TECH TRENDS SHAPING THE HOTEL GUEST’S EXPERIENCEMEGHNA BABAJEEMBA 2Hospitality & Luxury Brand Management

DEFINITION Smartphone: Not all cell phones are Smart phones. A smartphone has an operating system that helps it to run applications: for example:  Apple's iPhone runs the iOS, and BlackBerry smartphones run the BlackBerry OS A cell phone has a basic software while a smartphone allows you to do more such as viewing files, editing Microsoft documents, getting directions through the GPS.A smartphone also has web access for people to browse the internet with high speed 4G or 3G.

DEFINITION Mobile Guest ServiceThe mobile guest service is a technological advancement whereby services are provided to customers through an application on their smartphones. The Mobile guests service is being used by hotels to facilitate the service and offer quick service. For instance there are check in and check out application on smartphone available. The guests do not have to come to the guest service counter to get any help and can do it wherever they are be it during their stay or before their arrival.

COMPARISON OF MOBILE GUESTS SERVICE BETWEEN TWO HOTEL BRANDS

KEYLESS CONCEPT AT MARRIOTT-STARWOOD Starwood Launched the keyless concept in fall 2014. It has been the First Hotel to launch this application and is therefore the

pioneer. It had started with 10 hotels only.  The SPG Keyless technology is available at more than 160 hotels in 30

different countries

KEYLESS CONCEPT AT MARRIOTT-STARWOOD

DIGITAL KEY AT HILTON After launching its digital check in in 2014, Hilton had launched the Digital

Key in 2015 It has started with 5 hotels in total Digital Key is now available in 275 Hilton properties in the U.S Users should have a Hilton HHonors loyalty membership and have the

Hilton HHonors app downloaded on their smartphones.

DIGITAL KEY AT HILTON

THE FUTURE The Adoption of the digital key/keyless concept by many other brands such

as Hyatt, Intercontinental. The evolution of keyless entry expanding to the point where the technology

is no longer brand-specific as it is now. A New Concept: Guests can use the technology at a variety of hotel brands,

regardless of the different technologies or locks with each brand. “Consumers want fewer than more apps on their phone. They want one

app that works across multiple hotels instead of nine different apps for nine different hotels.”

This is just the beginning, and we’ll certainly see more keyless room developments from hotel brands going forward.