Long gone are the days where your hotel guests would sign their name and room number on a piece of paper to keep record of what they consumed. Hotel guests expect effortless transactions during their stay, not having to search for cash or credit cards to use the hotel services. With the rapid improvement in terms of payment alternatives, it shouldn’t be necessary for your guests to find a place to store their credit cards or cash while wearing a swimsuit. Instead, hotels and resorts need to embrace this change and act accordingly to retain their guests and transform them into loyal ones.
Adapt hotel payments and amaze your guests
Most hotels and resorts are using key cards with NFC chip integrated for room access. After the check-in process, when rooms are already allocated, the NFC key card takes the role of a traditional key, enabling hotel and resort guests to access their rooms with it.
The NFC key card can take on a lot more responsibilities than just opening a door. It can simply become a friendly and secure payment tool, allowing those guests wearing a swimsuit to enjoy their favorite cocktails in no time. Now, you might think that at the end of the day, a key card is still a card, which still needs a place to be stored while your guests enjoy the crystal-clear water. To avoid overthinking, the NFC chip can be integrated in different wearables, not only inside a plastic card. For a resort where guests spend most of their time at the beach, a silicone wristband with NFC integrated can be a great solution. Being waterproof, your clients can buy their favorite drinks, even from the swimming pool.
p.s.: the silicone wristbands can be fully customized based on your hotel’s brand and design
The process of using NFC payments and access control for a hotel or resort
1. Creating an account and activating the NFC wristband
By linking the cashless payment software with the hotel’s property management service, the NFC bracelet can be activated with your guest’s details stored inside the chip. The information required for booking the room, such as name, e-mail address, telephone number, can be synchronized with the NFC wristband for securely completing cashless transactions within your hotel or resorts premises.
2. Adding money onto the NFC wristband
Depending on your guest’s individual preferences, they might decide to top-up their cashless payment account by visiting the reception or by downloading a mobile app. The receptionist simply asks for the preferred payment method and the exact amount to be added on that account. At the reception, guests can top-up by either cash or credit/debit card. Topping-up through the mobile app allows your guests to add money from anywhere, as long as they have stable internet connection and a valid credit/debit card.
Instead of going through the top-up process, you can allow your guests to pay for the goods and services consumed at the end of their stay, during the check-out stage. The process of paying for goods and services will remain the same, the only difference being that instead of going to a top-up point, guests will have an unlimited amount loaded onto the cashless payment account. This option will most likely increase the overall sales within your hotel or resort. It is up to your hotel’s policy to decide if this would be a preferred option or not.
3. Checking the available balance
The available balance can be verified through the mobile app or by visiting any point of sale within the hotel or resort. After completing a transaction, the remaining balance is clearly displayed for every guest. This way, your guests will always know if it’s time to top-up or if they still have enough credit on their account.
4. Access credentials for hotels and resorts
Within your hotel, there might be a special lounge/bar designed for your loyal guests. To verify who is entitled to use those designated areas designed for your frequent guests, a simple tap of the hand does the job. The receptionist needs to assure that this benefit is linked and stored on the NFC wristband, during the check-in process.
5. Withdrawing the remaining balance
At the end of their stay, some of your guests might still have some remaining balance on their account. It is their right to withdraw it or leave it to be spent on a future trip within your hotel chain. They can either withdraw the remaining balance by visiting the reception or they can do it on their own from the mobile app. At the reception, they have the option to receive the remaining balance in cash or in a bank account if they used a credit/debit card to top-up.
Hotel and resort payments with Oveit
We understand how important it is for a hotel or resort to offer a modern and well-developed payment solution for its guests. That’s why we’ve decided to expand and adapt our payment and access control solution in this area.
Our reporting feature allows you as a hotel manager to step up your game and be ahead of your competitors. It allows you to tailor experiences based on behavior and preferences. Based on our reporting feature, you can find out which services, restaurants and activities within your hotel are most enjoyed by individual guests.
The hospitality industry is all about delivering that personal touch to its guests. Hotels and resorts are no exception from that. With Oveit, getting to know your customers and tailoring experiences based on their preferences has never been easier. Find out more on how you can develop your local economy with Oveit!