Guest Service Innovation through RFID
This article explains how RFID technology is the future for the hospitality industry. It gives numerous examples of how this innovation is and will become more apart of our lives, especially when we stay in a hotel. Invented during World War II to manage supplies and now used by Wal-Marts for inventory purposes, this tool makes life simpler and saves time and labor in many ways. Specifically, the article gives the example of how a guest staying at a hotel can use the convenience of RFID technology during his or her stay. Being able to check into a hotel and walk seamlessly into a room without having to talk to anyone is now possible. It will also improve sales because ordering movies, room service and any other RFID enabled device in the room is easier. Its convenience makes spending money more likely, which therefore increases revenue. Guests will be able to book an event such as access to a park, show or concert in their rooms via the Internet, phone or concierge. The last paragraph of the article states how this technology is going to expand and thrive over the next generation and whichever companies ‘jump on the band wagon’ now, will hold an advantage over those who don’t (Hanns-Christian, 2007).
I feel there are many advantages to this RFID technology. In my last blog, I talked about the importance of treating the guests with a personal touch and the RFID can do just that. It holds information from previous stays so the hotel knows exactly what the guest ate and drank, what shows they went to, movies they watched and everything else that they purchased during their previous stays. This is extremely important to achieve and exceed guest satisfaction during their visit. The time a person will save using this tool is in my opinion the best benefit to using RFID. Everyone’s least favorite part of a trip is all the waiting they have to do, especially in locations with a lot of tourists. Allowing guest to be able to walk right into a hotel room would be very advantageous. Although there are many benefits to RFID, I feel this technology does has its downfalls. Time and labor is saved but the one on one interaction between a guest and a staff member when this is used is lost. Hotels need to explore new ways to prove to their guests that their stay is important to them. The same situation is occurring as more self serve kiosks are being placed in fast food restaurants and grocery stores.
I am however looking forward to using this technology as it becomes more prominent in hotels and maybe one-day in restaurants.
Hanns-Christian L. Hanebeck (2007, October) Guest Service
Innovation through RFID. Hospitality Upgrade. http://www.hospitalityupgrade.com/_magazine/magazine_Detail.asp?ID=260
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4 comments:
I found this article very interesting. I believe as a society we are moving forward in trying to make sure whatever the guest wants the guest can have. And a clear way in moving forward is to have this type of information on hand for the next hotel. if a guest had a bad experience at a particular brand hotel and try a different hotel that hotel can potentially eliminate the problem before it starts.Lacey B
I am a big fan of this article. I feel that the summary does it a lot of justice. The article makes good points about how RFID will help increase sales because it makes buying a lot easier for the guest. Now a days, people are all about conveinence and this technology is perfect for those individuals. I agree that the technology will be a huge success in the markets of people who are technologically savvy. I also agree that it will lack in the face to face interaction between staff and guest. But overall, I feel RFID technology is the next best thing is hospitality technology.
RFID sounds pretty cool to me, but I'm a little bit skeptical of how popular it will be. I think it will most likely work in a business hotel (such as the Courtyard) because business people are at hotels all the time and don't really want to talk to anybody. I'm not so sure that this would really work in a tourist area as much because people don't travel to the same tourist destination that frequently. Also there would be older people who probably don't know how to or even want to use technology like this. If a hotel wants to implement RFID I think they probably need to really study their clientele and make an educated decision.
I think this article was extremely interesting. Technology is going to be a main part of the future in hospitality and we need to take advantage of it. Using RFID will help some hotels increase sales because it is a lot more convenient for the guest. Thinking in terms of the guest, I think only the younger generations would take advantage of this technology because the older clientèle will probably not want it. Hotel managers need to understand their hotel customers in order to decide if RFID is right for their hotel. This will take away from the more personalization of the hotel experience, but I think some business hotels will be able to use the technology.
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