Full service today means offering guests a variety of ways to interact with a property – and that doesn't always mean face-to-face interaction. Today it’s more about offering guests choices – choices on how they want to interact with staff, how they check in once they arrive, and how they order food and beverage.

Technology has played a huge part in creating self-service and on-demand options for guests that also benefit property operators. Through the use of these solutions, properties can optimize their staff, freeing up their time to focus on other tasks, and guests can play an active role in personalizing their stay.

What are the Benefits of Adding Self-service Kiosks in My Hotel?

Hotels have one chance to make a first impression, and after a long travel day, a quick and easy way for guests to get to their room is a welcome surprise. Self check-in kiosks allow guests to easily check in, create a digital key, and head straight for their rooms. Once their stay has ended, they can easily check out and email a folio — all without the help of a staff member or a long wait in line.

Kiosks are also used by guests to purchase food and beverage (F&B) items in grab-n-go markets. Whether items are scanned individually or the system scans the full tray at once, guests have a convenient 24-hour option to purchase food and beverage items.

Guests are already using similar technology in their daily lives and they are comfortable using kiosks for self-checkout at grocery stores and unassisted baggage drop-off at the airport. In fact in 2021, 52 percent of airports offered the service, and by 2024, 75 percent are expected to have this service in use. Individuals no longer must wait in long lines or require assistance, and they can quickly move on to their next activity.

Food & Beverage Ecosystem

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In addition to providing guests with the convenience and comfort level of self-service options, hotels can utilize staff members in other areas of the hotel where they are needed most. The hospitality industry is still experiencing staffing shortages and many hotels are turning to technology to help improve productivity, optimize staff placement, and improve job satisfaction to retain the strongest team members.

Kiosks for check-in and F&B purchases also offer the opportunity to improve a hotel’s bottom line. Aside from helping to lower overhead, they can create upsell opportunities and allow properties to capture more of the guest’s spend when using them.

More Self-service options

Additionally, properties are adopting other self-service options to ensure they are keeping up with demand and delighting guests wherever they are on property. On-demand F&B service is now accessible via mobile device, app, or guest room phone. This service ensures order accuracy, limits wait times and improves food quality as service is expedited.

Hospitality & Leisure Ecosystem

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If guests would rather bypass the lobby kiosk to check in and obtain a room key, then they can leverage these features on their mobile device. Guests can choose to be notified via an automated text alert when their room is ready and if they choose, ID verification can be processed through their mobile device and digital keys can be accessed straight from their room. All of these self-service options including kiosks reduce wait times and help properties maximize Return On Experience.

From check-in to checkout, properties are benefitting from putting the guest in the driver’s seat – giving them the power of choice, thereby empowering staff to attend to more meaningful tasks. Whether it’s full service or self-service, properties understand that the right technology not only provides convenience to the guest but also creates additional revenue opportunities while fostering a more empowered workforce.