Internet Of Things (IoT), Page 3 Category

Since the rise of hospitality industry, providing the best services and experience to the guests has been its topmost priority. This industry already possesses a huge potential for revenue generation and technology has made it much more profitable. Especially, the Internet of Things (IoT) is playing a significant role in automating the processes while reducing operational expenses. It is enhancing the customer experience by making the physical assets smarter. IoT has drastically changed the way this industry used to work.

Marriott International has launched an IoT hotel room which is an amazing example of how the future of hotels may look like. Marriott’s own Innovation Lab has teamed up with Legrand and Samsung for this project. The IoT hotel room is capable of performing several activities automatically to elevate the guest experience.

This blog will give you a glimpse of the applications and the benefits of IoT in hospitality industry. Let us first have a look at its applications.

IoT automation can help the hotels deliver services as per the guests’ likings. For instance, a hotel app on the guest’s Smartphone or tablet can connect to the controlling devices to control the lights, temperatures, etc. of the room. As the guests enter the room, the lights are turned on automatically using the sensors and turned off as the guests leave the room. Even the temperatures can be controlled automatically. The AC will switch on and off automatically and as per the guest’s presence. This also helps with energy savings.

In some hotels with a centralized AC system, the room temperature can be controlled depending on the outside temperatures or seasons for providing a better guest experience.

Instead of physical key cards, IoT applications make it possible to send the electronic key card directly to the mobile phones of guests. This will communicate with the door lock and unlock it, without the need for a separate key.

IoT systems help the guests control the temperature of the rooms as per their choice, switch on the television, manage the curtains electronically, etc. Thus, the guests get a super-personalized experience.

Nowadays, voice-controlled customer service is becoming a new trend in hotel industry. This area is sure to expand in the coming years. The guests can request room service or book a spa session or a table for dinner using this service, without the need to call every time. For instance, Amazon Alexa is a voice-based interaction assistant which utilises IoT. It allows the guests to manage the in-room features.

Connected devices, Bluetooth, Beacons, GPS technology, etc. are used for collecting and providing location-based information to the guests. The hoteliers can send a message to their guests while they near the premises. They can inform of the menu items for the day or advertise of the laundry, cleaning, gym services, etc. They may also update the guests about the nearby attractions, local transport links, etc.

Interacting IoT systems can be used to gather data like guest preferences and details. This data can be saved in centralized systems as the guest profile or updated in the CRM to maintain transparency of information across properties. It can be shared across the chain of hotel groups to deliver the same enriching experience to the guests if they visit any of the hotels in the chain across the world.

Few of the other applications of IoT in hospitality industry are:

IoT is a smart and new-age investment for hotels and the hospitality industry. Let us also understand the advantages IoT offers to this industry.

Customer experience is the winning factor in this industry. IoT ensures fast and personalized services which makes the customers happy and gains their trust. This results in improved customer loyalty and retains the customers while ensuring they visit again. These customers may also recommend the hotel to their friends and family which might give more business.

Embedding IoT applications is a lucrative investment. It helps the hospitality industry to provide quality services as well as save money at the same time. The hoteliers can keep a watch on their workload savings, energy usage, etc. and optimize their resources. For instance, when the guests leave their room, the lights get turned-off automatically, which results in cost-savings in the long run.

IoT devices help to collect valuable data that can be smartly utilized for modifying the existing services or introducing more services. They can track real-time data about what their customers prefer and accordingly offer them the services pro-actively. It also informs the staff about the deterioration or unusual performance of the appliances in advance. It helps to avoid emergency repairs, improve the efficiency of staff and reduce customer complaints.

Incorporating IoT solutions for hospitality industry doesn’t require replacement of the existing devices or restructuring of the hotel bodies. With some modifications, IoT systems can be well-utilized to enhance the services and provide a rich guest experience.

IoT solutions offer a personalized, secure and soothing experience to the guests. The guests don’t need to wait in long queues while checking-in and checking-out. They can control the devices without having to leave their place. Such facilities make the guests feel special and valued. IoT applications also lower the energy costs and save time for the staff in the hospitality industry. Many hotels and travel companies have already started incorporating the IoT solutions and they are definitely ahead of their competitors.

Was this blog a helpful read? Let us know your thoughts on this through your comments. If you want to know more about IoT in Hospitality industry, contact us!

Beacons happen to be an integral component of IoT technology and are transforming the functioning of diverse industrial domains at a fast pace. The concept of Beacon was launched in 2013 by Apple and has progressed a long way since then. Take a look at these amazing stats concerning beacon technology.

A 2020 report by Statista states: “The market value of Beacons technology was 519.6 million USD in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 59.8% such that the market value will shoot up to 56.6 Billion USD by 2026.”

This post takes you on an insightful journey into the world of Beacons! So, let’s explore comprehensive aspects of the Beacon technology – types of Beacons, benefits of Beacons, IoT applications using beacons, and many more.

