Mr. Wasik

In-Room Entertainment

What to Expect From the In-Room Entertainment Industry in the Next Year

By Michael S. Wasik, Chairman, CEO, Interim CFO, Roomlinx Inc.

In-Room Entertainment. It is becoming the focus for many hoteliers and I expect the attention and focus on this aspect of the guestroom to increase in the coming year. Technology continues to be developed at a rapid pace and it is tough to keep up with all the cool gadgets, software and online trends. With the proliferation of media now available online, the in-room entertainment options offered in hotels will need to shift in order to keep this amenity from becoming a cash drain. Here are some things that will be important to keep in mind in order to offer options that will adapt with future technology needs and changes, maximize utilization of in-room entertainment and, most importantly, attract guests.

Online Media and Entertainment Options Ever Present

With the growth of companies like Netflix, media and entertainment options online are expanding at a rapid pace. With the click of a mouse, you can watch movies, TV shows and shorter content like YouTube videos. News, sports and weather updates stream live and email and social accounts are continuing to take over as the preferred form of communication.

Five years ago, internet access was still a hot topic for the hospitality industry. Now, it’s a commodity and guests are not only expecting the access, but want it for free. This demand is causing hotels to try to find innovative ways to maintain margins and differentiate themselves with new Internet-based amenities. Tiered bandwidth options are one way to provide guests with what they want and still capture revenue to support the operating expenses of the network. This way, guests that simply want to check email and news updates can do so for little to no cost while those ‘power-user’ guests that want to stream video and play online games can opt to pay a bit more for higher quality.

TVs Are Becoming the Focus of all Integrated Technologies in the Guestroom

Flat screens are becoming a necessity; they open up possibilities to high-quality, HD images, IPTV and branding of the interface viewed by the guest. 90% of guests turn on the TV throughout their stay making it the most powerful in-room focal point. With control of the television, you can extend the guest’s positive experience with your hotel after they have left the front desk, reinforce the essence of your brand and provide a pleasant atmosphere to keep your guest in a good mood. And while yes, they may have internet access on their mobile device, most guests would prefer to watch movies, TV shows and YouTube videos on a larger screen and use a real keyboard.

Shifts in Forms of Communication and Entertainment

As laptops, mobile smartphones, tablet computers and other devices become more mainstream, people become more accustomed to utilizing these tools for communication and entertainment. Giving guests a way to communicate with your hotel staff via instant messaging through the flat screen televisions, and/or via an ‘app’ that can be loaded to their cell phone, is an easy way to integrate a 2-way communication portal to contact various departments.

In addition to going online with sites like Netflix, Hulu, Google, etc., guests are also bringing their own media and entertainment with them on their mobile devices. Systems that allow for connectivity of these devices, such as iPods, to the TV will make it easy for the guest to do what they would do at home, but view their information on a larger screen and use the TV speakers to play their music and movies.

Technology Variety

You already meet your guest’s varied needs by offering a variety of room sizes, bed sizes or Jacuzzi Suites. Why not offer entertainment options to meet the spectrum of demand for technology?

While not all guests are technology or entertainment junkies, many travelers may choose a room or property specifically due to exciting options for in-room entertainment. Offering a portion of your rooms as an upgrade option including the full use of a merged TV/PC/VOD solution can provide a competitive property advantage while still maintaining rate compatibility. Since many properties are now seeking a way to increase, or gain back, ADR, adding a new upgrade option to your portfolio can help get the job the done.

Some providers are capable of converging these various options, such as free-to-guest programming, VOD, Internet networks, and other technology systems, and finding a company to fit all these needs will not only allow you to customize and vary your options to your guests, but also save on cost with bundled pricing. Customization of Your In-Room Entertainment for YOUR Property

As more and more hoteliers shift their focus to the in-room entertainment amenities, it will be important to customize the in-room technology experience not only to reflect your brand, but to personalize it for the guest as well. A custom welcome message with the guest’s name is a simple and small way to acknowledge your guest individually. Some in-room entertainment providers have the capability to put this personalization on the TV screen for when the guest first enters the room.

Making the guest feel personally acknowledged goes a long way, and by attaching your brand to that experience, they will translate their positive feelings to your hotel. With some Interactive TV systems you can go beyond the welcome message customization and completely brand the interface to reflect the look and feel of your property. Keeping the image consistent throughout your property is important in all other forms of collateral, and it should be consistent with your technology and on-screen images in the guestroom.

In the next year, I expect Internet access and other technology to be in even higher demand given all the media, entertainment and information sources online as well as the growth of portable device usage to bring personal content wherever you go. The convergence of entertainment options (free-to-guest programming, internet, VOD, etc) will be sought after as well. A one-stop-shop for your property’s network, phone and television systems, etc., while reducing the need for additional one-use devices (i.e. iPod docks) will allow for bundled pricing to the hotel, which can translate to competitive prices for your guests. It will be important to find a vendor that provides, and is capable of supporting, more than just one component of in-room entertainment.

Keeping up with technology can be difficult as a hotelier, but by including a system that utilizes your existing TVs and allows access to the Internet, you can stay ahead of the curve and adapt as technology shifts.

Wasik joined the Roomlinx Executive Management team in August of 2005 after executing the merger of his company, SuiteSpeed with Roomlinx. Currently Wasik is responsible for leading Roomlinx, which includes the development and market penetration of Roomlinx’ newest product, Roomlinx Interactive TV. Roomlinx Interactive TV provides HD Hollywood movies, high speed internet, HD specialty content, international and U.S. television programming, music, MP3 player connectivity, business productivity tools, concierge services, games and more via the in-room flat screen television. Mr. Wasik can be contacted at 303-544-1111 ext. 101 or mwasik@roomlinx.com Extended Bio...

HotelExecutive.com retains the copyright to the articles published in the Hotel Business Review. Articles cannot be republished without prior written consent by HotelExecutive.com.