A number of hoteliers around the world have been applying advanced technology to their hotels. They automate almost all of the hotel’s routine processes and tasks which leads to having a positive impact on their competition in the hospitality industry and the service they present.
Automation is the bright future in the hospitality industry, you either apply it or wait till your business reap the consequences.
However, there are number of challenges that are still facing the automation of the hospitality industry. In this article, we will cover the types of modern hotel automation, the benefits of applying hotel automation, the main challenges we are facing, and how to solve these challenges.
Types of Hotel Automation
Hotel automation could be applied to most of your daily routine tasks: starting from hotel operations and guest services. According to a recent study published in the Eurasian Journal of Analytical Chemistry, the most required types of hotel automation are:
- Automatic update of hotel inventory and room occupation.
- The administrative process of booking and reservations.
- Touchless checking in and check out
- Communicating with guests whilst and after their stay.
- Providing detailed and accurate reports and data analysis about everything in your hotel.
- Sales automation through all sale channels (internet, GDS, call-centers, and more).
- Organization of hotel’s profit centers such as restaurants, fitness, business centers, and more.
- Management of hotel halls and events such as congresses, conferences, banquets, and more.
- Peripheral systems that could include app control, TVs, A/C, telephony, minibars, locks, energy, and more.
- Real-time notification of needed services such as housekeeping, do not disturb, laundry, and others. This makes the relevant staff notified instantly.
We can go down the list, but these are the most used hotel automations in most hotels that apply automation.
The Main Benefits Of Hotel Automation
There are several benefits hoteliers will gain by applying automation technology in their hotels. Here are a few of these benefits:
- Better customer experience:
Applying automation in your hotel presents a unique customer experience whereas the guest could customize and personalize his stay. It turns each guest into a loyal visitor for his exceptional stay.
- Total control & effective management:
When you decide to use automation software for management, you could better monitor, update, and manage your hotel’s different internal and external aspects.
Software systems also offer you full control over everything in your hotel. Starting from controlling the access to all the hotel devices. It also controls energy usage, workflow, occupation status, and more.
- Detailed reports and higher revenue:
In addition to the increase of guests due to the positive reputation, when you exploit automation systems, you can effectively optimize your hotel service leading to better revenue. This would be done by providing clear and accurate data analytics of your business. The process will result in predicting future demands and presenting custom offers to your exact target audience.
- Less operational running costs:
Software operation costs less than manpower operation. A single software could operate better than a number of employees in some processes. So, you get better, or at least equal, operational efficiency with less total cost. If you also apply automation to guest room energy control, for example, you will cut off the energy cost to a half.
- High standard processes:
Installing automation software reduces the individual standards. Everything is operating in just the way you decided across the board and according to the hotel guidelines.
- Contactless administrative process:
The automation of the administrative process is saving resources. It also allows the staff to focus on other human-based tasks and eliminates missing out on other routine-based tasks. Tasks such as check-in & check-out, financial reports, hotel reviews, and many other tasks are now automated.
Common Hotel Automation Challenges & Solutions
Although there are countless benefits of hotel automation, there are several other challenges that are still hindering its success. Here are the common hotel automation challenges and how we could address them.
Note: The question here is not whether or not to automate your hotel. It is not a question anymore, it is rather a necessity. The question is how to overcome these challenges.
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Automation tools need a high budget:
Many hoteliers argue that the process of automation requires a huge budget that will affect its business. In addition, it is hard to compare various automation tools and decide the best tool for the hotel.
This is a semi-true notion. However, hoteliers don’t have to do a complete overhaul of their hotel operations at the beginning. BITS Arabia would rather help you start a step-by-step process. We help you begin with a bottom-up analysis of some of the basic technologies. The regular transformation won’t draw up the budget and will save money for future development.
Based on BITS Arabia’s 23+ years of experience in the hospitality industry, w. We will also help you decide the suitable cost-effective tools.
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Automation is a threat to human employment:
Hoteliers have two different opinions. The first extreme argues automation will increase your dependence on human labor. The other extreme states it will replace human roles.
The truth is neither. Modern technology presents several tools that imitate human behavior. This will allow human labor to focus on other human-based and complicated tasks. It also will push employees to acquire other new supporting skills requiring humans. So, although automation will replace many jobs, it opens other quality opportunities.
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Various Automation Vendors
One of the true automation challenges is the huge number of vendors for all required products. This will surely lead to multiple contracts, payments, support systems, operators, and more.
It is true, contracting with multiple vendors will make it more complicated. But it could be solved by contracting with one vendor providing comprehensive solutions. Meaning an all-in-one IT supplier of all required aspects of hotel automation.
BITS Arabia is the leading technology supplier for top hotels in the KSA. BITS Arabia presents comprehensive solutions not only for all hotel automation aspects but also all the IT technologies needed.
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Data storing and analytics
Automation is thought to present a huge influx of data. These data need to be reviewed, analyzed, ..etc which will require extra team and effort.
This challenge is also semi-true! Having huge data is great. Other professionals rescue spending?? huge amounts of cash to get such data. Data is precious for future development and will increase revenue when analyzed correctly. BITS Arabia will help you get the right analysis tool to get all these works done easily.
In addition, not all data is equally precious. You don’t need to analyze and store all the types of data. Precious data could have to do with guest preferences and behaviors, energy-saving, workflow, ..etc. It has nothing to do with, for example, the recorded data of crossing cars and people.
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Automation Sustainability
Automation tools will require IT sustenance. The problem does not have to do only with installing the software. It is rather how to ensure the sustenance of its operation.
This is true. But it is not a challenge facing only hotel automation, it is rather valid to face all other manual aspects. Sustenance is a part of your hotel operation whether it is an IT-based hotel or not. You should choose some stable enough tools that need less maintenance.
You should contract with a reliable provider who will be around for years. You could also communicate with experts for regular maintenance to prevent issues from happening. They could also train your staff to deal with any probable issues.
BITS Arabia is here for help!
If you revise all the data we have just shown, you will come to a conclusion: “hotel automation is not a choice and it is here to stay”. You can see how important and challenging hotel automation is.
Although hotel automation challenges are true, they could be overcome if handled in a professional way. You need to choose the right partner who could offer exceptional and comprehensive solutions based on a reliable portfolio.
BITS Arabia is the leading IT supplier in the KSA. We have been offering unique solutions to the leading KSA businesses in the hospitality industry for 23+ years. Our qualified and talented experts had studied and solved all the challenges that may face your business.
Contact BITS Arabia for challenges-free hotel automation!
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