A trio of trends that have impacted hotels in recent years is driving innovation among in-room entertainment providers. Namely, the demand from guests to get exactly what they want, when they want it.
The COVID-prompted surge in popularity of streaming channels and the expectation of hoteliers to be able to customize their offerings for different guest types have come together to boost product development and make providers laser-focused on the needs of both hotel owners/operators and guests.
“There’s increasing demand from guests for entertainment options that meet or exceed their home experiences with the convenience and content they expect,” said Andrew Craver, vice president of segment marketing at Spectrum Enterprise. “Guests now demand access to an array of content beyond traditional TV line-ups. They expect to stream content from popular apps alongside live news and sports. Hotels also are expected to provide casting options for personal content.”
Additionally, he said, “Hotel technology leaders are looking for in-room entertainment platforms that provide the content their guests want along with the opportunity to enhance hotel revenue and profitability.”
To that end, DIRECTV HOSPITALITY unveiled in June the next iteration of its Advanced Entertainment Platform, a system that provides hotel guests with numerous types of programming. Amazon Prime Video and YouTube were added to the AEP’s slate of offerings, which already included Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, Netflix and more, along with live linear television. In addition, streaming platforms Pluto and Tabi will be added in the coming months.
“The integration of diverse content options, including exclusive sports programming, caters to a wide range of guest preferences, ensuring a memorable stay,” noted Kim Twiggs, associate vice president of business development for DIRECTV HOSPITALITY. “This versatility not only enhances the guest experience, it encourages longer stays and return visits, further boosting revenue.”
The company also works to help hotels by making sure its technology isn’t a budget buster. DIRECTV HOSPITALITY allows hotels to subsidize the cost of AEP by offering the technology free of charge and then charging properties per room, per month, for programming.
“We want to stay on the cutting-edge of technology but for many companies that increases their in-room entertainment costs and hotels have a lot of competing priorities in terms of spending needs,” Twiggs explained. “Many of our competitors can subsidize their more basic product but the fact that we’re subsidizing our most premium product is pretty neat.”
Meanwhile, Enseo rolled out a new product and some updates to its CORE product over the past year. “These changes are driven by the demand for more personalization, convenience and seamless guest experiences, leveraging the latest technology advancements,” Enseo CEO Corey Rhodes said.
- Enseo Promote provides hotels with channels within the television system that can be programmed by the property, enabling hotels to send customized messaging, videos, photos etc. to groups while bringing added revenue potential.
- CORE Messenger, which enables hotels to send messages to a single guest, a number of them—including a room block—or all guests, has been updated to include scheduling and advanced features.
- CORE Create is a property content management system that allows hotels to edit television content themselves, allowing for quick updates for hotel features, seasonal offerings, sales and more.
All three offerings provide revenue-generating opportunities while helping hotels endear themselves to guests, said Rhodes. “Hotels can advertise amenities, promotions, events and other measures that drive guests to spend money. Also, adding television screen customization to group sales generates added revenue for corporate events, weddings and more.” In his opinion, in-room television screens are real estate that should be used to better connect with guests and the ability this gives hotels to upcharge is huge.
Considering in-room entertainment providers’ two types of customers—hoteliers and guests—Craver even sees a place for artificial intelligence in the near future.
“AI-driven analytics can help hotel management better understand guest behaviors and preferences, revealing opportunities for new services and operational improvements,"Craver explained. "Implementing AI-driven solutions at hotels requires high capacity and reliable connectivity to ensure seamless data transmission and real-time processing.”
Technology companies must address both today’s needs and tomorrow’s desires, Twiggs noted. “We are committed to continuous innovation and product development. As consumer expectations evolve, the need for more versatile and comprehensive content delivery solutions becomes paramount. Technologies that can’t meet consumer needs will become obsolete, making way for systems that are more user-friendly and advanced.”
This article was originally published in the September edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.