5 Part Series: 5 Ways the Hospitality Market is Evolving (2 of 5)
TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN.
Hoteliers are constantly challenged to keep up with the rapid pace of technology advancements and with the majority of U.S. hotels still running on coax infrastructures, most properties are still playing catch-up with the replacements of first generation flat panels to LED technology with limited or no IP-connectivity for over-the-top content for access to guest-provided media/sources.
Some might ask, “Why is having the latest technology so important in places where people are so transient? Perception is everything and in a business where moments of interactions or scattered impressions can influence loyalty rates or return bookings (a key factor that hotel management is incentivized on by the way) the lasting imprint technology makes on hotel guests is more important than you might think.
What hoteliers are really in competition with is the technology that consumers are using day-in and day-out. Since consumer electronics influence commercial solutions (both in professional A/V and hospitality), it is understandable that hoteliers may always be a few steps behind the latest and greatest consumer gizmo or gadget (and that’s ok) but the reality is that travelers simply expect technology in hotel properties to have a similar look & feel they’ve come to anticipate based on consumer-tech incorporated into their lives. Consider touch screens, automated check-in kiosks or your favorite travel app and this concept comes to life.
Samsung, the leading brand in consumer electronics and professional display solutions has incorporated some of the top features of its award-winning consumer televisions into its commercial line of in-room hospitality solutions making it the most expansive lineup in the market with options ranging from 22-inch to 75-inch options and compatibility with nearly every content provider.
Technologies include: Embedded pro:idiom and non-pro:idiom Digital Rights Management technology (DRM), b-LAN, Smart, UHD (4K resolution) varieties. In addition, Samsung’s 694 Series introduced last year can be deployed to achieve over-the-top (internet accessible (“think smart”)) content via coax vs. IP-protocols typically required; this can be especially useful for historic or luxury properties where new wiring infrastructure is practically out of the question or may be cost prohibitive however the hotelier still wants to deliver a premium in-room entertainment experience for their guests.
Control Content on Hundreds of Digital TVs at Once
Eliminate room-by-room visits to each guest room by using a single-location remote solution. The REACH Server delivers updated firmware and other settings to TVs through RF signals. Updates are simple and simultaneous, so there’s no need to go from room to room to update each display with USB cloning. This way, your staff has more time to focus on other ways of improving the guest experience.
Samsung’s REACH Content Management Solution is another example of behind the scenes product with an interface that instantly modernizes the look and feel of in-room entertainment and the function of how guests engage with their TV, the centralized “hub” of the guestroom. Using REACH, a property can customize the guest experience and welcome guests by name, share useful information like weather or essential news updates and even promote revenue generating amenities such as happy hour in the hotel lounge, weekend SPA services or local tours or nearby attractions creating entertainment opportunities for guests with added revenue-sharing opportunities for hoteliers; plus, including pictures of the hotels’ artwork, logos, images or other content is a cinch- no more generic content! This is just scratching the surface when it comes to REACH- other components include centralized control for channel mapping configurations and labor savings for programming features like volume limiting and other energy savings options.
Add a Residential TV Experience
Bring a residential TV navigation experience to the guest rooms with the Interactive Program Guide (IPG). IPG data is provided through the subscription service by your content provider or system integrator. The REACH device can then pull the necessary metadata from multiple sources in multiple formats. Guests can enjoy picture in picture viewing, detailed program information and a convenient channel grid.
Deliver Information to In-Room Guests Rapidly
Deliver information automatically with a headline-style scrolling ticker. The LYNK REACH ticker feature provides a crawl of data that’s of special interest to guests, such as local weather or event information. In addition, property managers can create and update targeted promotional content or marketing messages, while displaying an interface that seamlessly matches your property’s brand.
Optimize Total Cost of Ownership
This integrated solution uses existing infrastructure assets, lower labor and operating costs and eliminates the need for set-top boxes and other components. For those establishments that have RF infrastructure currently in place, LYNK REACH is an ideal way to provide TV content more efficiently.
TeleAdapt’s Roomcast solution is an innovative technology powered by Google Chromecast that enables guests to stream their own content right from their mobile device (Pandora, Netflix, ESPN, etc.) directly to the guest room TV without having to download an app, enter a password or email address which eliminates any concerns for jeopardizing a guests’ private information or personal area network. RoomCast is better than screen mirroring; it even allows guests to use their applications (like checking emails for example) at the same time as casting content from whatever the source (Netflix, etc.). It’s no wonder live casting has already been named one of the hottest tech trends anticipated to change the hospitality industry over the next 10 years!
