Let’s face it: Managing hotel room access can be a challenge. Plastic keycards get lost, demagnetized or worse — they end up in landfills. Your front desk staff probably spends more time than you’d care to admit handling issues like cards becoming deactivated or getting lost.
It’s no wonder why more and more hotels are integrating with digital wallets like Google Wallet and Apple Wallet to streamline hotel room access. Below, you’ll learn all about digital hotel keys, including how they benefit both hoteliers and their guests, and how to get started with this technology.
A digital wallet is a software application that stores payment information, loyalty cards and more so users can easily make electronic transactions from compatible devices. In the hospitality world, digital wallets, like Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, can serve hotel room keys, allowing guests to unlock their room by simply tapping their device on a smart lock.
Digital wallets are transformative to the guest experience. Plastic keycards are not only wasteful, but they’re also an old-school solution. Options like Google Wallet and Apple Wallet allow hotels to ditch the plastic in favor of keyless entry, and that’s not all they can do.
So do guests really care about contactless hotel access? The answer is overwhelmingly “yes.”
For hotel staff, solutions like Apple Wallet and Google Wallet streamline operations and eliminate repetitive tasks like activating, replacing and deactivating keys. Even better? It’ll save your hotel money and help you become a more sustainable property.
For example, a 250-room hotel could save $36,500 per year (and eliminate 73,000 plastic keys in landfills) by investing in contactless check-in and checkout according to our ebook, The Ultimate Guide to Sustainability in Hospitality.
Plus, traveling more sustainably is important to 80% percent of people. Attract these eco-minded hotel guests by getting rid of non-biodegradable plastic keys — it will help them feel better about their stay and reduce your hotel’s environmental impact, too.
Should you stick with plastic or go digital? Here’s a quick overview of the key differences (see what we did there?).
While beneficial for hotels, digital wallets are equally advantageous for guests seeking a more tech-forward, eco-friendly vacation solution.
Whether they’re tired from traveling or rushing to catch a flight, the last thing guests want to deal with is a long wait at the front desk. Google Wallet and Apple Wallet hotel keys make it fast and easy for guests to access their rooms without having to visit the lobby.
Plastic keys are easy to lose and not integrated with the rest of your technology. When hotel keys are managed through Google Wallet or Apple Wallet hotel keys, guests can unlock their rooms from multiple devices, including smartphones and smartwatches. For example, Apple Watch users can unlock their room from their device, even if they leave their phone charging on the nightstand.
Advanced encryption technology in Google Wallet and Apple Wallet makes digital hotel keys more secure than traditional plastic cards. This helps guests feel safer in their rooms and more confident their belongings are secure while they’re out.
Think guests unlocking their rooms with phones and watches is cool? It’s only going to get better from here. These are the features that will become mainstays as this technology continues to be adopted.
Give guests what they want: a modern, tech-forward, contactless experience that eliminates common frustrations like clunky plastic keys and frustrating lobby check-ins. Follow these steps to implement Google and Apple Wallet hotel keys at your hotel:
Check that your existing systems easily integrate with digital wallets. For example, at Canary Technologies, we integrate with digital hotel key solutions such as OpenKey and Flexipass to provide you with options.
Guests may turn to your team for help adopting the new technology. Ensure your staff knows how to use digital wallets and can tackle issues as they arise. Schedule staff trainings and create manuals for easy reference.
Pro tip: AI chatbots can be trained to answer up to 80% of common guest questions and troubleshoot issues so your staff can focus on other tasks.
Here’s what you’ll need to modernize — and digitize — room access in your hotel:
Use pre-arrival guest communication to introduce guests to the benefits of keyless entry. Create video tutorials to help guests understand and use the new technology. This will minimize adoption issues and reduce customer service phone calls before and during guest stays.
While many guests will appreciate being able to use digital keys in Google Wallet and Apple Wallet, provide alternatives for those who don’t. Many smart locks allow for the use of PINs, so guests who don't want to use digital keys can manually enter a code to access their rooms.
Apple and Google Wallet hotel keys fundamentally change how your hotel operates and interacts with guests — in a good way. Learn how Canary Mobile Check-In can lead to happier guests, a more productive team and major savings.
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