In today’s service environment, guests have become far more reliant on self-service applications, using their own digital devices. Instead of calling a taxi, travelers are more likely to order an Uber or a Lift on their smartphone. When traveling, travelers often choose to check-in and receive their ticket on their smartphone and food delivery apps are being used to order food to the front door. Yet, when guests arrive at a hotel, more often than not, there is no faster or more efficient way to check-in, than waiting in the line by the front desk to be manually checked in and receive a key.
The mobile key is an essential part for hotels that want to offer a contactless mobile guest journey, and it provides several crucial operational benefits, especially for hotels that are trying to recover from the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the short-term, it may seem like a significant investment, but in the long-term, the costs for mobile keys will be insignificant compared to the monthly savings generated. Mobile keys allow hotels to reduce or cut all costs associated with plastic key cards, such as printing, programming, replacement, theft, loss, and hacking. Mobile keys also reduce guest traffic to the front desk, reducing in-person contact while enabling hotels to reduce staff labor costs and reassign front desk staff to more revenue generating services than printing and managing keycards.
When guests have successfully checked-in, they automatically receive a mobile key on their smartphone. In addition to the mobile key, guests are also provided with other essential information such as room number and the time of availability. Guests can seamlessly share their key with other guests of the same party, and head directly to their room, bypassing the front desk entirely. During the stay, the mobile key can also provide access to other hotel amenities, such as the gym and spa. Towards the end of stay, guests will be reminded to check out, and as soon as guest has checked out, or the time for the latest checkout time has surpassed, the mobile key is automatically deactivated.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mobile key offers a safer way to welcome guests back to the hotels. Instead of having guests wait in line at the front desk to check-in and receive a key card, guests can skip the lines and use the mobile key to unlock the room without requiring any in-person contact, thus creating a safer environment for both guests and hotel staff.
Zaplox’s Mobile Key App and Key Centric SDK provide integration with electronic door locks from leading lock providers, and thus provide hoteliers a fast and cost-efficient way to replace physical key cards mobile keys.
