Guests’ standards have gone up, and hotels don’t really have a choice but to comply with the new demands so that they don’t lose valuable clients. A few years ago, this would have been considered a commodity, but today you’re expected to provide guest WiFi, since many would simply refuse to stay at a hotel that doesn’t offer this amenity.
Trying to meet the expectations of their guests, hotels are now facing a number of challenges that they have to overcome in order to prosper. We’re going to talk about the two biggest problems you’ll have to face and what you can do about them.
How to cover the costs of the network
A guest network with little bandwidth isn’t expensive, but that simply doesn’t cut it anymore for most guests. They have smartphones, tablets and laptops, and they use all of those to perform bandwidth-consuming tasks, such as video chatting, streaming or downloading. This means that you have to set up a more powerful network, and that is going to cost more.
The easiest solution is to simply raise room prices. That’s often not the best solution though, since people might choose to stay at other hotels instead of yours because of the price difference. Make sure your clients will be willing to accept the prices before changing them.
A second solution would be to set up a “tier” system: you’d let the guests choose how much internet they need and charge them accordingly. This can be done by setting up a network for those who pay more, setting up a bandwidth cap, or by providing guests with a certain amount of time to browse the Internet, depending on the tier they choose. Several hotels already use this system.
Research the market to get a sense of the prices that different WiFi solutions agencies and internet providers offer. The last thing you want is to waste money because you weren’t well-informed.
Even if you don’t have a problem with how much you’re currently paying, you should still have a plan for the future. You’ll most likely upgrade your network several times over the years, and you might come to realize that the price has become a problem somewhere along the way.
How to provide secure guest WiFi
Hotels are no strangers to cyber-attacks, and the security of guest WiFi should always be one of your top priorities.
Luckily, being safe doesn’t involve making some hard decisions that could negatively impact your business, you just need to be willing to invest some time and money.
Modern, up-to-date equipment is your best ally against cyber attacks, so it’s definitely a smart investment. This is one of those cases when it’s much better to be safe than sorry, so investing in your guest WiFi security is a good idea.
It’s also important to teach your employees how to spot possible network breaches. Many networks get infected because someone who wasn’t aware of the risks downloaded a shady program or file. It would be wise to send guests some information as well. This way, they’ll know how to avoid problems.
You will most likely have to face other problems as well, but these two seem to be the biggest and most common challenges hotels are facing today.
If you’re struggling with any challenges right now managing your WiFi network, we can help you. The Genisys platform offers you security, flexibility and control that you won’t find anywhere else. Check out our services or request a demo.
