the neighborhood of $0.12 each, while cards containing RFID chips can cost upward of $0.50 ... innovations are all about
INTRODUCTION TO MOBILE KEY
A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR HOTELIERS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE EVOLVING TO MOBILE KEY
TABLE OF CONTENTS WHAT IS MOBILE KEY?
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WHY HOTELS WANT MOBILE KEY
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WHAT HOTELS NEED FOR MOBILE KEY
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GUEST EXPERIENCE BENEFITS
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SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
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COSTS OF MOBILE KEY
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INFOGRAPHIC
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WHAT IS MOBILE KEY? Mobile key (also called smart key) is the digital equivalent of the plastic hotel room keycard. A mobile key is provisioned to a smartphone and maintains the same functionality as a keycard, allowing guests to open their hotel room and common area doors, parking gates, etc.
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WHY HOTELS WANT MOBILE KEY Guests Want Mobile In 2016, smartphone users worldwide surpassed 2 billion – including 95% of people in the U.S. age 18-54. On top of that, t h e a v e r a g e c o n s u m e r checks his/her smartphone 46 times a day. Our day-to-day lives have become inherently mobile, and we expect companies to keep up the pace. Nearly two-thirds of hotel guests would prefer to use their smartphone for room entry in order to bypass the front desk.. Several major stay brands are heeding the call and rapidly developing a solution for mobile key entry. Since 2015, over 600,000 guests have used mobile key to unlock nearly 3 million doors in hotels.
Cost Savings Depending on custom printing, magnetic stripe keycards usually run in the neighborhood of $0.12 each, while cards containing RFID chips can cost upward of $0.50 apiece. These cards are lost, damaged or thrown away daily, and the costs quickly add up. Imagine all the plastic keycards that are discarded, per guest room, per year. Mobile keys are issued digitally, directly to the guest’s smartphone. Since it isn’t a physical object, every new mobile key comes at almost no cost, potentially saving the hotel an average of $1,000 per month in discarded RFID keycards*.
*ROI calculations are based on a 200-room hotel, $.40/RFID key, 25% OTA commission, $100/night ADR, two-night stay, 80% occupancy
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Guest Satisfaction Since today’s travelers are utilizing mobile technology more than ever before, hotels should be able to provide the hotel guest experience they expect. Research continues to prove that mobile applications are a key area (no pun intended) for technological development in the hotel industry. The rise of new technologies is more than just minimizing the risk of lost room keys; new mobile innovations are all about offering better service and maintaining smooth operations within the hotel.
Carbon Footprint A typical 200-room hotel goes through approximately 12,000 non-biodegradable keycards each year, creating 1,300 tons (or 2,600,000 lbs) of plastic waste ending up in landfills every year. Check out this infographic to put this in perspective.
Millennials Matter Raised by technology and instant gratification, millennials are the youthful generation in their twenties and thirties who have quickly become a force to be reckoned with. Millennials demand innovation and convenience in their everyday lives, and the travel service industry is no exception. As a result, hoteliers are being pushed beyond their limits to offer the ultimate customer experience. As the largest traveling demographic, Gen Y expects hotels to keep up with constantly evolving trends, and they desire a travel experience that is convenient and mobile. Digital keyless entry is an obvious choice for modern properties looking to attract this group.
Marketing Mobile key apps where the guest creates a profile can capture the data and fill in missing information on the guest folio. Hotels can then market directly to the customer, driving an increase in direct bookings while decreasing online travel agency (OTA) commissions. 5
WHAT HOTELS NEED FOR
{
MOBILE KEY FRONT DESK PLATFORM MOBILE DEVICE
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DIGITAL DOOR LOCK
DIGITAL DOOR LOCK: If your hotel has magstripe locks, you’re due for an upgrade. To implement mobile key, new digital door locks (usually called BLE for Bluetooth Low Energy) will need to be installed first. Global lock manufacturers including Assa Abloy, Dormakaba, Salto Systems, and Entrava have developed BLE locks. Alternatively, most newer RFID locks are capable of being upgraded with a BLE module without replacing the entire lock structure. FRONT DESK PLATFORM: Mobile key management systems can usually integrate with the property management system (PMS) to sync room number, guest name, check-in and out dates, and key expiry time. MOBILE DEVICE: Mobile keys require a smartphone with a Bluetooth function to work. Compatible operating systems will vary depending on your mobile key provider. 6
