Published on : Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Scandic is the first hotel chain in the world to offer digital check-out at all its hotels. The system was tested in the spring and is now available at all hotels in the chain. With just a few simple clicks on their smartphone or computer, guests can quickly pay their room, minibar and restaurant bill when it suits them, gaining a welcome bit of extra time in the morning. Scandic estimates that in the first year it will see half a million digital check-outs. In the following year, Scandic expects to see that number double. This is because the service is so simple to use that it gives guests immediate added value, not least since the people of the Nordic region tend to be so mobile literate.
Over the summer, Scandic conducted a pilot project at Scandic Park in Stockholm, where the new mobile check-out solution was evaluated and finetuned. The pilot project was warmly received and now the mobile check-out system is being rolled out at all Scandic’s hotels. All that is needed to check out with a smartphone is for the guest’s telephone number or email address to be registered at check-in. The night before check-out, guests receive a text message and can check their bill, add purchases from the minibar, update their address details and pay for their stay. The receipt is forwarded by email and the keycard can simply be dropped off at reception on the way out.
“It feels great to be the first to make this move, but the important point is that this is something guests have been waiting for,” says Frank Fiskers, Scandic’s CEO. “Checking out is seen by many guests as the tiresome part of a hotel stay and it is sometimes associated with queues and morning stress. Now we are offering guests a smart shortcut that gives them a more pleasant start to the day. They can check out when it suits them, and some guests will no doubt check out the evening before so they can enjoy a more leisurely breakfast.”
More services expected
The hotel industry has so far been cautious and rather slow with its digital services, mostly focusing thus far on making it easy to book hotel rooms by computer and mobile. However, these days many Nordic guests take it for granted that they can manage their bank accounts and shop for, book, rearrange and pay for travel on their smartphone. Scandic saw check-out as a natural place to start and is happy to report that already 10% of all invited guests have tried out the service. The feedback from the guests has also been positive.
“It’s definitely time for us to give guests added value they appreciate by exploiting the almost infinite possibilities that digital technology now offers,” says Johan Michelson, Vice President Brand & Products at Scandic. “We will continue adding more digital services, and right now we’re looking at check-in and conference booking, although as I said, this is all at an early stage.”
Source:- Scandic Hotel
Tags: aida cruises, brand strategy, daily newspapers, individuality, market leader, marketing campaign, motifs, puckered lips, saatchi, samak, time after time, tourism industry, trademark symbols, tv commercials, vice president marketing
|
||
   
|
||
