Smart spaces and the new guest experience - rethinking the network’s role in hospitality
Across the Hospitality & Leisure sector, from pubs to five-star hotels - guests' expectations have evolved in ways that would have been impossible to imagine just a decade ago.
Our daily lives have become highly interconnected, with the public now able to access numerous services with a single click, tailored to their personal preferences, through a growing range of 'smart' devices. This widespread shift in the way we access services is one that Hospitality & Leisure professionals cannot afford to ignore, as guests now expect the same interconnected experiences before, during, and after each visit.
While a comfortable room and a friendly greeting would originally have been enough, guests now expect true 'smart spaces' - digitally enhanced experiences that automatically adapt to their preferences, utilising a range of intelligently integrated technologies. There are numerous ways this concept can potentially be applied, with new ones still revealing themselves, but concepts that have already been embraced by leaders across the sector include:
- Keyless room entry via guests' smartphones
- Voice-controlled lighting and temperature
- Sensors that optimise energy usage
- AI-powered concierge services
- Real-time, occupancy-based housekeeping
These not only deliver a better class of guest experience, but also allow teams to maximise the efficiency of their day-to-day operations, freeing staff to focus on offering that all-important personal touch where it matters most. When combined, these optimisations will help turn first-time visitors into loyal brand ambassadors.
As with any digital transformation journey, bringing all this to life depends on getting the first steps right, ensuring devices can communicate, data can flow seamlessly and securely, and guests enjoy a consistent experience in every room, across every site. And that foundation begins with one critical (but often overlooked) element: a secure, scalable, and highly resilient network.
Let's consider some of the ways a world-class network opens the door to tomorrow's interconnected hospitality, and some of the challenges that must be considered along the way…
Seamless connectivity in every room, for every device
Guests now expected high-quality LAN and WiFi as standard, but evolving ecosystems of interconnected devices, from smart thermostats to mobile apps - put an even greater demand on the underlying connectivity. The new breed of Hospitality & Leisure therefore demands the very highest levels of speed, availability, and reliability, allowing all the disparate elements to deliver the frictionless experiences guests expect.
Superior service through data-driven decision-making
Across every aspect of Hospitality & Leisure operations, effective decision-making depends on steady streams of actionable data, available in real-time. Whether it's monitoring the guest experience to establish a culture of constant improvement, tracking energy usage to reduce costs and meet environmental targets, or anticipating maintenance issue to boost operational efficiency, the network must allow data to flow freely without compromising its security.
Embracing automation
As we touched on earlier, when routine tasks can be automated, staff are free to focus their attention where it is most needed, further enhancing organisations' ability to deliver truly bespoke experiences for every guest. From stress-free check-ins to tailored marketing once guests have departed, well-connected sites will open up numerous opportunities to more with less, resulting in reduced costs, increased efficiencies, and - of course, a better guest experience.
The highly interconnected nature of modern infrastructure creates a range of hidden attack vectors that bad actors can potentially exploit. Networks must be designed with this in mind, with end-to-end encryption, role-based access and segmentation between guests and staff. This will ensure the critical systems staff depend on are always available and provide guests with complete reassurance that their personal data will always be secure, both in transit and at rest.
Opening the door to future innovations
As with any nascent technology, smart spaces are constantly evolving, with the rise of AI, machine learning, and robotics sure to drive a whole new range of innovations in the very near future. Scalability and agility are therefore essential, in order to ensure new technologies can be integrated without completely rebuilding the network.
It's clear that smart spaces are here to stay, and indeed, they have already become a critical part of several sectors' operations. Their potential across the Hospitality & Leisure sector is enormous, but only if they are implemented in the right way, with the support of a trusted technology partner who can demonstrate a keen understanding of the guest journey, the networking capabilities to establish the right foundation, and a solution portfolio capable of supporting future innovations.
Wherever you are in your networking journey, if you're keen to explore how smart technologies can transform your own guest experience, let's talk.
A comprehensive overview of digital transformation for the entire Hospitality & Leisure sector.
- Building your guest experience on the right digital foundation.
- Ensuring your infrastructure continues to evolve with your business.
- Turning one-off guests into loyal, repeat customers.
Stay Informed
When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them.
