5 Ways the Hospitality Market is Evolving (5 of 5)

Amenities Included.  Just a few years ago, amenities that guests now take for granted were revenue generators hoteliers counted on to boost profits.  Did you know that properties now spend nearly 1% of revenues on included amenities like free guest room internet, free public space Wi-Fi, breakfast, happy hour or general manager’s reception, nightly turn down service, and more?  Now consider one of the most sought after necessities by any traveler- power.  The need to charge drained mobile devices is real and will only increase as our society becomes even more reliant on smart phones and mobile devices with an increased number of millennials in the workforce.  This trend started several years ago with hotels providing extra power outlets in bedside lamps and desks but has expanded to common spaces throughout the lobby and other areas and will become even more prevalent in the years to come.

According to Smith Travel Research (STR) analytics, full-service hotels with large F&B outlets can have as much as 50% of total revenue come from those operations.  In this regard, it seems logical that hoteliers would want to encourage guests to stay in on-property bar and restaurants longer to help drive added revenues and profits.  If guests must leave the hotel’s common spaces to re-charge their mobile device in their guest room, essentially it means the property lost potential revenue that could have been captured had  a charging solution been provided hence increasing the guests stay, and therefore the final guest check.  The Kube 5 is a portable charging solution that enables a property to station the set of 5-portable charging cubes at the front desk, bar or restaurant or by the pool or cabanas so that guests can easily and quickly charge their mobile devices (up to 5 devices simultaneously).  With included cables and programmable time-out throttles, hoteliers are now able to provide a universal charging solution that is portable and flexible enough to go wherever the guest goes on property, without guests feeling stranded they’ve forgotten cables at home or relegated to their guest room; Kube Systems also offers in-room charging solutions with Bluetooth audio.

Below is one such example from Powermat (a wireless charging provider):

What it all comes down to is simple: It’s all about the guest experience. 

Management companies and ownership groups need reseller partners with specialized installation capabilities that are willing to take a consultative approach to working with each project to help navigate the specific needs of a property and its clientele to help provide the right technology solutions that match up to the guest experience the hotelier is trying to accomplish. When that partnership is right, with strong management teams, loyalty rates and positive guest experience are a natural effect to the dedicated planning put into each individual project.