Hotel TV and The Future – Part Three

Who Are Our Target Guests and What Are The Revenue Generating Opportunities

The first post I made on this subject is here and the second is here! They both talk about the succesful #LinkedInLive broadcast I did with FunnelTV. While the focus was guest room technology in 2020 we focussed almost totally on Hotel TV. The topic became so interesting and the excellent feedback from our viewers meant we stayed pretty much at the top of our agenda. What’s amazing, is we’ve got much more to say in the future.

This post is part of that future, in fact it is part three, where we continue our discussion on Hotel TV. This time we take a look at who our target guests are, and what the opportunities for generating additional revenue.

If you, like me, think sharing of knowledge is beneficial, please get in touch. I’d love to be able to facilitate the sharing of knowledge through my site, blog and FunnelTV.

---

A Hotel Technology & Travel Technology blog by HotelTCS. Every week we cover topics concerning Technology in the Hospitality Industry. Looking at subjects such as IPTV, HSIA, WiFi, GPON and IoT, we give you the insider info on Smart Hotels and Intelligent Hotel Deployments. Subscribe below for updates!

---

Just a reminder, we were joined by the following excellent guests:

Enzo Aita – FunnelTV

Christoph Hutter – FunnelTV & Revenue Consultant

James Harrison – HotelTCS

Nick Price – NetSys

Darren King – ROOMNET

Hannu Vahokoski – Hotelway

Joe Griffin – Hotelway

---

Hotel TV Part Three

As I said before, the long agenda went out the window. So here’s part three, all about the target guest profile for your Hotel TV system.

Who Is Our Target Guest

It’s clear to remember that not all guests are the same. As such they will behave differently in the hotel, and also come with different expectations. This is not another post about millennials vs GenX vs Boomers, no we are talking more about guest acquisition.

The ideal guest for any hotel is a multi repeat guest. One who knows the hotel or chain, and stays frequently. It is likely they will book through direct channels, giving a perceived lower cost of acquisition (The jury is still out on this and we can discuss in a future post).

As such, any hotel has a higher discretionary spend in servicing this guest. That goes to say they can give them more, as the added value is what keeps a guest returning. Just look at any loyalty scheme. The more you stay, the more you get!

If you think logically, any technology solution should be focussed at these guests. Guest who stay across your hotels or brand night after night. The one nighters perhaps will not even engage with your technology, however someone who stays multiple nights is very likely to be looking for more from technology. Maybe it’s the technology that keeps them returning.

Generating Revenue Through Hotel TV

Additional revenue generation beyond the room rate is an important part of the hotel experience. Traditionally this has come from services such as the spa, room service, a bar, restaurant, or commissions on concierge bookings. However, in many market segments, generating additional revenue with this traditional approach is very challenging.

When it comes to room service you need to think outside the box. If your technologically advanced room allows guests to view their own movies, why not offer a package that makes it more like a cinema? Popcorn and a drink delivered to your room, that’s a winner to me!

How about those sports? Sports in hotel bars has been a thing for some time, yet often I see hotel bars with sports playing to a limited audience. Considering the costs of sports channels, a more dynamic approach is required.

The dynamic approach is similar to that taken with room service. Think about packages you could offer, or discounts to get people into the bar? Reserved tables with the best view? Wings and a bucket of beer? It depends on your brand for sure, but you can make it much appeal than just knowing the sport is on in the bar.

Meeting With Hotel TV

Actually though, there is one big trick being missed. As Nick points out in the video, what about those empty meeting rooms each evening? Could these suddenly become private sports parties? Give the usually empty room away for free to one of those valuable multi repeat guests, and allow them to return the favour by ordering drinks and snacks.

One thing we must never forget, as technologists and hoteliers….. Where ever the guest goes in the hotel, eventually they will return to the room. So, even if the revenue generating services are outside the room, the technology in the room needs to allow access to them. Booking systems and hotel information should be easily accessible whether it’s by app, tablet or TV system.

Bringing us full circle back to the one or two night guest, technology does allow promotion of facilities in a more dynamic way. This has much greater benefit to guests who are unfamiliar with the services offered. Far ahead of the printed menu’s and cards, now the guest can really visualise what they can book.

Key Take Aways

• Understand your guest. What they want is important, but how they find out about it is key
• Who are your target guests, probably multi-repeat guests, so tailor your solution here
• With multi repeat guests your discretionary spend is higher, so how can you offer more through technology, that allows them to return the revenue to the hotel?
• Use technology to make awareness of services easier to a one night guest
• Think about how to promote services in a digital way
• Can your meeting rooms be used for something else through technology?
• Can you use dynamic packages, promotions and services and drive people to areas of the hotel where they will spend

---

Thanks As Always

I say this every time, but thanks to the over 500 live viewers we got during the show and all those who commented, you were fantastic! The interaction makes the knowledge sharing so worthwhile. I’d also love to hear people’s suggestions on what else we should cover. Let me know in the comments below!

In a coming series over posts of the next 2 weeks I will cover in more depth what we talked about, for those who missed it. Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date with all the latest posts! Remember to add info@hoteltcs.com to your safe senders list!

---

Hospitality tech VLOG

If you want to see more of the recordings, they are now up on my Youtube Channel The HotelTCS Hospitality tech VLOG! Click the button below to subscribe and view!

---

---

I hope you are all a passionate as I am about sharing the knowledge. watch out over the coming days and weeks for more posts on the fascinating topic of Hotel TV. Please also connect with me on LinkedIn and follow HotelTCS for even more conversation and knowledge sharing!

Also, please check out some of my other articles, such as “A Hotel is Just a Building”, “Can Intelligent Hotels find their voice?” and “The Fate of Hotel HSIA”. The latter being referenced in the VLOG!