Elevating the Hotel Guest Experience with Mobile POS Solutions
While hotels and resorts have always thrived on excellent customer service, new technology has raised the bar for guest expectations. More than ever, hoteliers are looking for ways to integrate innovative concepts and technology that can help keep up with the growing demands for a seamless guest experience.
Despite inflationary and economic pressures, guest spending at U.S. hotels is expected to hit a record high in 2024. While the main source of hotel revenue stems from room reservations, there’s growing recognition of new revenue in other service areas within the hotel premises, such as dining experiences, wellness programs and remote workspaces. These alternative points of service give numerous opportunities for guests to engage in extra purchases, and can contribute significantly to a hotel’s overall income.
Mobile point of sale (mPOS) solutions can help hoteliers offer guests effortless and flexible payment methods, which can help increase guest spend, boost loyalty, streamline operations, and ensure overall customer satisfaction.
Beyond the Main Lobby
By deploying portable mPOS solutions, hoteliers can significantly enhance the guest experience, extending services to guests wherever they are. This flexibility allows for services like pay-at-the-table in a restaurant or bar, or even pay-at-the-poolside or golf course, making purchases from a mobile device or tablet possible. Importantly, this plays a crucial role in reducing lines for a smoother, more enjoyable guest experience.
Additionally, guests traveling for business may require a copy of their receipt for expenses that can be reimbursed by their employer. Integrating an mPOS solution with a wearable wireless mobile printer provides hotel staff with an easy way to print receipts at the point of service. Replacing outdated pad-and-paper systems minimizes the time guests need to wait and allows the staff to work more efficiently by staying focused on providing the service at hand.
Hoteliers should consider an mPOS solution that accepts all forms of payment. A flexible payment system ensures guests can be served whenever, however they need it and wherever they may be. The more convenient it is for guests to purchase food and beverages, the more likely they will spend.
Anywhere, Anytime Transactions
Even though the hotel industry’s traditional emphasis is providing face-to-face service, the pandemic has accelerated contactless options that guests increasingly value. Offerings like mobile check-in/check-out, grab and go meals, and self-service kiosks highlight the contrast to the conventional service model, underscoring a growing preference for these convenient, touch-free alternatives during their stay.
An all-in-one mPOS system that can be easily adjusted for desktop or wall-mounted configurations and can also function as a standalone self-service kiosk, further enhances contactless payment experiences. This flexibility allows efficient setup of one or multiple mPOS stations, making optimal use of space while significantly increasing customer interactions through its compact and flexible design.
In addition, mPOS solutions offer a solution to one of the most pressing issues in the industry: labor shortages. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there were almost one million unfilled job openings in the hospitality sector as of December 2023. With limited staff, self-service or mobile kiosk POS solutions can help improve operational efficiencies and maximize revenue. This approach not only frees up staff to focus on guest needs and support other hotel operations, it also gives guests greater control over their experience.
Personalized Guest Experiences
Using tablets and other mobile devices for processing payments and taking orders speeds up the ordering process and allows businesses to collect guest data and feedback that can be used to provide a more personalized guest experience. The more mPOS solutions are used, the potential for gathering data and using it to improve business practices increases.
Moreover, businesses can use cloud-based mobile POS systems to store and analyze transaction data, gain insights into guest behavior and preferences, and track the performance of services and offerings. These systems are faster and more accurate and powerful than ever, making it easier for businesses to identify patterns and make informed decisions, such as better allocating staff and resources more efficiently.
Today’s tech-savvy hotel guests are looking for the added convenience of mobile ordering and check-in/check-out, the ability to effortlessly book rental cars, tours and on-site events and other time-saving amenities. Hospitality organizations must update and modernize their systems that support these quick and easy experiences as one way to win the loyalty of their guests.
Leveling up the hotel experience for guests requires deploying the right payment technologies to provide a faster and more personalized service. With mPOS solutions in place, hotel businesses can set themselves apart to stay ahead of the curve.
About the Author
John Choi is a product manager for Epson’s North America point-of-sale (POS) solutions division, driving product strategy and launches for Epson’s mobile POS solutions.