Virtual concierge

In-room technology is essential for a seamless stay - but technology for technology's sake does little to enhance a guest's experience. Selin Arkut looks at getting the balance right.

The proliferation of mobile devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable DVD players, MP3 players and iPods, means that guests often arrive at a hotel with all the technology they need.

However, the challenge that faces today's luxury hospitality sector is finding a way of integrating these devices with in-room hotel systems to provide an entertainment haven for guests, without jeopardising the overall aesthetic appeal of the space.

"The credo for our hotels in the Middle East and Asia is ‘enhancing guest experience through technology', where our hotels and hotel rooms are places of relaxation, entertainment and business productivity. With this in mind, a great deal of thought has gone into applying systems with a common sense approach that enhances that guest experience," said Roger Macfarlaine, vice president of technology, Middle East & Asia, for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

"Technologies that range from proximity locks, IP telephony, where our guest phones are starting to become virtual concierges, flat screen TVs, wi-fi throughout the whole hotel complex, video-on-demand and interactive TV services, all underline the credo and technology strategy for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts," he added.

Home away from home

It's little secret that technology has become an integral part of our daily lives - we expect to get information now, and to stay connected to the world with a touch of a button.

The ability to control what we watch and listen to, whenever and wherever, with devices like the iPod, represents another significant shift in the way that consumers interact with content. These behaviours and preferences invariably spill over onto the travel market.

Hotels seeking to gain a competitive edge will pay close attention to these trends and act accordingly. Guests want to customise their hotel room experience and expect to have all the benefits of home, whilst away.

"The aim for our hotels and company in general is to utilise a common technology platform to provide a consistency in the delivery of our technology services, so that our guests feel a sense of familiarity and a sense of place every time they visit our hotels," said Macfarlaine.

"Continuing to provide a ‘home away from home' feel and putting our guests more in control of their hotel experience, I am also further developing and looking into new technologies that deal with digital profiling, which is a personalisation of technologies.

The idea is to change the physical attributes of a room to suit the guest's personal preferences and individuality. For example, room lighting, temperature and digital content," he added.

Keeping the above needs in mind, a number of manufacturers have delved deep into the world of technology to design products that provide guests with all their home comforts within the confines of a luxury hotel room.

"Hotel guests are becoming more and more gadget hungry and when they travel they expect to have the technology which they are used to in their everyday lives. We have seen that market needs have changed over recent years and hotel guests now expect to have the gadgets which they are used to having around them on a daily basis; plug and play functionality, internet access, recharging facilities for iPods or MP3/4 players and DVD players, for example.

Home away from home, office away from office - this is what hotel guests expect as standard," Carol Prince, marketing director, RoomWithNet explained.

RoomWithNet proposes the Virtual Concierge, a digital in-room system that brings together a guest's entertainment, information, network solutions, Smart Room Automation and iPod dock radios, all with a single-touch remote control.

With the Virtual Concierge solution, guests can enjoy rooms equipped with the LCD Screen/PC system, which also offers movies on demand, 24-hour room service, high-speed internet access, digital interactive games, in-room shopping and a number of other features.

"Some hotels like to promote that they provide every latest gadget or gizmo for their guest, whether or not the guests are holiday guest or business guests. On the other hand, some guests may choose not to stay in one particular place because it is not providing the latest in technology. So, there is a need for owners and managers to be aware of guest needs and know that a system like Virtual Concierge is easily tailored to today's demands," said Prince.

The end-user

With technology becoming ever-more advanced, and guests becoming ever-more demanding, hoteliers making long-term technology decisions must not only consider how different generations interact with technology today, but must also try and anticipate what they will expect in the guest room of tomorrow.

"Our internal and external customers are very tech savvy and are aware in many cases that technology is the key driver that enhances guest experience and provides a differentiation factor amongst those in our competitive set," said Macfarlaine."A credo of mine is that technology needs to be as simple as possible so that anyone can use it. With this in mind, a common sense approach to technology and its application is pursued.

