#1 The Guests Come First
Delivering a great guest WiFi experience is number one and a great hotel WiFi network is the way to accomplish this. As the most requested – and complained about amenity – WiFi is make or break for a hotel. If your hotel WiFi is spotty, a visitor may look for another hotel on their next trip – or even check out early! Guest requirements should be taken first above all other aspects of your network. Creating a fast, secure, and easy to access guest network will increase guest satisfaction not only of the WiFi but also of other amenities.
#2 Planning for Capacity
The number of devices guests bring with them is growing every day, but a great hotel WiFi network is engineered to adapt and expand to handle them all. Typically, you can expect a family of five to have seven to ten WiFi enabled devices. That many? Yes, and probably more. A phone for everyone, an iPad, a smart watch, a console game, a Roku etc… the list goes on and on.
Add to all the guest devices all the in-house services. Many basic services such as VoIP, IPTV, Security, and environmental controls are now controlled or delivered through the hotel WiFi network. Enabling a concierge service to be mobile via WiFi connections is also a great way to improve guest satisfaction.
A network must provide the coverage, capacity and performance for all these devices and in-house services plus be future-proofed for when the “Next Big Thing” comes along.
#3 Continually Measure Performance
How do I measure my WiFi performance you may ask? It’s simple.
- Always keep an ear to the ground for guest complaints.
- Periodically connect to the network at different locations on your property.
- Require your WiFi provider to provide a dashboard containing WiFi metrics.
- Require your provider have 3 tiered, proactive, 24/7/365 support to monitor network performance and guest interaction.
#4 Upgrade When Technology Changes
WiFi technology changes at a rapid pace. OEM’s continually release new hardware designed to take advantage of new WiFi specifications released every year. Software is also updated periodically to fix bugs and improve overall performance. Sometimes these “improvements” create new issues with a network. On the flip side, devices that use the network can also change in ways that effect performance on a WiFi network. These changes can sometimes reduce battery life as a device continues to try to reconnect. There is no unhappier a guest, than one who’s device battery is dead.
A good WiFi provider will stay current on all the changes in devices, hardware, and software and proactively provide a hotel with the advice and the software upgrades they need to keep their guests satisfied.
What should you do next to ensure a great hotel WiFi network?
Following these four rules will help you obtain a great hotel WiFi network. Contact Deep Blue today to find out how we can put you on the road to a great network.
