Why hotels need to offer mobile check-in

Summary: Over 30% of all hotel bookings are made via phone, and 1.5 billion boarding passes were estimated to be delivered via mobile in 2019. Additionally, 91% of us get frustrated when a business requires an app download.

The conclusion is clear: travellers love using their phones but hate using apps, so why does the digital journey stop at the hotel entrance? This article will review the benefits of mobile check-in solutions for hotels and recommend great mobile solutions that do not involve app downloads.

The digital journey

Let’s dream about your next vacation: Starting the journey, you check in for your flight via your phone and arrive at the airport the next day, using the self-service bag drop to ship off your luggage. You scan your phone to board your flight and sit down to listen to a podcast. Smooth!

When arriving at your destination, you run through the self-checkout line to pay for a coffee while checking the train schedule online and book the ticket in just a few clicks before scanning the code to enter the platform. Great! You then arrive at the hotel you booked in a mobile app a few weeks earlier and checked in via the….reception.

Why does the digital journey end here?

And what does this say about the hotel industry?

In today’s digital age, consumer habits have changed drastically, and people now opt to use smartphones as their everyday tool, especially on travel. Juniper Research revealed that over 30% of all hotel bookings are made via phone, and estimated 1.5 billion boarding passes were delivered via mobile in 2019.

The trend is clear: travellers prefer to use their phones for self-service. Why does the standard hotel check-in experience not reflect that?

The hard facts of travellers’ habits

Already in 2015, over 90% of all airlines offered check-in via kiosk. In a 2018 Statista survey, the airline industry predicted the popularity of in-person check-in desks would decline from 50% to only 26% in 2020. Over the same period, the share of travellers using mobile phone apps to check in was expected to increase from 11% to 28%.

Heady reports another interesting finding that 91% of us get frustrated when a business requires an app download. So people love using their phones but hate using apps. Noted!

Looking at the hotel industry, there is limited data to retrieve from such a traditional sector as few hotels are offering self-service check-ins yet. However, as the habits and behaviour of the traveller are so well-documented in other areas of their journey, it’s highly relevant to draw parallels from the general tourism industry to the hotel industry, predicting an increasing expectation of hotels offering mobile check-in without downloading an app.

The habit of using smartphones while travelling is driven by several factors, including convenience, speed, and the ability to customise their stay. In addition, mobile check-in offers several benefits for the hotel owner and its staff, including lower costs, the ability to automate the guest experience, increased upsells, more time for essential tasks and improved guest satisfaction.

Why travellers choose mobile check-in

Speed and reduced stress

Mobile check-in solutions offer fantastic benefits for hotel guests, such as reduced stress for everyone involved. The process of checking in via a smartphone is often faster than traditional check-in methods, as guests can input their information and confirm their reservations ahead of time. This means that when they arrive at the hotel, all they need to do is pick up their room key and head straight to their room without wasting time standing in line at the front desk.

“Average check-in times, measured from when you approach the counter to when entering your hotel room, are typically measured in minutes. With self-service check-in solutions, they are measured in seconds.”

Convenience and security

One of the main benefits of mobile check-in solutions for hotels is convenience. Guests can check in from anywhere, at any time, using their smartphones – a tool their always have in hand. Guests will no longer need to carry print copies of their documents and worry about misplacing or losing them.

Simple and tailored

Meanwhile, guests can easily find and manage their reservations, communicate directly with the hotel, order room service, join the loyalty program, purchase add-ons and more via mobile. Additionally, some mobile check-in solutions allow guests to choose their rooms, request extra amenities, and even order room service, giving them more control over their stay.

The benefits for hotels using mobile check-in

For hotels, mobile check-in solutions streamline the check-in and checkout process. Staff can still easily access guest information and room assignments while saving time on checking guests in and out. Mobile check-in reduces the need for additional front desk staff and gives the existing team more time to host and serve.

The financial benefits, primarily cost savings, for the hotel implementing mobile check-in solutions include eliminated cost of printing receipts, the reduction in staffed reception costs and the reduced need for check-in vending machines with their associated maintenance are some areas where savings can be made.

Mobile check-ins are also a gateway to additional upsell purchases and the opportunity to communicate directly with the guests on their preferred platform, enabling a personal touch. Lastly, digital checkout is a stepping stone to loyalty programs, which all hotels must leverage to stay competitive.