BITAC - Hotel Technology Challenges for 2008
Trent Blizzard | 8 May 2007 |
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The BITAC Tech & Operations 2007 conference hosted an eye-opening town hall discussion about technology challenges faced by hotels.
As the hoteliers discussed the biggest technology challenges they are facing, two emerged as pre-eminent: the growth in bandwidth demand and the need to upgrade from old-fashioned TVs to flatscreens and transition to Hi-Def television.
The bandwidth debate was especially spirited. Basically, guests are using dramatically more bandwidth to do things like:
- Download music and video.
- Watch TV (Slingbox was called Evil)
- Use VOIP like Skype or Vonage.
- Use VPN to conduct business.
Apparently, when a few (or few dozen) guests start doing this all at once, they use up the available bandwidth, slow down the network, and complain with righteous indignation. What are hotels doing about it?
- Trying to prioritize certain usages (like VOIP and VPN)
- Upgrade their entire network infrastructure… an expensive proposition
- Choose between hiring a housekeeper or buying more bandwidth
- Give away a low-level of bandwidth and charge a premium for true high-speed
- Pray that high-speed cellular becomes common among travelers
Mike Craft, the Executive VP and CFO of Peabody Hotel Group said high-speed is changing from an amenity to a utility and guests expect it to work as well as hot water or electricity.
Everyone agreed that the cellular providers of bandwidth could be their saviors… guests with high-speed Verizon and Sprint cellular enabled laptops don’t bog the network!
While I admit this is a pretty interesting challenge… I am still part of the problem, I still want it wireless, fast, free and now! Gotta run now, there are some streaming videos I need to watch from my hotel room.
Here is one of my favorites videos for all those corporate types.
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May 9th, 2007 at 8:32 am
High speed internet access has indeed become a utility for many travelers. Like most business travelers, I choose a hotel based on the availability of high-speed internet. If it doesn’t work well, I promise you, I will be dissatisfied and will not return. If you charge me extra, I will also look for another option next time around. This is what I want and expect. Those hotels that give it to me will get my business.
June 11th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Have you added these amenities to your property?
Have you updated your on-line marketing to sell your guests on these features that benefit them and put you ahead of your competitors?
Share with other readers what you have done or what steps you’ve taken to increase the guest experience in these areas.
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:16 am
I think one of the best things hotels can do is start using mesh networks. They are relatively cheap and easy to set up. I have highlighted two such mesh options, Meraki and Open Mesh, in the past year. The latter one is much more open, as its name implies. It then gives you the ability to throttle usage easily, setup payment systems, and extend it easily. The TV issue is obviously a lot more capital intensive. But yes, wireless has become a utility and ppl expect it. I know I do.