In this day and age, people are becoming more and more reliant on their smartphones. They use them to do everything from paying for an overpriced cup of coffee to boarding a plane. The newest demand, hotel guests who want to unlock their rooms with their smartphones.
Why Can't I Use My Smartphone As My Room Key?
Chains such as Starwood Hotels believe it is both a simple and viable proposition. The NYtimes says, that Starwood now offers smartphone key apps to guests at 10 or more of their hotels (at least five of which are in the U.S.). The first two were test sites in Cupertino, California and New York City, New York.
Hyatt Hotels and Resorts also tested mobile keys at a test hotel in New York City. They first only offered the option to their frequent guests before jumping on the smartphone bandwagon. Hilton Worldwide also tested mobile keys in 10 hotels and are also onboard now.
I Want To Skip The Front Desk
According to Geraldine Calpin, Hilton Worldwide's senior vice president and global head of digital, guests have been hoping to skip the lines at the front desk for years. Company research indicates that guests enjoy their digital check-in mobile key option. It's especially popular with frequent guests and business people.
What About Security?
Are people putting convenience over security? Most hotel chains are already using an encryption code system for mobile keys. Unfortunately, the more difficult one makes a digital system to breach, the harder it to access and make changes in as well.
The hospitality industry wants a digital system that is flexible enough to offer physical keys and related requests. Making concessions to prioritize the user experience though can potentially make a digital system more vulnerable to security issues. Hotel chains prefer a system in which security is layered at different points in the transmission of data.
Travelers must also be concerned about these digital systems. After all, most of them are used to using passwords that they use for more than one purpose and are often easy to guess. If they use the same password for a hotel loyalty account and door key password, they are putting all their various tech/accounts into jeopardy.
Hotels have other concerns as well. They have to make certain that their technology does not drain guests' phone batteries or those in the door locks. Employees must be trained to explain to their guests just how to hold their smartphones in order to open doors.
All This . . . And More
Hotels have been adding the relatively new mobile key function into their already existing loyalty programs and mobile apps. The people at Hyatt have also been experimenting with tech that assists guest in locating meeting rooms and local restaurants too. Some companies note that when fully functioning, they will be able to gather additional information such as location data from guests' smartphones. This will enable them to send their customers both specific driving directions and contact information as well.
Both those who travel domestically and those who enjoy international travel will be offered the option to participate in any data tracking. Some of the information gathered won't be traceable to specific customers. They say the data will help them know when, for instance, a line has formed at the bell desk or what times of day the fitness center's usage peaks.
Risky Business
In an e-mail statement Jack S. Chesney, web content writer and frequent traveler said that those in the industry are aware that they are taking a risk putting funds into technology that could fail to become profitable or quickly become obsolete. This is why some hotel chains are proceeding with caution. Marriott is but one of the companies making sure they get the software right before jumping into the mobile key pool. In any case, this new technology can make traveling more convenient to careful customers.