GUEST EXPERIENCE BENEFITS PRE-ARRIVAL EMAIL: Resorts and hotels alike see mobile key usage increase by at least 20% when the guest receives a pre-arrival email communicating the ability to use mobile key on property. Resorts usually provide communication structured around “how to use mobile key” and “what to expect at check-in to receive a mobile key,” while hotels often provide communication allowing guests to use the application to skip the desk or send an ETA. Mobile key partners will help with this strategy by tracking your pre-arrival communication next to your key usage and giving you the proper metrics to know what works and what doesn’t. REMOTE CHECK-IN: Some mobile key applications can allow guests to check in from any location, whether they are still at home, waiting to board their flight, or in a cab on the way to the hotel. Properties that accept remote check-in will have the option to require identity submission (and verification) through the app. Management can also require first-time guests to visit the front desk to get their digital key, instead. SKIP-THE-DESK: Through the front desk platform, hotels can approve a guest's remote check-in request, assign a room and provision a digital key to the guest’s mobile device – allowing them to go straight to their room upon arrival on property. This option is ideal for frequently returning guests. 7
MOBILE KEY: The check-in experience can make or break a hotel guest’s overall opinion of the property (and impact their online reviews). Mobile key can ease the pain by giving the guest the option to register as a user prior to arrival (if they receive pre-arrival communication), expediting the entire check-in process. When an unregistered guest arrives at the property for check-in, he/she can download the app and enter a code issued by the front desk to access their digital key. Entering their room is as simple as activating the smart key on their device and holding it up to the digital door lock. When comparing a physical key to its digital counterpart, a mobile key is the most secure form of room access in existence. Many travelers keep their keycard in the original envelope to help them remember the room number—providing any thief with everything they need to find and access their room. In addition to the mobile key provider's security measures, digital keys are also protected by the password, passcode or pattern used by 86% of smartphone users to protect unauthorized access to their device. FUN FACT: 60% of guests are likely to choose a hotel that allows them to check in and access their room with their smartphone.
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SECURITY REQUIREMENTS Protecting your guests’ data is, no doubt, high on every property’s priority list. Every day, we hear about another company getting hacked and the potential that their users’ private information could be leaked. Security, or the lack of it, is a deal breaker when it comes to a customer’s usage of any product. Mobile key should be no exception. There are a couple of security measures you want to be sure a mobile key company has in place. But what are the right questions to ask?
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For easy reference, below are the questions to ask your point of contact: 1. Are the company’s servers and portals secured through HTTPS connection? A. An HTTPS connection is an encrypted connection between the application and the server it’s connecting to. Essentially, all data sent from the app to the front desk platform and vice versa is encrypted. 2. Are the company’s servers PCI and HIPAA compliant? A. The mobile key company servers should meet the same privacy standards that banks, credit card providers and hospitals are required to meet. 3. Are the servers consistently monitored for potential problems, hackers or malicious software? A. The answer should be yes, 24/7.
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COSTS OF MOBILE KEY DIGITAL LOCKS: BLE locks are essentially upgraded RFID locks containing a Bluetooth chip (or module). Upgrading an RFID lock to BLE is relatively inexpensive (under $100 per door) versus replacing the lock. Most magstripe locks cannot be upgraded to BLE and will require replacement. New BLE locks cost around $300 per door installed. SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE FEE: The licensing fee charged by the mobile key service provider will vary depending on the vendor. Reach out to mobile key providers to find out what they charge. INSTALLATION & TRAINING: Both the digital locks and mobile key front desk platform will require installation and staff training for proper use.
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guests the of mobile key at your hotel is not only good for business, it’s good for the environment.
GUESTS WANT MOBILE KEYS o 73% of guests would like to skip the front desk o 60% of guests are likely to choose a hotel that allows them to check in and open their door with their smartphone
BENEFITS OF MOBILE KEYS
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IT’S GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT o A typical 200-room hotel goes through approx. 12,000 non-biodegradable keycards each year
TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE:
KG
1,300 TONS OF PLASTIC
=
= 650 Cars
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= 16.25 737 Airplanes
5.78 Statue of Liberties
IT’S GOOD FOR BUSINESS o Keycards cost approx. $0.12 each. RFID cards cost approx. $0.50 each o Number of hotel rooms (in the U.S.) is 4,978,705
3 YEARS OF MOBILE KEY USE Hotels can save up to $5 .7 million in 3 year s with onl y 25% mobile key usage.
Year 1:
Year 2:
Year 3:
$3.4 Million
$4.6 Million
$5.7 Million
15%
20%
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25%
UNLOCK YOUR HOTEL’S POTENTIAL SAVE MONEY FOR YOUR HOTEL AND PROVIDE A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR GUESTS.
OPENKEY CAN:
REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS IMPROVE ONLINE GUEST RATINGS REDUCE/ELIMINATE CHECK-IN LINES UPGRADE YOUR HOTEL LOCKS AT NO COST.
click below to make mobile key a reality in your hotel !
REQUEST A DEMO J acob L iggett
Director of Sales 214-231-9867
[email protected] 