Actualités

Eurhotec 2001
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Inroom telecommunications: Nifty features for travelling creatures

Kirsten Limbacher, Director, Voice Communications, Bass plc.
© DigitalVision
Although there are great telecom systems on the market, they could end up frustrating your customer. Essentially the customer wants common-sense solutions, which means -
w Things that work
w Easy to use - plug and play
w Straightforward instructions located where needed
w Things in the right place at the right time
What they tend to get are systems that are not integrated, no training, support or even instructions. So when selecting in-room telecoms, think how the technology will impact your policy and procedures, and your customer.

Do's and Don'ts
Messaging is one of the most important features of a hotel to a business traveller. You need to work out how to deal with faxes and packages, email, voicemail without waking them at 2am!
w Properly integrate TV and telephone if they are both message sources.
w Text or speech? There are systems which allow messages to be typed into the PMS that notifies the voicemail system that the message is waiting and an indicator lights up to tell the customer.
w Don't make guests call reception for the password to access messages. Put clear, simple instructions next to the telephone or at reception. The same goes for how to use the TV, modem, etc.
w Get the voicemail language right. Have the front desk develop a system to ensure guests get their preferred language.
w Give guests instructions on how to access voicemail from outside the hotel or after checkout, and what to do if the password is forgotten.
w Make it easy for the password to be remembered and/or changed. Organise for confidentiality if two people sharing a room need separate voicemail.

Other must-do's
w Know what to do when your PMS system goes down.
w Provide frontline staff training - not just front desk, but the concierge, porters, cashiers, receptionists, bar-staff and switchboard operator must know the basics.

Nifty voicemail features include the capacity to
w Prefix voice messaging with a 'welcome' message or advertising
w Use it for distribution of a single message to a group of rooms (eg. conference attendees) or to a floor of rooms
w Deliver brochures, prices (repeat/standard information)

Derek Wood, Managing Director, Derek Wood Associates
Weighing the Pros and Cons of
Dial-up modem (analogue) through the telephone system
w It's cheap (no rewiring) Connection is through the socket or back of telephone.
w Does not always require increased capacity on the telephone system.
w Easy to charge guest and monitor usage (many guests use the telephone system to connect to e-mail).
w BUT download time is slow, it can lead to congestion on PABX lines, flexible charging needs management and revenue opportunities are limited. It can be expensive if ISDN is required.

Basic rate interface (ISDN2)
w Can be fairly cheap to install and you get faster access speed
w BUT it is cumbersome to manage, inaccurate charging can occur, and can be expensive to provide in all rooms

Guestroom PC and Ethernet port connections
w Some companies do install it free
w Transmission can be quick, if you have high speed connection
w BUT the hotel will need to be rewired, the guest will needs to have an Ethernet card, you may need to write script to reach your corporate intranet and you need major IT support personnel

Pay-TV Internet access (direct or dialup)
w No cabling issues
w Flexibility of charging with regard to the interface between the server and your PMS system so you can charge a flat rate

TV Internet Access
w The TV is an entertainment and selling media, rather than a business tool.
w BUT it can't download and print emails, it is not usually well-located for business use, offers relatively poor quality and dial-up connections are slow.

GSM/Mobile phones
no revenue is generated for the hotel

High speed Internet access
w Requires category 5 data network/intelligent server connected to Internet
w Can be free of charge (depending on revenue share)
w Relatively future-proof
w BUT rewiring can be expensive

Category 5 cabling
w Wireless technology is on its way and prices will come down but for the foreseeable future, future-proofing cable installation will mean Cat 5 cabling.
w Cat 5 cabling can be expensive (especially the rewiring) but people do want internet and e-mail access now - about 80% of people carry laptops to be able to connect to their e-mail. In a new hotel, you should have at least one (preferably two) Cat 5 cable. Get the plugs right if you are catering for US socket, have a US powerpoint. Currently, I specify that CatV cable just stays in your distribution point.
w ADSL (Assymetric Digital Subscriber Line) technology is being developed to run over standard telephony cabling. But meanwhile, if a new technology arrives that requires Cat 5, it's the safe option. Once you have the Cat 5 socket in the guestroom, you never have to go back in to rewire. When you put the Cat 5 infrastructure in place, make sure it runs through your administrative area because it gives you flexibility and many other immediate benefits.
Before you chose a system, look at what's on the market, understand your own needs and budget. Don't rush to buy the latest PMS, telephone system etc. Consider a 3-5 year time frame. Establish your budget, determine what your customer/market wants and why. If it's mainly to connect the laptop you don't have to spend a fortune. Before you spend money, ask around and 'test drive' it. Also, remember that a business traveller should not have to sit on the bed to use his laptop. Give them a proper desk which has space, somewhere to print, somewhere to fax, power sockets, proper chair, TV on a swivel.