Keyless entry – A new star for hoteliers

Keywords: Keyless entry, SPG, trends in hospitality

Cui ZHANG, Xiaoqing YU

Since first used by Starwood from 2014, keyless entry becomes a pop star in hospitality industry. This tech is sequentially invested by other big hotel groups: Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Intercontinental Hotels Group. What is keyless entry? Basically speaking, it is using your smartphone as your hotel room key (Ting, 2016). In this way, travelers are able to check in and check out more conveniently than using traditional plastic key. 

Marriott International. (2017). Keyless: Unlock a whole new way to stay.
Retrieved February 27, 2017, from https://www.spgpromos.com/keyless/

As the first one to combine keyless tech with hotel rooms, Starwood Group invested $15 million dollars in this program and believed will pay off in the future (JP, 2015). The group now offers this service in 177 hotels over 30 countries compared to 10 hotels at the beginning of the program. So how does keyless hotel room work? First of all, register your phone. To enjoy a smooth entry to your hotel room, you need to be a member of Starwood Preferred Guest and download the SPG app. After downloading SPG, you can easily register for keyless entry tech through the app. And then, if your stays are eligible for SPG keyless, you will be reminded and have the choice to go keyless. Last, you will get a notification to know your room number and open the door when the room is ready.

Pros and cons are pretty obvious in the case of keyless entry. The technology allows hotel to collect guests’ email addresses and develop stronger loyalty programs because customers can only use the tech when they are members of the hotel group (Major, 2017). Besides, this digital key takes place of traditional key will enable the reception to play a more personalized role other than repeatable work day after day. Avoiding singular work like swiping cards or handing in room keys will save time for both guests and hotels. And according to Hilton, customers who used keyless entry rates 10 points higher than traditional customers in “efficiency of arrival” (Ting,  2016). However, the nature of technology makes the whole interaction complex. Technology can be hacked now and then, if the tech of keyless entry not completed or mature enough to defense hackers, hotel guests may face severe security concerns. And for a new trend and new tech, investment is essential and the initial cost of keyless entry program will be significant. At the same time, does keyless entry really add value to your guests or it is just a way to make your hotel look trendy and more tech-savvy (JP, 2015)? Mobile keys may not satisfy aging people who finds check emails and download hotel apps complicated and frustrated. 

All in all, keyless entry is still a trend on-going. If mobile key technology develops more self-directed functions for guests other than a room key, it will be a great asset for the hotel. Hospitality technology needs more revolution. One day, customers will have the chance to do anything in the hotel and make every step through their smartphones.

Ting, D. (2016, June 29). The current state of keyless entry at big hotel brands. Hotels. Retrieved from https://skift.com/2016/06/29/the-current-state-of-keyless-entry-at-big-hotel-brands/

Major, T. (2017, January 31). Trend report: 8 hotel technologies to monitor in 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017, from Hotel Technology, http://roomkeypms.com/blog/trend-report-8-hotel-technologies-monitor-2017/

JP. (2015, May 29). Issues with the keyless entry hotel App - digital interactive marketing: IPad / iPhone / Android Apps. Retrieved February 27, 2017, from Blog, http://www.appysphere.com/issues-with-the-keyless-entry-hotel-app/