With a quarter of business done on digital channels and one in three eligible guests using new digital services, Hilton Worldwide sees every reason to keep innovating

Mobile check-in works well exceptionally well for the airline industry, where people are generally in a hurry and focused on their destination. In hospitality, however, there is an argument that guests are more inclined to want to relax and enjoy the human experience of interaction with the front desk - especially at an upmarket brand.

So is Hilton Worldwide’s $550 million overhaul of its IT infrastructure to make ongoing innovation with digital possible a worthy investment?

Yes, according to Joshua Sloser, vice president of Digital Product Innovation at Hilton Worldwide. “That investment is paying off, evidenced by the strong guest adoption of our digital amenities and the fact that a quarter of our business – and counting – is conducted on digital channels,” he says.

According to Sloser, the biggest testament that the group is delivering innovations that its guests really want is the quick adoption of digital tools that have already been implemented.

Earlier this year the group rolled out digital check-in with room selection technology. One in three eligible guests signed up for it within three months of its implementation, and more than 90% have reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with it; guests also said they would most likely use it again. That room selection technology is now available in 3,700 hotels worldwide and will be available everywhere by the end of this year.

The mobile room-key solution for loyal members, announced early last month, goes a step further.  “Our guests want to interact with us on the channels of their preference, and we’re committed to enabling this at scale across our 4,200+ properties globally,” Sloser says.

Showing just how committed Hilton is to digital innovation, Sloser says that, room selection and mobile key are just the beginning. “We’re continuously exploring and testing new ideas and technology, always keeping the guest experience and guest needs at the centre of our digital strategy,” he says.

Business challenges and benefits

Digital tools don’t only work in favour of the guest. Team members are now freed up to spend more time catering to the needs of each guest – the most necessary human interaction piece - and less time on administrative tasks like assigning rooms and distributing keys.

Sloser admits that, as with digital check-in with room selection, the scaled deployment of mobile-enabled room key is a huge undertaking but one that ensures that guests enjoy a similar streamlined experience, no matter which hotel they choose to stay in.

The US deployment next year alone involves updating the locks on more than 100,000 room doors, and these are then subjected to rigorous testing and validation by external security experts.

However those guests who prefer not to use their phone – or for those times when a battery has died - the traditional magnetic strip keys will continue to work alongside new technology. 

Joshua Sloser, VP Digital Product & Innovation, Hilton Worldwide will be sharing further insights on this theme at EyeforTravel's Mobile & Innovation Strategies for Travel conference, March 23-24, San Francisco