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ingly need it for their sophisticated revenue management and property management software, bookings and processing payment. Weldon points out that operators can use Wi-Fi to interact with the guest. Here are a few examples of Wi-Fi-based guest services: l Ordering and payment apps, such as Order- ella, PowaTag, Qjacker and Wi-Q, which all allow diners to beat queues in restaurants, bars and stadiums.
l Digital signage, which needs Wi-Fi to update offers and information about a hotel’s amenities.
l Customer relationship management (CRM) software, such as that provided by Digital Alchemy, which can drive revenue, commu- nicate your offers and amenities to guests, and gather feedback.
l Digital concierge apps such as Alice or iRiS,
www.thecaterer.com
which let guests book dinner and spa reser- vations, order and track food, call a taxi, and buy tickets to a show, all without having to interact with a staff member. Their ability to provide real-time translation also lifts the language barrier.
World of opportunity But these are all more than just services for guests. For operators, the possibilities opened up by Wi-Fi are exciting. Minall says: “Prepay- ment apps from JustYoYo to iPay now allow customers to pay faster and pre-order, and most have sophisticated CRM/loyalty built-in.” The norm now is for guests to expect quicker transactions, so electronic point of sale (EPoS) technology is slowly disappearing and customer flow-through is accelerating. Many systems have built-in CRM to help with
bespoke and targeted marketing campaigns, which in turn get you a higher redemption rate and a closer link to your loyal customer. You need Wi-Fi for high-speed internet access, smart TV and even tablet room controls for lighting, air-conditioning, audiovisual and hotel services. Experts see these moving onto guests’ own mobile devices and tapping into the internet of things to create a seamless and personalised guest experience. That level of connectivity is going to become an expecta- tion, rather than an extra. However, although the consensus is that
Wi-Fi has to be provided free, operators of smaller properties can still make money. “Bandwidth and access plans can be put in place,” says Mark Teasdale, chief technol- ogy officer at hospitality technology supplier Acentic. “For instance, lower-level access can
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