How can smart cards be used in the hotel industry?

In today's world, with the prolific use of smartphones and tablets, we expect to have everything at our fingertips.

With devices that can do everything for us, it's only natural that the sense of ease we're accustomed to with our personal technology should extend to the technology we're presented with in hotels.

Smart cards allow hotel guests more than just access to their rooms. They can be used for a multitude of purposes across your guests' visits and beyond.

Here are three benefits of introducing smart cards to your hotel business.

They provide a seamless experience

Guests see their chosen hotel as much more than simply a place to sleep. Depending on the type of clients you cater for, you may offer anything from gourmet restaurants and luxurious spas on-site, to business conference facilities and a secure car park.

Smart cards give you a centralised system in which to allow your guests access to a variety of facilities during their stay. If they've paid a supplement to use the gym, pre-paid for their breakfast, or booked a space in the car park, this information can be stored on their smart card, meaning no awkward slips of paper, receipts or signing in necessary.

They eliminate the need for cash

Even spontaneous purchases such as buying something from the minibar or enjoying a beverage at the hotel bar can be settled with the swipe of a smart card. This is wonderfully convenient for your guests, and also reduces the need for your staff to handle large sums of cash.

On checkout the guests can then simply pay for any of these additional charges they have accrued during their stay.

They can be used for your loyalty programme

Along with granting physical access, and taking payments on-site, smart cards can also be used to acquire and redeem loyalty points. Using the card in this way adds another layer of functionality to the cards for guests, and allows the hotel to collect valuable customer data such as spending habits. Loyalty points also incentivise guests to return to your hotel, which will boost your revenue in the long-term.

The use of smart cards in the hotel industry will allow a smooth and seamless experience for your guests, with just one card being used for absolutely everything.

There's no doubt that the introduction of this streamlined technology will elevate your guest experience and add a modern, luxurious feel to your hotel.

At ID Cards Direct, we offer a variety of smart cards for hotels, ranging from magnetic stripe cards to contactless & contact chip cards, with the extensive range allowing you to decide exactly what kind of functionality you'd like.