Technology for technology's sake is defeatist and benefits no one. It is important to provide good levels of functionality that attract our guest to use them and not drive them to frustration. From the simplicity of our screen and menu designs to what is on offer in our hotel rooms, we think first about the guest," he added.

As companies consider significant future technology investments, it is wise to keep in mind the altering patterns of technology use in each generation. Guest loyalty - and ultimately profit - will follow on from smart investment that caters to guest needs and preferences.

"Often, integrating technology with hotel guests can still be a challenge. One of the reasons that we are successful is that our products are simple to use. Think of this, you're a guest and you have two nights in a hotel. Realistically, how much time do you want to spend figuring out how to watch a film or listen to some music? We like to think that our systems are intuitive," said John Dodson, general manager, Bose.

"Hoteliers do tend to look for brands which consumers associate with quality. There is an ever-increasing amount of conscious brand reinforcement which extends from amenities to audio. You might get a well known designer soap in the bathroom and a Bose Wave Music system in the bedroom," he added.

Décor demands

Despite the obvious ease-of-use criteria, technology needs to look attractive and stylistically integrated into the hotel room design. Gone are the days when technology items like the TV and internet boxes were added on and placed as sundry décor, looking more like an afterthought.

With flat screen TVs, wireless communications and sleeker styled technology apparatus on offer, designers can now take advantage and incorporate these items as features that not only complement the design of the room, but enhance it.

"Having worked with a number of the region's leading interior designers, one of the main advantages of using our system has to be the size of our products. Sound enhances people's experiences, and is a key element in creating ambiance and atmosphere. We understand that interior designers always want equipment that can be heard and not seen," said Dodson.

"Bose sound systems work behind the scenes. These systems have long presented an alternative to the large size and complexity of many ‘conventional' home theatre systems, combining proprietary technologies to deliver a balance of superior audio/video performance, elegance, simplicity and expandability."

"Using proprietary Acoustimass speaker technology in our Lifestyle systems allows the module to be placed nearly anywhere within the listening area - even behind furniture, as the sound is non-localisable. The audio, at just 11.5cm in height, blends into practically any décor," Dodson added.

While some companies opt to use the ‘heard and not seen' approach, others present technology items that can also be introduced as focal points when a guest first enters the room. "All our products are easy to install. We work closely with property developers and also interior designers to fit in with the overall concept. Most of our products are contemporary and come in a variety of colours and sizes that allow our clients to marry up their design needs," said Prince.

"Take smart room automation. Our Zity wi-fi system communicates with all lights, temperature control, room access and even curtains, giving the hotel guest ease of use to turn on and off any facility from any point in the suite," she added.

In addition, it is critical that trained technicians from distributors across the Middle East and Africa work to integrate the speakers and systems with the client's requirement and the property's décor.

"The installations can be either before or after the interior design stage of the property. Bose proprietary Modeler 6.5 sound system software gives designers the ability to predict and design better sound systems. They can model any space, place the speakers and get critical acoustical data in real time - even as they make changes and adjustments," said Dodson.

"Modeler software also lets designers, architects and property owners see how the system works with the sight lines and visual design of the space," he added.

What's next?

With curtain-closing switches, hidden speakers, and light deciphering sensors already on offer, keeping ahead of technological advances is becoming increasingly challenging.

According to Macfarlaine, keeping abreast of technological trends in other industries is key, and insightful to what the technology landscape is and will look like. "Sometimes, technology from other industries help and can act as catalysts for technology initiatives for hotels and organisation as a whole."

In addition, retro fitting hotels can be a challenge, so good cabling and technology infrastructure design is essential to enable hotels of today to add on the technologies of tomorrow, as and when required.

"Often buildings that are 15 years and older do not have the luxury to easily take advantage of introducing the latest technologies, like IP TV, because it is costly to rewire the whole hotel. It is a challenge for us IT professionals and something that requires further thought and alternative solutions," said Macfarlaine.