Stig Lagerstedt
VP of Hospitality Solutions for Vingcard
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Unlocking Convenience: The Rise of Digital Wallet-Compatible Mobile Keys
2024-07-03
4 min read
Since being launched, mobile key technology has not only become a mainstream hotel service offering but now arguably also represents hospitality’s shift towards a digitalized and personal device-driven guest experience. One key reason is that the solution has continued to adapt with new capabilities as technology has progressed and as consumer behaviors evolve.
For today’s hoteliers, the decision to implement a mobile key service now comes with a range of deployment options- each ideal for addressing a specific type of business goal or guest need. With the latest option providing the ability to store and use room keys within personal digital wallets, hotels can now take guest convenience and swift service one step further.
Creating an Ever More Seamless Guest Entry Experience
Modern guests overwhelmingly want hotel services to be readily accessible and capable of delivering instant results, which is why solutions such as mobile keys have experienced such impressive popularity. Digital wallet-compatible mobile key services have been designed to address desires for even greater convenience and the removal of steps standing in the way of room access.
By storing and accessing a mobile key located within their own digital wallets, guests aiming for maximum convenience can sidestep the guess work of navigating an unfamiliar mobile app before gaining entry to their guestroom. With more advanced solutions, the need to download a mobile app to first receive and then store a mobile key can now be avoided altogether. For a guest that has no time for searching where their electronic key is stored each time they need to use it, the ability to store room keys within a personal digital wallet means always knowing precisely where it is and that activating it only takes a few swipes of a finger.
Digital wallet-compatible keys are undoubtedly going to become more convenient and demanded as more items become digitalized. Travelers today can already store and access plane tickets, credit cards and event passes within their digital wallets. The ability to add hotel room keys is a natural evolution of the desire for enhanced simplicity and the ability to interact with a single portal for all of their travel-related needs. Importantly for hoteliers, it is a feature that demonstrates their commitment to keeping pace with modern guest perceptions over what counts as enhanced convenience.
Enhancing the Concept of Guest Personalization
Another advantage of mobile key solutions featuring digital wallet compatibility is that it empowers guests with the option of choice. From the moment they arrive, modern guests want to be able to decide how and which services they interact with. A mobile key solution able to support multiple use preferences, including digital wallet functionality, allows each guest to choose the check-in and room entry experience that suits them best. For some guests, the best may involve swift and hassle-free room access. For others, it may involve being able to interact with a property’s other amenities and services via mobile app. To be able to achieve complete satisfaction for each guest every time, hoteliers serve their own interests best by adopting a mobile key solution able to adapt to the unique preferences of each guest.
Give Mobile Device Credentials a Security Boost
Although mobile key solutions gain a lot of attention over the enhanced convenience factor, the technology does not overlook guest or hotel safety and for the industry’s leading solution providers, it is a priority. Even for digital wallet-enabled services, data security and privacy utilize advanced encryption to address any potential vulnerabilities. Examples of ensuring heightened protection during data transmission to and from guest devices or door locks include MIFARE 2GO by NXP Semiconductors- a cloud service providing the ability to adopt the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) recommended encryption protocols for digitalized offerings.
Another safety advantage of digital wallet-enabled and other types of mobile keys is the ability to make use of the built-in security features of a guest’s personal device. Whether Apple or Android, features such as password restricted access and the ability to lock lost or stolen devices add another extra layer of protection that prevents unauthorized room entry.
One extra feature of digital wallet-enabled mobile keys that can enhance both personal security and convenience is the ability to still gain entry regardless of if a guest’s device loses power. Using a power reserve mode that can function even hours after a device’s battery has died, guests can still access their guestroom, building entrances, parking garages and more- preventing issues such as late-night lockouts that can leave guests feeling anything but safe.
Where Sustainability Comes into Play
At the same time that digital wallet-based mobile keys enhance convenience and safety, the technology is also offering hotels the opportunity to improve their eco-friendly reputations. Providing guests with more options over how they can interact with a mobile key service ensures that more will adopt the feature, minimizing the use of plastic keycards that inevitably end up as waste.
With digital wallet-compatible mobile keys, guests can simultaneously observe and experience a property’s commitment to their wellbeing and the environment’s. With research indicating that almost 80 percent of guests consider sustainable practices to be an important aspect of the booking decision, the showcasing of eco-friendly mobile keys with digital wallet abilities can certainly provide properties with a vital competitive edge.
Setting a New Standard in Guest Comfort & Convenience
The integration of digital key technology into personal device digital wallets is a significant leap forward for the hospitality sector. It represents the ultimate combining of convenience, security and personalization that aligns with the evolving expectations of modern travelers.
As this technology becomes more widespread, it will continue to shape the future of the guest experience, setting a new standard for comfort and convenience that hoteliers across the industry will increasingly seek to emulate.
The ultimate Buyer's Guide to
Keyless Entry and Digital Check-In
In this buyer’s guide, you will learn about the advancement of mobile technology and how successful application of digital keys within the hospitality industry has led to a rapidly growing trend toward Keyless Entry.
What's inside:
- Cutting edge trends
- Business impact
- Top rated providers & side-by-side comparisons
- Top questions smart buyers ask vendors
- Key integrations to drive efficiency
- Pricing models and budget insights
- Implementation process and timeline
- Success stories, use cases and articles
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