By Pammi Mudhar, B2B Sales and Marketing Director, Samsung Electronics Europe

The changing economic climate has created a new kind of opportunity for hoteliers. People are still travelling and when they do, whether for business or pleasure, they need to feel they’re getting the best possible value from the hotel they choose.
It seems reasonable to expect cost to be the driving factor in today’s decision-making process but in fact this is not always the case. The key word is value: value in the overall experience they receive from the hotel - from the moment they walk into the foyer until they check out at the end of their stay.

For hoteliers this makes the need for differentiation more crucial than ever, especially when it comes to the quality and variety of services they provide for their guests. With home technology advancing on an almost daily basis, consumers assume a certain standard in the hotels they visit.  The hotel experience must match up to, if not exceed, the quality of technology they are used to experiencing at home. Many homes today are equipped with advanced technologies, from flat screen HD TVs to MP3 players, surround sound and more. Inevitably this has increased expectations of the technology that will be available from hotels.  Recent research from Samsung Electronics Europe showed that three quarters of people expect hotel entertainment systems to at least match their home set-up, with 26% expecting an even higher standard. The importance of this ‘home from home’ TV experience was demonstrated by the 66% of travellers who said the standard of the in-room entertainment played a major part in their hotel choice.

Innovation and Inspiration
In-room technology is about more than simply the provision of a television service.  The very least a guest expects is a high definition TV with a wide selection of channels and the option to choose from on-demand movies, games and music.  As well as delivering a compelling set of HD entertainment options, hoteliers need to offer today’s guest high-speed Internet access and seamless connectivity to their portable devices through the TV – creating an interactive link between the TV menu, hotel services and external devices.

Guest’s expectations for in-room technology have to be considered with the aesthetic preferences for modern, high-tech TVs that will match the décor of any room.  The innovations in the latest flat screens enable hoteliers to integrate the TV into the room design without compromising on style.

The use of a strong and familiar brands can also support and benefit the hotel’s own brand, enhancing its credibility.

Seamless Integration
Selecting in-room technology as a key point for differentiation has more advantages than simply the impression it gives to guests. It also offers practical opportunities for revenue growth, whether from Video on Demand (VOD), video games or other innovative services. But most important is the integration with current systems. It is not practical to expect hoteliers to replace every system in the premises in order to upgrade the TV screens. For that reason, we work with the top systems integrators in Europe, to make sure that the technology we install works with the existing systems and that the upgrade experience is as seamless as possible for the hotelier.

This is particularly relevant as the digital switchover approaches – a process that will affect hoteliers across Europe.

The range and variety of Hospitality TVs available today allow hoteliers to easily replace ageing technology and to install flat panel LCD TVs that can meet the high standards guests have come to expect. These TVs can help modernise hotel rooms and create an ‘upgraded’ experience. Many contain the latest technologies ready for high-definition digital broadcasts, enabling greater energy efficiency and easy installation. In addition, ranges like Samsung’s Hospitality TVs have been designed with more environmentally friendly materials and consideration for hotels to save energy.  The reduced level backlight can save up to 60% of standard power consumption.

Our range of Hospitality TVs can fit any size or style of hotel room to create the essential home-from-home experience. The range is easy to install and operate for hoteliers while also offering the aesthetic values and intuitive controls that guests expect from our brand. The USB cloning functionality allows each TV to be set up with hotel specific settings, channels and designs at the click of a button, saving considerable time and financial costs for hotels as well as ensuring all the TVs are loaded with a standard set-up.  Samsung Hospitality TVs also allow instant access to multimedia content from portable devices, including MP3 players, digital camcorders and cameras.

The quality of services and features offered by hotels gives the impression of luxury and extra value, whatever the star rating of the hotel itself. Offering a first-class experience can help drive repeat custom in an economic environment that makes customer loyalty more important than ever. In-room technology helps create and support that impression and by combining design, features and energy efficiency, hotels can offer a service that will impress any guest and serve to differentiate them from the competition.

For further information please visit www.samsung.com/hospitality