When we think of a classic hotel experience, the first thing that comes up to your mind would be a comfortable room to spend the night in. Depending on your willingness to pay for a luxurious experience, the quality that you would receive might vastly differ. After all, the service is considerably dependent on the staff that provide it. However, what if your whole experience could be arranged by just technology, all on your own smartphone.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a form of technology that found its way into the hospitality industry. The technology refers to the networking of physical objects through sensors or other devices which collect and transmit information over the internet or other communication networks. By doing so, the organizations could possibly improve various segments of their key activities. Whenever a new enterprise implements this form of technology, they could differentiate themselves from their competitors by providing a new and unique digital experience completely within their room. Furthermore, data collection of customer preferences and needs will also become easier due to data being collected in real time by guests that utilize this. For guests, the usage of IoT is exceptionally simple and only requires a device that has the capability to connect with an internet network. From within the device, the guest has complete access to every electronic device within their room of stay. This implies that walking will not be required anymore to control simple tasks such as switching the light on/off, setting the temperature of the room or even preparing a bath in advance (Sharma & Gupta 2021).
Unfortunately, while everything that was said in the previous segment sounds incredibly attractive, a technology that analyzes real-time customer behavior brings quite a few implications with it. Organizations within the hospitality industry are usually not known for their expertise on data security of technological devices. For hospitality businesses, this implies that they form a weak link in network security for them. In a few instances, it became known that it was possible for foreign entities to remotely record private conversations in hotels by invading these smart devices (Alcatel Lucent n.d.). Moreover, any function that can be controlled by your personal device could also be affected by anyone else who has gained access to it. These issues might be very concerning for the unknowing guest; however, I personally believe this technology could potentially provide a competitive edge for businesses and serve a memorable experience for guests if utilized correctly. If this option could be given affordably, would you be willing to make use of it, completely aware of the consequences?
References
Sharma, U. & Gupta 2021, ‘Analyzing the applications of internet of things in hotel industry’. J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1969 012041. Available at: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1969/1/012041/pdf
Alcatel Lucent n.d., ‘The Internet of Things for the Hospitality Industry’. Alcatel Lucent Enterprise, Available at: https://www.al-enterprise.com/-/media/assets/internet/documents/iot-for-hospitality-solutionbrief-en.pdf
