Hotels around the world are now starting preparations for reopening, and we have collected some good tips on safe return to the new “normal”.
Retrospect
Although many of us are still under stay-at-home restrictions, the hotel industry has already started the preparations to welcome back guests in a post-corona world. The dramatic decline in travel and the unprecedented drop in occupancy rates that came with the rapid spread of the Coronavirus forced a lot of hotels to close. Reasons ranged from the lack of guests to government-imposed restrictions, general concern for guest & staff safety, to the need for a safe way to operate.
The World is now fighting two imperatives – the disease and the economic crisis. The health piece continues as everyone tries to stay safe whilst countries try to suppress the virus as fast as possible – some are further ahead than others but all will reach the same milestones eventually. Economically businesses have moved to support its people and business and are looking to get back to work safely when the restrictions start lifting.
We at Ariane could follow the drama in real-time by viewing the number of reservations pushed to our backend drop from thousands to virtually zero in the matter of a few short days.
Not all hotels closed, and we have several examples within our clientele of hotels successfully continuing to operate their business even during the pandemic. Some made special offers to essential workers in need of a place to recharge between the battles, and others had regular customers continuing to use their services. Some of the experiences made by these hotels can help guide others in the quest to reopen.
Turn of the tide
The Covid-19 pandemic will eventually come to an end. Still, it will take a long period to recover, and it will not be a return to hospitality as we know it, but to a new kind of “normal” with a different set of standards and challenges. Research done by CBRE comparing the Covid-19 pandemic with previous shocks to the industry shows a partial recovery can happen faster than many of us fear.
The first countries hit by the Covid-19 pandemic have started the quest to reopen society and businesses. Stay at home restrictions are lifted, limits on public gatherings and travel bans are slowly revised to allow for a more normal life. Businesses closed by legislation in the early days of the pandemic are now permitted to reopen if they can comply with new safety standards, and other businesses forced to close due to lack of customers are also attempting to reopen.
Further research by CBRE shows the occupancy decline and recovery in China, Italy and the USA. It is clear that China, the very first country to be affected by the pandemic is on a clear trajectory towards recovery. CBRE used this data combined with findings from historical events to make a forecast for US occupancy showing a return to previous levels in 12-16 months.
What are the challenges hotels wanting to reopen face?
Regaining guest trust
How can hotels give guests confidence that they will be able to reach their room with limited contacts? We know people will naturally seek to avoid close proximity to others and will need to be managed and guided in clear and strong ways.
Coping with low occupancy rate
How will hotels operate with a low occupancy rate while protecting their profitability? It will take a long time before occupancy returns to acceptable levels, and hotel operations need to adapt to a new reality with decrease in demand combined with increased cost for maintaining safe and acceptable hotel operations.
How to adapt
How will hotels respect social distancing for their front desk staff while most hotels have a crowded front desk where clerks are usually less than one or two feet apart from each other?
How to use self-service technology to make hotel check-in safe and simple?
Self-service technologies can help enable guests to enjoy hospitality without taking risks with their health. Hotels have to turn the need for social distancing into a positive, and we think self-service technology can help in achieving this. A well-implemented service will provide for a frictionless arrival that is calmer, less packed, and stress-free!
Post your procedures
We can expect travelers to be concerned with their health and risks associated with staying at your hotel. Ensure to post clear and easy to read procedures and actions taken on your website, in pre-arrival communication and the lobby of your hotel. This should include explanations of the check-in procedure, how the guest room is sanitized, and whom to contact if you have any questions.
Traditional front-desk
A traditional hotel check-in can be a nice experience for guests and staff. Unfortunately, the new “normal” will require significant changes to ensure a safe working environment for your staff, and a risk-free experience for your guests. Review all touchpoints and add regular cleaning to your standard procedures. This includes the desk, credit card terminals, room keys & keycards, door handles, and elevator buttons. You should also consider if any of your pre-Corona procedures should be temporarily suspended. This can include requirements for ID scanning, guest signatures, and additional information to be added by a guest on registration cards, cash payment, and anything else creating another, potentially non-essential, "touch-point".
Make sure to ensure that your changes are not in breach of any legislation. We also recommend implementing procedures minimizing the need for queuing, ensuring safe social distancing if you have to wait for service, and well prepared “express” arrival and departure processing.
This can include pre-filled forms, pre-encoded key cards, express check-out forms for guests to give you the approval to post charges, and check-out without visiting the front desk on departure day. Offer hand sanitizers strategically placed around the lobby, restrooms, and other places where guests and staff interact.
Indoor and outdoor kiosks
Traditional self-service kiosks for guest check-in/out can be very useful for achieving safe guest arrival and departure. By default – kiosks minimize the direct interaction between guests and staff and can operate fully unattended. A well implemented hotel self-service kiosk will allow guests to not only check-in or check-out. Arriving guests can also book a room if they arrive without a reservation – a true one-stop experience!
In less than three minutes - guests can review all options and get their room key. While this experience requires guests to touch the device a simple set of operational guidelines and procedures for regular cleaning of the screen + pin-pad, the use of new keycards (or let the used cards rest for minimum a week before re-use) and place hand sanitizer nearby.
Outdoor kiosks have the additional advantage of allowing guests arriving late to get a key to access the building. This will allow for hotels to be unattended part of the time – essential if occupancy is low.
Our support team created a safe cleaning guide for our kiosks - download and share it with your lobby staff.
Mobile check-in with key pickup
Mobile check-in allows arriving guests to complete hotel check-in using their own device, and even before they arrive at the hotel. A well-implemented mobile check-in experience is fully automatic, works on a web-browser (no need to install an app), and collects all required information needed to complete the PMS check-in. This can include registration cards, payment, room assignments and estimated time of arrival.
Guest receives a simple to use QR code once the check-in is complete. The room keycard is delivered by simply scanning the QR code, and with no additional interaction with the hotel kiosk required. Safe, simple and convenient!
The same solution can also be used to deliver a safe hotel departure experience. Mobile check-out includes the ability to review charges, update billing address, and pay any outstanding balance.
Spend 30 seconds to check-out using your own phone, leave the hotel safely and receive the full invoice from the hotel via e-mail once processing is completed!
Kiosk on your phone
Guests arriving in the hotel can be offered an alternative, safe and convenient way to check-in. They can use their own device and access the hotels mobile check-in page by scanning a QR code in the hotel lobby. The check-in process normally performed in the front-desk or on a kiosk are quickly completed on your own smartphone. Immediate processing of the request, room assignment and check-in is done automatically in the self-service backend. A QR code is returned to the guest by e-mail or text. The room keycard is delivered by simply scanning the QR code, and with no additional interaction with the hotel kiosk. Safe, simple and convenient!
