Initially, LED screens were only used in the hotel industry in the form of televisions in hotel rooms. This technology soon made its way outside the vicinity of hotel rooms and into lobby areas, conference centers, restaurants, hallways and other common areas by way of flat screen monitors and digital signage networks.
Why a hotel should invest in LED signs?
For large scale hotels that host thousands of guests at a time and host several events simultaneously, the LED sign network is an easy way of keeping everyone in the loop with the constantly changing information. By increasing the visibility of LED signs around the hotel, they are automatically seen as a centerpiece of a visual campaign that targets consumers from the minute they enter the reception of the hotel. Whether it is simply for way finding, or for being informed about events, or for self-check in to the hotel, LED screens are helpful to customers in every way.
While most hotels around the world have already employed digital signage, the minority that haven’t are anticipating doing so as a means of engaging customers. According to experts, digital signage is seen as a difference maker in terms of a hotel’s ability to efficiently provide information and obtain feedback from customers. This feedback is considered critical because it is used to shape the operations of the business.
The objective for the hospitality industry is to always find ways to better serve their guests. With LED signs and an effective signage solution, guests are able to enjoy their stay whether it is in their room, at the restaurant or in the hallway. In fact people are not just attracted with the flashy lights on LED signs; they have now come to a stage where an LED display is naturally expected over a static display.
Where in a hotel can LED signs be used?
Three major areas that hotels should focus on for the use of digital signage are lobbies, conference rooms and in-room media.
- Lobby
In creating an appealing hotel lobby for visitors, LED signs should be used as more than just a visual appeal.
- A hotel’s room rates change so frequently based on time of day, week, month and year.
- Special offers for accommodation and meals can be advertised to customers even before they check in to the hotel so they can decide which package they want to select.
- If the hotel has a high rate of room vacancies during a particular period, spontaneous deals can be offered to travelers who walk into the hotel with an aim to fill up those vacancies.
- Acting as a concierge replacement is another use for LED signs in lobby areas. Concierge services can be widely expanded by using LED signs. In fact some hotels use only interactive LED signs instead of concierges at the reception.
- Customers can save the time of waiting for a person concierge to cater to their queries and sometimes guests are so tired after travelling, they simply want to go to their rooms and relax. In these cases, interactive digital signage can also allow for self check in facilities like the airport.
- Retrieving room keys, purchasing meal plans and other common functions can all be done through this technology.
- Digital signage systems can also help with
- Tourist attractions: obtaining tickets to entertainment venues
- Printing boarding passes for traveler’s next flight
- Obtaining way-finding information regarding the surrounding area
As a result, the load on the front desk staff is greatly reduced, the hotel is seen as being more responsive to customers, and customers are able to save time by obtaining information beforehand.
- Conference Center
In large hotels where trade shows and other such public events are held, the most important thing is people need to know where they should go to attend their event. Therefore wayfinding is an important use of digital signage here. Due to the flexibility in updating information instantly, room and timing changes can easily be accommodated for large hotels hosting several events simultaneously. The visual appearance of the signage should change depending on the event it is advertising. Also, event managers save a lot of money in putting up banners and posters guiding the public to the event location.
- Guest Rooms
In looking for ways to provide customers with a continuously improving experience, LED screens can be used in guest rooms as follows:
- Integrate in-room channels with same software that handles room and event schedules. Hence it is easier to deliver same information throughout the hotel.
- Set up welcome channels in an attractive way to deliver important hotel information and television schedules.
- In-room channels can be used as advertising revenue for third parties to reach hotel customers.
