Today, in the situation the hotel business is placed, the sector is facing important decisions about it’s future development.
Like any other business, the hotel business is developing and innovating in different directions.
Here we will see the top trends that are among the most popular for business.
- They save resources (not just financial).
- They provide a better view of the business.
- They ensure the health of people and businesses.
THE NEW IN HOTEL MANAGEMENT
In recent years, automation in the hotel business has advanced significantly. This has improved services as well as the level of business.
Today, when it comes to automation of the hotel business, the first thing to note is the Smart Reception.
Through the Smart Reception the hotelier has the opportunity to set up the software to distribute the hotel guests according to their preferences for:
- room layout;
- luxury level;
- number of guests;
- time of stay, etc.
All of this is displayed on a design website or platform as a choice from which the future hotel guests can specify their preferred parameters. The Smart Reception software can also be upgraded with a booking module, through which hotel reservations can be booked in advance.
The future visitor sets their wishes for their visit:
- room with pool view;
- on the second floor;
- medium level of luxury;
- 3-member family;
- 7 days stay.
On this basis, the platform provides information on the number of free rooms and the periods in which they are available. The future visitors of the hotel can aslo predict in advance their potential costs for the stay.
- all-inclusive included (or not);
- minibar available (or not) in the room, etc.
When guests do not have a reservation in advance, they indicate their preferences on a touch screen monitor, the Smart Reception gives them a room and upon approval, guests receive the access code on their phones. (read more about the optionality of smart access in hotel systems here).
In the current situation with anti-epidemic measures, the Smart Reception is extremely suitable because it can completely replace the human factor. Thus, the business will be able to continue to operate even with tighter measures.
SMART HOTEL. VARIETY OF SMART HOMES
Speaking of automation we must keep in mind the convenience that is provided. Smart Hotel is just such a segment. Here, according to the capabilities of the system, the hotel is fully or partially a kind of smart home, but multiplied on a larger scale and controlled points.
This means everything that can be automated in the home to become a smart home can also be done for a Smart Hotel system. The difference between the two is that the smart home system manages one home, while the smart hotel has more “households”. They can be managed centrally and together, but also individually.
In the smart hotel automations can be implemented systems for:
- smart lighting;
- air conditioning and ventilation;
- home appliance automation;
- smart multimedia;
- automatic garage doors;
- smart irrigation system;
- energy management;
- as well as DMS / SMS – automated security systems.
Automated Scenarios.
Smart Hotel system like the Smart Home system has scenarios – an automated sequence performed by the system. And here their main division is:
- providing comfort automations;
- security automations.
Comfort scenarios.
This type of scenario combines systems that add comfort and attractiveness to the stay of hotel guests. Let’s give an example! Put yourself for a moment in the place of a hotel with full hotel automation.
You enter the room, by checking the door the air conditioner from “energy saving” mode begins to work to provide your preferred room temperature. The lighting, according to the stage of the day, is adjusted to not disturb your eyes. The bathtub in the bathroom begins to fill with your preferred water temperature. The coffee machine makes you a coffee. The multimedia (TV or audio system) is activated with one of your favorite songs, shows or movies.
When leaving the hotel, the system automatically deactivates and deletes the scenarios programmed for you so the next guest can have an experience according to their preferences. (read more about smart scenarios in buildings and in particular hotel systems here)
Inevitably, such a service for the guests will create the rumor about an indescribable experience.
Security scenarios.
In the overall hotel smart system we must add the DMS – Danger Management System (SMS – Security Management System) part. This is the automation of security systems integrated and managed through the Smart Hotel software.
Their commitment allows them to be built in automated smart scenarios that increase the security of guests and hotel staff. These basic scenarios are programmed to activate in emergencies such as fire, flood, natural disaster, but can also be activated in malicious events such as terrorist attacks, armed robberies, etc.
Such an example could be in a fire or earthquake situation that requires an emergency evacuation. At such a time, the alarm system is first activated, which simultaneously alerts the entire hotel and repeating specific instructions for action by the people in the building. Followed by the automated operation of the lighting system and installation that illuminates only the evacuation corridors.
At the same time, all rooms with people in get unlocked and the empty ones get locked so no mistakes can be made, as well as a number of other automated processes of the system to help the building be emptied quickly.
Automation is not limited to these conveniences and security only.
Its innovations are also advancing in the direction of business support.
BUSINESS SECURITY AND PEOPLE’S HEALTH
The smart hotel, along with the innovation of smart reception, has more automation that supports business development, reduces risks and costs.
Notifications for each activity.
In the hotel business, one of the serious problem is the people hired for seasonal work – housekeepers, cooks, etc. The staff servicing the rooms is especially problematic because of the possibilities to leave more time for cleaning rooms.
In such cases, the automation of the hotel comes to the rescue again. The principle is as follows:
Each member of the staff has a smart device – smartphone or tablet. Among them are the housekeepers. At the check-in of the hotel guests, according to the various commitments, the staff receives notifications on the devices.
When the guest leaves the room for breakfast or a morning walk, the housekeeper in charge of the room receives a notification that the room is currently empty and they can change the sheets and freshen up the room. When the guests leave the room at the end of their stay at the hotel, the housekeeper get notifications again. This time it is that the room is vacant and must be prepared for the next guests.
The housekeepers check everytime when they enter and leave the room. This shows the start and end time of cleaning the room. The hotel manager can calculate the average processing time per room and whether any of the employees have used more time than allowed, based on the reports provided by the software.This tracking facilitates the work of every manager who give reports of the work done in the hotel, but it also optimizes the efficient work of all staff who know they can be tracked.
Direct contact with emergency services.
Another direction in which hotel automation can help is to ensure the health of hotel guests. When an emergency situation is detected and the safety scenario described above is activated, the system automatically sends a signal to the relevant services.
For example:
- in the event of a fire in the hotel, the system automatically notifies the General Directorate for Emergency Situations, as well as the nearest emergency medical center;
- in the event of a terrorist act or robbery, a signal is given to the nearest police station and the nearest medical unit.
In the current situation of tight measures due to the spread of COVID-19, innovations in hotel software may have thermal cameras to monitor the temperature of visitors. The guest with risky symptoms will not be allowed on the hotel, which will ensure the safe stay of other visitors.
The system automatically sends a signal to the nearest medical center to make a test of the risk person and limit their contacts with other people.
FULL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING
Business has a key requirement to grow and develop properly. This is the proper management. This type of management is based on the correct accounting data.
The software of the Smart Hotel has two advantages:
- the software is web-based;
- reports are easy to make – the interface and all the software is designed with user-friendly operation in mind, and the capabilities of the various user profiles are set according to the rights of the specific business. This is possible due to the principle of custom construction.
FLEXIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
FOR HOTEL AUTOMATION CONSTRUCTION
The complete automation requires time and resources. We understand this. That is why we have organized our production processes of hardware and software to be flexible, on the principle of a Lego and at the same time to be high quality and competitively priced.
Every hotel has basic starting needs to automate its business. At the same time, not every hotel has a large budget for automation to afford the full hotel automation package.
In VAiOS the whole process of communication with the client is oriented to be in service of the specific needs of the business. Additional comfort automations can remain as a project for additional implementation if the budget does not allow it at the moment.
It should also be noted that the step of automating the business or hotel is important. This is because the implementation of an automated process:
- reduces and optimizes costs;
- increases service productivity, turnover and revenue;
- and last but not least, it saves time for business managers who can pay special attention to the marketing and advertising of their hotel, which will also strengthen the business.
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