Myth-buster: Hotel Wi-Fi Edition Part III

Jacqui Monahan
4 min read

 In Part I and Part II of our Myth-busters Blog Series, we debunked the myths that Wi-Fi is all about bandwidth, that it should be managed on-property, and that it’s an IT function, not a business asset. In Part III we’ll wrap it up with 2 more hotel Wi-Fi myths.

MYTH #4: WI-FI IS A COMMODITY YOU CAN’T MONETIZE

The days of having guests pay for Wi-Fi are quickly disappearing. Tiered Internet plans are still an option, but overall the trend is moving towards free Wi-Fi. While this reduces direct revenue opportunities, there are still plenty of ways to indirectly monetize your guest Wi-Fi.

Authenticate with Social
By adding a social authentication option to your captive portal, you can begin to mine valuable guest data and better tailor their stay to their preferences with targeted offers and personalized promotions. Social authentication also enables future engagement; the more connected a guest feels, the more likely they are to return.
 
Promote Onsite Amenities
Whether it’s your spa or restaurant, reminding guests of these amenities in a helpful way is an easy way to optimize your captive portal. Once guests begin to build a profile with your brand, you can start personalizing interactions with them by offering spa service discounts or a free appetizer. You get more business and the guest feels known and cared for!
Link to Local Services
Creating partnerships with local businesses allows your guests to have a more authentic experience in your city and enables you to create affiliate revenue streams. If you don’t have a restaurant you can add value to the guest experience with online food delivery services like TKOUT. Offering discounts to local attractions is also a surefire ways to make your guests’ lives easier and their stay more enjoyable.

MYTH #5: MANAGING GUEST WI-FI IS EXPENSIVE

Free, reliable Wi-Fi is still at the top of guests’ demands. With 65% of guests logging on within seven minutes of arriving at a hotel, it becomes one of the first impressions a hotel makes (Roomzzz). At this point, money shouldn’t be an object to ensure fantastic Wi-Fi for your guests. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. The average monthly cost of providing guests with great Wi-Fi including ElevenOS is $2.60 per room. For comparison, the average monthly cost of in-room toiletries is $2.80 per room.

Bottom line - it’s all about heads in beds. Guests are not going to leave because of a bad shampoo experience, but they will check out and never come back if they have a bad Wi-Fi experience. You need to ask yourself - what’s going to cost you more?

Check back for the Myth-busters infographic for all our hotel Wi-Fi myths at a glance!