A Beacon is a small wireless device that continually transmits a radio signal displaying its presence with its unique ID. This signal is captured by nearby smart devices, mostly smartphones that use BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology. The smartphone device detects the signal sent by the beacon by reading its identification number (ID) and then calculates how far away the beacon is located. Based on this information, an action is triggered on a mobile app compatible with a beacon.

Beacons utilize proximity technology for detecting human presence within close vicinity and then trigger pre-set actions for delivering contextual, informational, and personalized experiences. As such, beacons are employed in IoT (Internet of Things) networks as well as outdoor/indoor positioning systems.

There exists a wide variety of beacons. Beacons vary as per their size, use cases, battery life, and degree of resistance to exogenous factors. Take a look at the different variants of beacons that emerged to accommodate diverse business requirements!

A beacon consists of a battery-powered small ARM computer with a CPU and a Bluetooth Smart connectivity module. And, for running this module, firmware is installed within beacons. Its computing power is limited as the maximum Bluetooth Smart playout is only 257 bytes – inadequate for inserting media content. Therefore, it can be used to encrypt a beacon’s ID and process sensor data. There exists a small antenna within the CPU which is designed for broadcasting electromagnetic waves with a length and frequency of 2.4 GHz radio waves. On account of the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) estimate, this technology is useful for location and mapping services.

The eco-system of the beacon technology consists of an SDK, beacon devices, and back-end management tools. Also, noise-reduction algorithms are present to smoothen the signals and lead to fairer outcomes.

A beacon continuously broadcasts an identifier – a unique ID number. Once, a mobile device picks up the identifier and gets connected; the beacon accomplishes the function that it has been programmed to execute. When a user enters the zone where an IoT network containing beacons or a positioning system is established; they receive a code through a text message on their mobile devices. Such a message can be sent only via a mobile app in the form of a push notification.

Beacon IoT apps are installed within smartphone operating systems following any one of the beacon standards – iBeacon standard for Apple smartphone devices: iOS7 and higher versions; and Eddystone standard for Android mobile devices: Android4 onwards. Lastly, the smartphone user must give permission for enabling beacon-based notifications and using a particular positioning system.

Beacon-infused smart shelves assist retailers to comprehend consumer preferences, identify customer demands, and enable speedy and effortless tracking as well as stock control.

Such shelves are powered with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Reader) that can be embedded either into the shelf or placed over/below/behind the shelf. This reader is used for scanning the targeted commodities placed on the shelf and then notifying the backend system of those items.

Google maps, the most commonly used tracking and navigation tool possesses certain limitations: It’s incapable of tracking within concrete areas like buildings and fails to provide point-to-point navigation across short distances. All these shortcomings of Google maps are fulfilled by beacon-powered solutions used for indoor tracking in areas such as malls, exhibitions, hospital spaces, resorts, hotels, huge organizations, airports, etc.

Beacons are installed within the building which sends Bluetooth signals to the users’ smartphones such that the positioning data is directly displayed on the mobile screens. Here, the signal strength measurement is used for localization. Moreover, the device can transfer data to platforms where the collected data is intelligently processed. When the position is determined the accuracy of a client-based process is one to three meters and the range is up to three meters. It detects the present floor too.

This technology facilitates the functioning of educational institutes such as colleges, universities, training institutes, etc. Beacon devices placed in each class can replace traditional notice boards used for broadcasting important information like administrative posts, time-tables, upcoming activities, etc. to the students via push notifications; conducting automatic attendance using timestamps; and many more.

Coming to the healthcare sector, beacons embedded within mobile devices of the medical facility enable efficient equipment tracking. Moreover, a beacon can load the patients’ medical records/history into the doctor’s iPad immediately after the practitioner enters the patients’ room and remove those records after the doctor leaves the room. Beacons are also immensely useful in helping patients as well as visitors to navigate through large corridors of hospital spaces by providing them location guidance through maps.

The positional accuracy of beacons allows retailers to collect reliable information about consumer in-store behavior. This data plays a crucial role in enhancing your in-store layout and product listings, improving your customer experience, designing effective marketing campaigns, and thereby accelerating in-store conversions.

Business brands that connect their beacon signals to the Google Ads account gain handy insights about the offline activity of the searchers and track their in-store visits. Tracking the interaction points of the visitors who have clicked your digital ad campaigns provides one an idea of the effectiveness of your campaign and helps you to identify the areas of improvement so that they can tailor their marketing strategy accordingly. This is how beacon-empowered online marketing strategies are directly linked to offline attribution.

Beacons allow consumers a personalized interaction during their shopping experience thereby improving the UX to a great extent. Targeted/customized ads from their preferable brands provide customers the flexibility to choose wisely while offline as well as online purchasing and hence, helps in building familiarity, trust, and security.

Tech giants like Google and Apple are promoting the Beacon technology in full swing and the outcome is obvious – businesses across various domains are leveraging its promising potential. Would you also like to reap the benefits of this amazing technology? Well, reach out to Biz4Solutions, a prominent offshore software development services in India and U.S.A, for our customized software solutions using this beacon technology.