More Hotel Technology Do's and Don'ts

As part of the advice of hotel tech guru Terence Ronson from Pertlink here is a list of the Don'ts –
1. Use Walkie Talkies in public areas without issuing staff with discreet ear pieces
2. Deploy connectivity aux or connectivity panels without having in-room cable kits to include up-to-date connectors such as use don iPhone 5
3. Put a bedside clock that makes a ticking sound
4. Charge for local phone calls unless you really have to
5. Make it difficult to use a mouse on the Guest Room desk by using one with a glass surface – put a mouse mat in the drawer
6. Automatically do dynamic currency conversion on credit card transactions – be sure to have the customer approve this in advance
7. Charge exorbitant rates for printing a couple of A4 sheets in the business center
8. Issue replacement room keys without first seeing a valid photo ID
9. Allow staff to use thumb drives in work computers
10. Print reports – circulate PDF versions only
11. Send faxes when you can send PDFs with emails
12. Use worn out ribbons on printers – especially Point of Sale printers in F&B outlets
13. Assume your backup power generator will auto-start if there is a mains power failure. Test it regularly
14. Print folios – email them
15. Use paper registration cards – use electronic ones
16. Install both wired and wireless internet in your Guest Rooms when doing a new installation. Just having Wi-Fi is
acceptable by most people and will save you a lot of money
17. Assume all guests use an iPod, iPhone or iPad – believe it or not, there are other successful products in the marketplace
18. Put "last updated…" on your website if you don't do it frequently
19. Put the number of visitors to your website – no one really cares
20. Put a chair at the desk which is difficult to pull out or is uncomfortable to sit in – even if it looks nice
21. Just limit guests to connect two or three items to the Wi-Fi in the Guestroom – often guests carry many more devices, especially if a couple are staying and with kids
22. Clutter the desk with collaterals and printed materials – make them digital and multi-lingual – e.g. in Chinese and Russian
23. Just believe that by putting loads of technology into your hotel that the guest experience will be enhanced or that the guest will appreciate it
24. Place a loudspeaker in the bathroom unless it has a volume control and the sound quality is good
25. Just rely on the technology to operate your business – it will fail and at the worst possible time. Make sure you have a contingency plan in place for ALL systems and test it periodically
26. Change any configuration on a guest's computer unless they ABSOLUTELY agree and you have a written record of the changes made
27. Have multiple phones in the Guest room unless your really need to
28. Allow iPods, MP3 players or similar devices in the workplace to be connected to your computers
29. Print anything – only have electronic versions of all your collaterals
30. Make it complicated for guests to use your technology – they may only stay one night and have no time to learn how to use all the gadgets and may not be as tech savvy as you think they are
31. Overcharge for IDD calls – see if you can connect your PBX to a VOIN (Voice over Internet) service to reduce the calling costs
32. Lend guest's headsets in the gym unless they have been pre-sterilized
33. Allow social networking connections on workplace computers unless it's for work
34. Have water pipes inside your computer room or data center
35. Just have a single cooling source for your Data Center – have a backup
36. Have so many TV channels that it's difficult for the guest to quickly access what they really want to watch and make sure
then it's re-switched on, it goes back to the last channel watched and only re-sets upon check-out
37. Put a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray player in the Guest room unless there is already a disc inside for the guest to quickly listen to or watch
38. Operate a 1-button Call Center unless the staff who take the call are full trained to handle ALL queries and in various languages
39. Put a 4-in-1 copier/scanner/printer/fax machine in the Guestroom with just 2 or 3 sheets of paper inside for the guest to print on – include at least 20 sheets
40. Use a cloud printing service to the in-room printer you are providing – some guests are bound by company confidentiality policies not to send data outside of their network and so cannot use such services, even if they are hosted by a reputable company – just add a USB cable
41. Have electronic curtains/drapes unless they can be opened/closed from the bed as well as via a simple wall switch that the guest is aware of
42. Put a hairdryer in the bathroom that is underpowered – and don't hide it – ask a Woman to check it before buying
43. Put a reading lamp at the bed which is so powerful and direct that it can burn your Guest's forehead
44. Adjust the temperature in the Guestroom if the guest sets it at a certain level. Only reset it upon check-out.
45. Use Flash on your website unless you really have to – not all popular Smartphones or Tablets can handle Flash
46. Only put a keycard reader on one side of the elevator car if you have floor call buttons on both sides. And from time to time, check they both work
47. Install an LCD TV in such a away that the Guest cannot access the connectivity ports and by doing so, they can directly connect their own devices for playback
48. Create an app for your Hotel just for the sake of it – and all it does is make reservations. Let it be informative about your property and a guide to all the various services and amenities you provide. It will after all be your Shop window in the palm of someone's hand and directly reflect your brand values.
49. Write "Data Center" or "Computer Room" on the door of such a place – you are inviting trouble. Better to write "Authorized access only"
50. Use illegal software – do a license audit from time to time