The success of the hospitality industry has always depended entirely on customer service. Whether it's for business or pleasure, the customer service one receives during their stay will determine whether or not people will stay there again or warn their friends and colleagues to stay away from the hotel. From personalized customer service and check-in comfort to improved facility management, leveraging the Internet of Things in the hospitality industry can provide the customer satisfaction needed to stay competitive while helping hotels, restaurants, and conference centers reduce costs.

Here are 7 examples of previous uses of IoT in the hospitality industry

     Indoor Environmental Quality Monitoring

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) has moved from the fringes of hospitality design to center stage. In the past, the primary focus of IEQ was on reducing energy consumption, but it has shifted to ensuring that these spaces have clean air to breathe and that the ambient temperature, light and noise quality are optimal for guest comfort. Wireless IoT sensors play a critical role in IEQ monitoring - gaining insight into these key indoor climate factors ensures the health, comfort and productivity of guests and staff.

     Energy Optimization

Energy is the second largest expense category for hotels after employee salaries, accounting for 3% to 6% of a hotel's operating costs and about 60% of its CO2 emissions. The Internet of Things (IoT) plays a vital role in ensuring that energy resources are utilized efficiently and in line with sustainability efforts. Data from occupancy sensors in guest rooms, meeting rooms, or recreational facilities, coupled with building automation systems, can be used to automatically adjust room conditions such as HVAC, power, and lighting to optimize energy use based on room status, such as checked-in rooms, rooms in use, and unused rooms.

     Consumables monitoring

Ensuring that guests have adequate access to important consumables such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant, paper towels and toilet paper can be challenging, especially when demand fluctuates dramatically and there are currently bottlenecks in the hygiene material supply chain. With the help of wireless IoT sensors, facility managers can proactively monitor when consumables are running low in guest rooms, business centers and fitness rooms for effective inventory management and timely replenishment.

     Cleaning services and hygiene

Prioritizing hygiene and health, maintaining regular sanitization and cleaning is paramount. Headcount statistics combined with occupancy detection data can identify frequently and infrequently used areas, or provide timely notification when meeting rooms, gyms and swimming pools are unoccupied. Hotel staff can then use this information to work more efficiently and ensure that cleaning operations are performed when needed.

     Guest flow control

Since the New Crown Pneumonia pandemic, businesses have been asked to implement new limits on the number of guests in their hotels to ensure compliance with government social distance regulations. A headcount system can help track the number of people entering and exiting any given space in real time and alert management when capacity thresholds are reached.

     Predictive Maintenance

Customer satisfaction largely depends on smooth operations and zero interruptions in service. Wireless IoT sensors capture data on the status of hotel appliances, equipment and facilities, and notify maintenance staff immediately when equipment shows signs of deterioration or abnormal performance. This not only reduces maintenance costs, but also ensures maximum uptime and performance for all conveniences.

     Room automation

Another great example of IoT in the hospitality industry is guest room automation. Smart hotel solutions enable hotels to provide fully customized services to their guests; for example, some hotels allow guests to control many of the features of their rooms from their phones or provided tablets. This allows guests to control the lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems from one place. It also often allows them to control the television, while some devices can even address guests by name and send greetings.

This connected network can also be used to identify guests' preferences and provide personalized service during their next stay. In addition, hospitality companies with hotels in different locations can share guest data in a customer relationship management system to ensure that guests receive the same experience at each location in the chain.