The Pocket Concierge
The hospitality industry is increasingly focused on creating memorable experiences. As daily life becomes more stressful, travel and leisure provide important opportunities for relaxation. Despite financial challenges, people continue to invest in dining and tourism, seeing them as key to their well-being. However, the potential for technology to improve these experiences is still underutilized. When technology is introduced, it often prioritizes efficiency over guest comfort. This presents an opportunity to rethink the hospitality experience with a user-centric approach, offering a competitive advantage in a busy market.
To explore this potential, 10Nineteen collaborated with Studio Nolie on a research project addressing the question, "What if my hotel stay was smarter?"
Background
Over the past two decades, the fundamental aspects of hotel experiences have seen little change. The check-in process often still requires guests to wait at a counter, present a credit card, receive a keycard (or occasionally a physical key), and manually complete paper forms for services like laundry. Guests frequently only discover the full extent of their charges upon checkout. This outdated approach contrasts sharply with the seamless, on-demand service experiences that consumers have grown accustomed to in other sectors.
There have been efforts to integrate technology into the hotel experience, but there's still room for improvement. Sometimes, these solutions aren't fully tailored to the guest's needs. For example, while food-ordering apps are a step forward, they could be enhanced by providing updates on when orders will arrive, helping to keep guests informed and satisfied.
Research
Identifying friction points
Our research began by identifying the most significant friction points that guests encounter during their stay. Common issues include challenges with the booking process, inefficiencies during check-in and check-out, concerns about room cleanliness, staff responsiveness, and inaccuracies in billing. We then explored how digital technology could address these pain points, focusing on solutions that would enhance the overall guest experience.
Key areas for improvement
- 1
Real-time guest feedback
Gathering feedback at relevant moments during the stay, rather than only at the end, allows for immediate adjustments and improvements. - 2
Digitalizing guest services
Streamlining service requests and interactions through digital platforms. - 3
Personalizing the guest journey
Tailoring the experience to individual preferences and needs.
Design principle
Subtle Digital Integration
In hospitality, particularly in hotel environments, the physical experience is paramount. Guests, whether traveling for leisure or business, seek a relaxing environment that feels like a "home away from home." The digital experience should enhance, not detract from, this primary goal. Digital interventions must be seamlessly integrated into the guest experience, appearing at the right moments to add value without disrupting the overall sense of comfort and relaxation.
Invisible Technology
Automated room controls for lighting and temperature should be intuitive and require minimal interaction.
Contextual Assistance
Notifications for dining reservations or checkout reminders appearing only when relevant to the guest’s activities.
Personalization without Intrusion
Using data to remember room preferences ensures personalization feels natural.
Enhancing, Not Replacing
Digital check-ins can streamline arrivals but shouldn’t replace a warm welcome from hotel staff.
Solution
Your digital concierge
We envisioned a digital concierge app that guides guests seamlessly through every stage of their journey—from booking to check-out and beyond.
Solution
Excitement Build-Up
We introduced a pre-arrival phase designed to heighten anticipation and enhance personalization. Through the app, guests are invited to answer a few questions about their preferences, enabling us to tailor their stay to their specific needs. Additionally, the app provides all the necessary information for a smooth check-in process, including the option to receive a digital key for room access.
Solution
Contextual Feedback
The app is designed to collect feedback at precisely the right moments during the guest's stay. For example, after the first time a guest uses their room following a cleaning, they receive a prompt to provide feedback on the service. Similarly, when they first enter their room, they can quickly and easily request additional items, such as pillows or water, through a simple interface.
Solution
Reimagined Room Service
We rethought room service from the guest’s perspective, incorporating a food-ordering tab within the app that provides quick access to all dining options, including in-house restaurants, room service, and nearby local eateries. By leveraging Generative AI, we assist guests who are unsure of what they want, guiding them to suitable meal choices. The app also facilitates direct in-app restaurant reservations and offers real-time updates on room service orders.
Solution
Transparent Billing
Recognizing that today’s consumers expect transparency and honesty from the brands they engage with, we integrated a feature that offers guests a real-time overview of their charges throughout their stay. This ensures there are no surprises at check-out, providing a clear and stress-free experience.
Solution
In-App Payments
To further meet the demand for transparency and convenience, we enabled fully in-app payments. This feature allows guests to settle their bills, tip staff, split expenses, and download receipts for reimbursement—all within the app, ensuring a seamless and integrated experience.
Conclusion
Seamless Stays, Lasting Impressions
There is vast potential to enhance the guest experience in the hospitality industry. While many hotels have foundational infrastructure like strong Wi-Fi and in-app keys, they often lack a cohesive, user-centric approach. By prioritizing guest needs and thoughtfully integrating technology, hotels can not only improve their service offerings but also strengthen their brand and create more memorable experiences, leading to stronger guest loyalty and a competitive edge in a crowded market.
Ready to envision the future?
Our future vision work goes beyond just solving today’s problems—it’s about reimagining entire experiences through the lens of innovation. We focus on crafting forward-looking solutions that anticipate needs, enhance interactions, and push boundaries. The goal? To shape a future that feels intuitive, connected, and meaningful.
Let’s collaborate to create what’s next and unlock the potential of tomorrow’s world.