Hotels operators are constantly looking for ways to differentiate their properties by crafting a unique guest experience. With digital technology, suddenly any space can be transformed with virtual fountains, play areas for children, or nature exhibits. These added digital features throughout a property create small surprises and moments of delight for guests—for instance, when a bartender serves a beautiful drink, a digital glow could emanate from the table as soon as the glass touches it. Digital displays can create a lasting impression and give guests a reason to return, especially in the case of installations that are ever-changing.
Emotional Branding
A hotel’s digital strategy should be created long before a piece of hardware
is procured. The more thoughtfully concepts are designed, the less likely they will have the unintended effect of irking guests. Consumers actively avoid commercials when they are aggressive, unenjoyable, and omnipresent. A unique digital component can set the mood and tone of the hotel and promote the brand’s tenets without becoming an annoyance.
Think about a hotel that has a fine art display in its lobby. A digital layer could be placed over those physical pieces to trigger a guest’s smartphone into bringing up information about the artist and the paintings’ origins. Likely, this will prompt a guest to reward a hotel with their time and money because they’ve been entertained, engaged, and had an emotional reaction that will cause them to think about the brand in a positive way.
A Michelin-Star Mindset
Whether it’s a digital waterfall, art installation, or a small-scale surprise in the hotel
elevator, the guest experience can be taken to a more evocative level through a well-
thought-out digital strategy. That happens by focusing on the content and desired outcome first and the hardware later.
Walt Disney knew he’d have to make the experiences at his theme park so memorable that
guests couldn’t help but return over and over to experience it again. So, too, should
hoteliers who realize that the reason behind and meaning of a project should drive its
development.
To stand out from the crowd, savvy hoteliers will meld a Michelin-star mindset with the careful planning of Disney to form a technology strategy that creates a five-star digital experience and leaves guests with reasons to come back time and time again.
