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Smart TVs: The Natural Guest Room Hub to Enhance Hotel Operations and Loyalty

Tech-savvy consumers know that a Smart TV is more than just a device with which to watch TV shows and movies, but it has taken some hoteliers time to catch up with the paradigm shift. Smart TV technology actually transforms the entire purpose of a television set from a hotel operations perspective. It turns what used to be a single-purpose screen for entertainment into a natural hub that unlocks revenue and operational efficiency opportunities in the guest room. In addition to entertainment features, Smart TVs can integrate more fully with content management systems, unlocking richer features and productivity benefits. Hotels that aren’t using this technology are losing productivity and revenue and likely aren’t meeting guest expectations.

Since Smart TVs require an internet connection that’s more reliable than wireless — a capability not all hotels have —the majority of properties haven’t been able to benefit from the features of Smart TVs. However, the new Samsung 694 Series Hospitality Television has an embedded DOCSIS® 3.0 cable modem and doesn’t need an external modem or wired Ethernet. This allows hotels with coax cable — the majority of properties — to deploy Smart TVs in their guest rooms.

Smart TV sets and remote content management systems offer the following benefits to hotels and their guests:

  • Remote TV management. The days of having to visit each room individually to make adjustments to televisions are over. You can now manage all televisions remotely and perform all administrative tasks from a central location.
  • Real-time facility and event information. Instead of having a dry listing of events in the lobby or generic facility information on an information channel, Smart TVs can include real-time information that allows you to increase revenue. If you see that reservations are down in a restaurant for the evening, you can begin promoting that restaurant and even include a coupon code on your Smart TVs.
  • Remote checkout. Guests hate to stand in line at the front desk and are often confused about whether they even need to check out. The printed bills typically placed under guests’ doors also don’t include charges after a certain time. But by using the remote checkout feature on the Smart TV, guests can see late night drinks and breakfast as well as their room charges, allowing them to save time and reducing the line at the front desk.
  • Room service ordering. Instead of having to pick up the phone and fumble through a paper menu to order room service, Smart TVs let guests order room service online with a real-time menu. This lets you remove items that you’re out of and include nightly specials.
  • Booking amenities. The same strategy applies to amenities such as spa services and tee times. Guests can see the open schedule and prices in real time to book their appointments without having to make a call and have the employee go through all the options, which is easier for your guests and more productive for your staff.

Upgrading your guest rooms with Smart TVs can impact many aspects of your hotel, especially hotel operations and customer satisfaction. The Samsung LYNK® REACH and H-Browser content management solutions offer specialized capabilities to give guests customized viewing options. Hotels that adopt this technology now will be leaders in the industry, but those that wait will quickly find themselves behind the curve.

Learn more about the features of the Samsung 694 Series Hospitality TV and how it can enhance the guest experience and improve hotel operations.