Self-check-in kiosks integrate seamlessly with existing technologies like your property management system (PMS). This removes the need to manually enter information.
Kiosks enable you to update existing reservations, including those booked via online travel agencies (OTAs), with accurate guest contact info, marketing opt-in, loyalty interest, and more.
While some guests may enter their check-in information before arrival, self-check-in kiosks give guests a fast way to check-in. All without having to queue.
Picking the right self-check-in kiosk technology can mean the difference between a streamlined guest experience and a frustrating one. Here are a few things to look for:
According to IBM Security, the global average cost of a data breach is $4.35 million. Security is no laughing matter. Look for a kiosk that protects customer data and secures transactions.
The best way to check that a solution will offer the best security available is to look for confirmation that it is PCI DSS 4.0 compliant. PCI compliance, created by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, is a set of guidelines businesses need to follow when accepting, storing, processing and transmitting payment cards.
The solution should be user-friendly. Kiosks should enable guests to check in with minimal effort or wait times and offer an intuitive interface. It should be easy for guests to navigate, regardless of their technical proficiency.
Look for clear, intuitive menus, touchscreen functionality and straightforward instructions. If technical errors do arise, it should be easy for guests to request help through the kiosk.
Hotel staff should have the ability to monitor the kiosk system remotely. This enables them to provide immediate assistance to guests, especially in the event of technical issues.
Kiosks should easily integrate with any existing hotel technology. Seamless integration is essential for real-time synchronization of guest data across all hotel systems and departments. Here are a few considerations when it comes to integrations:
For a consistent, inclusive, and branded guest experience, it should be possible to customize your kiosks to the needs of each hotel, including language options, registration flows and branding.
The kiosk should also have a focus on accessibility. Features like adjustable screen heights for guests in wheelchairs, larger text for those with visual impairments and audio instructions for those who are visually or hearing impaired, help guests feel valued and comfortable.
You may have an idea of what features and tasks you would like your hotel check-in kiosk to come with, but if you don’t, here are a few useful things to look for:
Ensure the kiosk can scale to accommodate a growing number of guests. Here are a few things to consider where scalability is concerned:
Standalone self-check-in kiosks help streamline key but limited parts of the guest journey. Consider improving the broader guest journey by choosing a solution that is part of a guest experience platform. With integrations to other technologies including guest messages and upsells, guest experience platforms help you increase revenue, boost staff efficiency and maximize guest satisfaction.
Prioritizing convenience within your hotel is a great way to enrich your guest experience—and journey! From pre-arrival to checkout, the right technology has a big impact on the satisfaction of your guests and workforce.
Self-check-in kiosks enable you to speed up operations, reduce wait times, improve privacy and security, and so much more.
When you balance direct and indirect channels thoughtfully, and employ technology skillfully, you set the stage for sustainable growth and greater profitability.
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