Mobile phones as hotel room keys?


First of all, we can notice that this new solution is revolutionary. Indeed, the fact that you can bypass the front desk and get access directly into your room as soon as you arrive at the Hotel is exceptional. When you book your hotel, you will receive via SMS the confirmation and the number of your room. No needs to wait at the front desk when arrival! It is like your own home and you have the keys. The process is very simple: Thanks to cell phones technologies, which provide you with an easy locking system. The idea is clear: “Stop waiting in the Front desk”. In this case, the check in is at present not mandatory.

Pascal Metivier explains throughout a pertinent interview the process and also advantages of such advanced technology. He is the President of ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Europe / Middle East / Africa & Latin America.

However, I have some reserves and doubts about this new technologic product. Effectively, some points must be highlighted:

* We need to have a NFC enabled phone (Analyst predicts that by 2010, 50% of the cell phones in the world will be equipped with NFC chips).

* The Welcome is cancelled with this new technology

* No facilities’ information about the Hotel: Restaurants? Time for Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner? Activities? Facilities?, Options?, Special Tours around the City…

* Is it easy to understand how this “key” works?

* Is it a reliable technology? Who called if there is a problem?

As a conclusion, even if this project is today a little bit utopian due to the poor technology in the Hotel industry (key system in hotel to open & close your door), it makes a great opportunity to modernise.

Now, do you think that the check in must be make like that? Nobody to welcome/guide the client in his room or around facilities? This type of technology can not be setting up in a Top hotel where the notion of Welcoming is primordial.


http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/061011_mobile_phones_as_hotel_room_keys/