Is it now a given that business users need that all-important connection to the World Wide Web 24/7?
Whether right or wrong, are business users really concerned about this being a free or paid for service? As long as the connection to the Internet is available does it matter? Admittedly many users are content to be charged for access, but there are those who are part of a new breed who scour the Internet for WiFi hotspots and free connectivity. So does that meant that venues are missing a valuable marketing trick by not offering guest’s free internet access?

The past trend has been for hotels to ‘revenue share’ with the hospitality broadband provider, creating small additional income for the venue, with the trade off being, the installation of the equipment at little or no cost. This was always sold as the most cost-effective route, with little or no alternative on the market.

Horror stories thrive off disreputable providers racking up fees and charges thus damaging the reputation of the hotel in the eyes of the guest. In such cases the hotel was not in control of a crucial business service, with the cost of connectivity being dictated by the internet provider. However, there are now respectable providers who offer a fair return with cost-effective levels of services.

By enabling hotels to recoup 100% of the revenue created by High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) the hotel has the discretion to charge the guest as much or as little for the internet connection as they see fit. As the hotel is not tied into a contract with the internet service provider, hotels have complete exclusivity over their fee structure.  

Traditionally the user demanded no more than basic email access and light web surfing, but with so many business users working remotely and never touching their office base,  hotels must be capable of connecting to the myriad of business applications that have become commonplace. In addition applications such as iTunes, YouTube, Joost, SlingBox and SKYPE have put  huge demands on broadband connection as well as impacting on the cost of running the service.

But how can HSIA be used as marketing tool?

HSIA solutions can be viewed as a business overhead, especially when offering the service for free but, by offering HSIA for nothing creates a great by-product for the guest, which can now be packaged as an effective marketing tool. Many guests will choose a hotel with free HSIA over one who charges as using the internet is an expected service, not an added extra.

As the hospitality market has always been hugely competitive, with venues seeking new incentives and ways to attract and retain clients, I predict that free HSIA will become a great enticement to the guest if used as part of a unique marketing and loyalty plan. Many venues have gone down this route already and as a result are seeing increased business loyalty and revenue; which can be seen especially in the boutique hotel market.

Venues now have the opportunity to take control of their Internet services, turning them to their best advantage and thus experiencing rapid ROI through a number of alternative revenue channels.

By keeping abreast of changes in technology, venues can be seen as ‘technology leaders’, fulfilling a niche in the market. By using HSIA solutions hotels can benefit from increased venue, increased sales and occupancy, increased customer satisfaction, and experience higher levels of repeat business.

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