The iRiS BrandApp enables guests to view a hotel, search for and book a room or log into a loyalty scheme and redeem points.
Q: What are the biggest mistakes hotels make when investing in room technology?
Jeffery: The biggest mistake is buying a piece of technology that is totally stand-alone. The reality is that hotels need to look at the bigger picture, not just now but also in the future. Hotels should select a company that not only has certified integrations with the major PMS, POS, IPTV and SOS companies, but one that will enable them to bolt on new applications connected to the same CMS.
Hotels must work with companies that are proven and realise that cheap is generally unsustainable in this world. Talk to a number of vendors and get references to make an informed decision.
Fernandes: I would say the biggest mistake hotels make is when a purchase is decided based on whatever has the lowest price. When investing in in-room tech, certain things should be looked into; such as do the majority of your guests need this product? Is it compatible with most, if not all devices? How “friendly” is the device? Is it using the current technology and will it support foresighted/future innovations?
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Dumas: The biggest mistake is investing in technology that will soon be obsolete. Technology changes and evolves so quickly that the best is to choose a provider that has the bandwidth to evolve with the market demands.
Salgia: Hotels should assess the success of a technology based on how many live installations are available and how strong the usage factor has been. This is what will cut the hype from the reality. Hotels should select technology that is live, working and credible.
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