Page 134 - Security Today, September 2018

HOME TECHNOLOGY HITS THE ROAD
When you stay in a hotel room, you’re looking for all the comforts of home, just a little nicer. Back in the day, that used to mean a remote control for the TV and a goodnight mint on your fluffed up pillow. But today’s homes have comforts that Mr. Hilton and Mr. Marriott never even dreamed of. From digital assistants and wireless speakers, to environmental controls, high-speed Wi-Fi and more, today’s travelers are accustomed to instant and easy automated personalization at home, and now expect it on the road.
When checking into a hotel room, digital amenities such as Wi-Fi and flat-panel HDTVs are considered standard. But, as is so often the case, when you tell the lights to dim and the thermostat to lower a few
degrees, instead of feeling cooler in the dark, you just feel foolish in the harsh light of archaic technology. And what about when you try to pick up where you left off on your latest Netflix binge? Do they really expect you to watch it on your smart phone?
Without these technological comforts, guests will become increasingly frustrated with the stark contrast between their smart homes and hotel rooms. Ultimately, the hotels that can narrow the disparity and bring smart hotel rooms, will be the likely winners of establishing guest loyalty. This is especially true for frequent travelers and millennials— the critical audience segment for hotel brands—who have even higher expectations for the availability of smart technology to make them feel at home even when they’re on the road.
21 | ScanSource Networking and Security Focus FALL 2018