As we head further into the new year, the biggest trend we will see in 2023 is the adoption of technology in hotels. From improving the guest experience to streamlining back-of-house operations, hospitality technology serves hoteliers in a variety of ways. For one, properties feeling a staffing crunch can turn to hospitality tech to help them continue to run efficiently despite operating with less staff. Let’s look at a few types of technology that are going to be trending in hotels across the world this year.

Mobile Apps

Today’s consumer is influenced by technology now more than ever. Consumers have grown accustomed to the convenience technology plays in their lives — from ordering their dinner on a delivery service app to picking up their groceries curbside. So, why should their hotel stay be any different?

Branded hotel mobile apps allow guests to check-in from their mobile phone from anywhere. Apps with mobile key technology can turn the guest’s smartphone into their digital room key, letting them bypass the front desk completely and head straight to their room upon arrival at a property. Gone are the days of long lobby lines. Guests who have traveled cross-country can now begin to relax the moment they step foot onto a property.

Mobile apps also allow for digital check-out, which helps free up the front desk staff’s time so they can focus on bigger tasks, which is crucial for under-staffed properties. And the same goes for in-room dining. A property’s mobile app allows guests to browse updated dining menus and place orders all from the app. This eliminates the need to call down to place an order, saving time for both the hotel’s employees and their guests. Digital dining orders also reduce the possibility of human error and allow guests to receive real-time updates regarding their orders.

Smart-Room Tablets

While a large portion of 2023’s travelers are expected to be Millennials and Gen Zers — two generations accustomed to using mobile apps — guests who might not download an app for their hotel stay still crave the same customization and convenience hotel technology provides. Smart-room tablets serve as a digital concierge and offer these guests similar functionality, including the ability to place in-room dining orders, book spa appointments, and browse updated hotel compendiums, all from an in-room tablet. Tablets can also put guests in charge of their stay by allowing them to adjust in-room temperature controls and lighting, exuding a feeling of both luxury and convenience. Similar to mobile apps, guests can also browse a hotel’s gift shop offerings and place an order on the tablet for pickup in the lobby, driving additional revenue without overwhelming staff.

Casting

Casting capabilities give your guests control over their in-room entertainment. Delivered through Google Chromecast, casting lets a property’s guests stream content directly to their hotel room’s television from their own devices. A guest no longer has to stop binging their favorite Netflix documentary just because they’re away from home. Additionally, casting requires no additional logins, offers hotels the ability to display personalized welcome messages on the in-room television, and allows them to cancel expensive cable subscriptions.

Staff Operations Platforms

A staff operations platform integrates with a property’s existing PMS and POS systems to create a hub that streamlines employees’ workloads. Overworked employees lead to higher turnover rates, but with a staff operations platform, employees can easily automate and track many functions of a property, including guest requests, guest storefront purchases, and digital dining requests. Ticketing systems also allow a property’s team to focus on guest satisfaction by easily tracking and fielding service and maintenance requests while keeping up with preventative maintenance and work orders — all from one hub. Staff operations platforms also aid in service recovery to track guest feedback and identify common issues, so staff can prevent escalations before they happen. Looking for a way to gather guest data? A staff operations platform can aggregate guest usage data and feedback to help a property make more informed business decisions.

Hotel technology is “in” for 2023. Leverage these technologies to help your hotel streamline its operations, improve its guest experience, and drive new revenue this year.