Are You Delivering on Guest Demands for Smart TVs?

HOW TO EXCEED GUEST EXPECTATIONS WITH A SAVVY SMART TV STRATEGY

Today, it is not enough to simply install Smart TVs in your hotel rooms and leave it at that. Smart TV viewing time has skyrocketed globally, with a recent quarterly market report indicating a 200% year-over-year increase*. With at-home usage rising exponentially, many guests these days expect to have access to a Smart TV in their room – and they want a user-friendly and interactive experience.

As Smart TVs become mainstream, they are now seen as essential not just by early adopters but also by tech novices. For hotels, this presents an opportunity to exceed guest expectations by delivering a Smart TV experience that goes beyond entertainment.

By creating a Smart TV network integrated with a remote content management system, you can take advantage of the full capabilities of this powerful technology to increase productivity, boost revenue, improve efficiency, and enhance guest satisfaction. Here are a few ideas for inspiration:

• Centralize TV management and administration: By interconnecting all of your Smart TVs to a central management system, you can control them remotely. This saves a considerable amount of time that would have been spent manually adjusting each set in individual rooms and streamlines any hotel-wide adjustments that need to be made.
• Display information about events and amenities in real time: Your Smart TV strategy can turn each set into a branded communication hub for your guests. Elevate the usual information channel by displaying dynamic details updated in real time. You will know that your guests will always have access to the latest updates, and you will proactively answer many questions, saving staff time.
• Facilitate room service orders: Smart TVs can make it more tempting for guests to take advantage of room service by making it accessible at the click of a button rather than leafing through a printed menu and calling to order.
• Save printing costs: For content that changes often, printing and distributing materials can come at a price. Using Smart TVs connected to a content management system to share updates, events, news, and menu changes can cut printing costs down dramatically.
• Make amenities more accessible: Smart TV technology can give guests visibility on everything they need to know before booking an amenity, including pricing, availability, open time slots or appointments, specials, and more. Offering this service to your guests also frees up staff time that might have otherwise been spent going over the different options in-person or on the phone.
• Optimize response to guest uptake: Another advantageous aspect of Smart TV connectivity is the ability to collect data such as amenity usage and guest preferences to track which services and offerings are under and over-performing. This data can then inform real-time adjustments to increase revenue. For example, you can distribute coupon codes to boost underperforming amenities, update restaurant menus when items run out or are on special, and promote specific features at times when the data shows they are of the most interest.
• Personalize guest experiences: Many Smart TVs enable content to be preloaded into the device prior to arrival so that it is set up per the preferences of each guest. Data collected during booking, previous and current stays, and other interactions can help inform this feature to customize and curate the right experience for every guest.
• Enable contactless interactions: The COVID-19 pandemic further pushed the world to embrace digital technology to support virus mitigation strategies, including social distancing. As guests have become accustomed to these services, many will not go away any time soon. Smart TVs can provide countless ways for guests to limit their in-person interactions for their own safety as well as that of the staff. One prime example is remote checkout, which can be accessed via the Smart TV in each room. This feature allows guests to view a comprehensive version of their bill, including all the latest itemized room charges, and complete the checkout process from the comfort of their room without needing to line up in the lobby.

As you upgrade your accommodations with Smart TVs, ensure you can make most of their full capabilities by employing software such as the Samsung LYNK REACH 4.0 or H-Browser content management systems. Specialized services such as these will allow you to harness the advantages of Smart TV technology to boost operational efficiency and proactively deliver a responsive, engaging, and immersive experience for your guests.

* Source: Marketing Charts