Today’s consumers are highly intelligent and they are not willing to settle for status quo. As they insist on having the newest technology at their fingertips at home, so do they want that when they go away on business trips or on vacation. To keep their guests coming back, hotels today need to be innovative in the way they use technology to offer the most comfortable stay possible. In hotels you will be seeing more of robots, smart gear and new mobile applications used to enhance the guest experience.

Here are 5 cutting edge advances in hotel technology:

1. Smarter Ways of Communication

It is very rare these days to see someone without a phone in their hand. With smartphone technology, there is very little you can’t do with your phone this day from shopping to turning off your lights at home from the office. And now more hotels are using smartphone tools to give their guests more control over their hotel experiences. From check-in and out to ordering room service and in-room controls, guests can do it all on their phone. Your phone gets transformed into a remote control.

Many hotels also allow guests to text any requests they have as well by setting up a concierge service dedicated to texting. So if you need more towels or a late check out time, all you have to do is text a quick message.

2. No Hassle Room Entry

While hotel room keys have been a thing of the past for a while, even keycards are now feeling outdated. Do you really want the hassle of fumbling around for the keycard only to find that it is not working right? It can be really frustrating that is a growing number of hotels are using a smartphone app like the Starwood app instead. When connected to the data, the guest just has to make sure his or her Bluetooth is tuned on, open up the app and hole the phone in front of the keypad.

3. Hi-Tech Rooms

When people travel today they are bring so much more than just their clothes and toiletries. Each guest typically also has a laptop, table, smartphone and other high-tech gadgets with them so they can keep up with work and watch movies and their favorite television shows a lot easier. To make it easier to manage all these electronics while away, many hotels are now providing new interactive in-room systems that can be accessed from the television in the room. Guests can connect all their gadgets to the television and do everything from streaming their favorite shows to checking their flight status and even playing personal playlists all from the tv.

While you are probably seeing more Internet-ready smart tv’s with apple and PC-compatible hook-ups in hotel rooms, some places  with innovative hotel management are taking the guest experience up a notch even higher by offering access to Google Glass Technology and equipping the rooms with high tech audio systems and 100MB bandwidth Internet so they can play DJ in your own room.

4. Robots on Staff?

Yes, you read that right. Robots on staff. Some hotels now have a robot or two on staff. They are mainly used for room service deliveries as to make the whole system more efficiency. These robots can get your order to you quicker and you don’t have to worry about tipping them or making awkward small talk. Some hotels have their robot programmed so that human staff can interact with the guests through the robot. Don’t be surprised to find a robot at your door the next time you order room service at a hotel.

5. Creative Use of Virtual Reality

Gone are the days where hotels would just put a couple of photographs of their rooms and amenities on their website so guests can get an idea of what the hotel is like. Even virtual tours that use 360-degree panorama photographs, slideshows and videos are so yesterday. Potential guests want to know exactly what it would be like to stay at the hotel. That is where virtual reality technology comes in.

Imagine checking out a hotel’s website and being able to have a truly immersive experience of the place and being able to explore all its nooks and crannies. With this technology, when you book a new hotel, you will no longer be anxious about what to expect when you get there. You will already know.

All this technology is certainly exciting and can really up a hotel’s game and make them more competitive, but never forget what is truly important: your guests. Sometimes with the impersonalness of robots and computers, the human connection is lost. Guests want to feel listened to and pampered and if all they do is interface with technology that becomes difficult. Hotel management must never lose sight of what counts the most.

Also, no matter how great technology is, sometimes it will fail and you will need a backup plan. It doesn’t matter how cool that robot looks if it constantly short circuits and gets order wrong.

Truly caring about your guests and going the extra mile for them will never go out of style. That should always remain your top priority. Pick and choose carefully what technological advances you introduce into your hotel. While shiny gadgets are cool at first, they aren’t always necessary and sometimes can take away from the guest experience instead of enhancing it. Guests want to feel comfortable in their hotel room and not feel like they are in a futuristic laboratory. Never lose that personal touch that we all crave.

MBB Management Can Help

Are you looking to innovate your hotel, but not sure where to start? MBB Management, a hotel management consulting company, can help. MBB has a team of experienced and dedicating consultants who can help you with all aspects of hotel management. From promotion to hiring staff to the managing the daily workings of your place, MBB can help you get better results.

Call MBB Management today to set up a consultation. Don’t be left behind in this high tech, fast-paced world today.