How do you check in guests?
Do guests need to visit your office to check in? While a tried and true method for many hospitality providers, requiring in-person check-in can be inconvenient for guests who want to start enjoying their vacation the moment they arrive at their destination. Waiting in line, signing printed paperwork, distributing physical keys, and more, the in-person check-in process can feel taxing after a long day of travel.
How can you create a best-in-class guest check-in experience? By offering a seamless remote check-in process.
Wondering if remote check-in is right for your property portfolio? That’s what we’ll cover in this post. Before diving into whether remote check-in could work for you and your team, let’s take a look at what remote check-in is.
What is remote guest check-in?
With remote check-in, guests can check into your property without visiting your office or needing a team member to access their unit. Guests simply use remote check-in software to verify their identity, unlock their unit, access amenities, and more.
According to Glen Kaiser, owner of Kaiser Vacation Rentals, remote check-in is becoming the norm. “Historically, on busy check-in days, offices would be overwhelmed by people trying to check in. But, those days are gone.” Now, guests use remote check-in to skip the lines.
How does remote check-in work?
To check in guests the new way, you need remote check-in software. Once you have the right check-in software, you can then remotely check in guests with the following features:
Pre-arrival communication
Remote check-in begins before guests arrive at your property. After guests make a reservation, remote check-in software sends a welcome message to provide pertinent information about their stay. This can include directions to your property, contact information, and anything else guests may need to know in advance of arrival.
Room ready notifications
On check-in day, your remote check-in software will also let guests know when their unit is ready based on housekeeping status. No more managing an early check-in request list or requesting updates from housekeeping staff or vendors. Surprise and delight guests with early check-in any time it’s available.
Smart device management
Before guests arrive, remote check-in software can turn on lights and adjust the unit temperature to help deliver a warm, welcoming space the moment they arrive. Smart device management also helps you save on unnecessary costs by automatically turning off lights and adjusting to an eco-friendly temperature when the guest checks out.
Keyless entry
Once guests are ready to check in, remote check-in software sends a digital keycode so guests don’t have to keep track of a physical key. Instead, they simply enter the code to access their unit and amenities throughout the property.
Smart access control
Remote check-in software keeps your property secure by automatically changing the entry code upon check out or at the scheduled check-out time. Further, emergency personnel, maintenance vendors, and property management team members have unique codes to further keep an eye on who is entering the property. That way, only the right people have access to your property at any given time.
Why should you offer remote check-in?
One reason you should offer remote check-in is to improve the guest experience.
Remote check-in makes guests’ lives easier. With remote check-in, Glen Kaiser says, “Guests don’t have to deal with a wait or traffic. Remote check-in takes the anxiety away from check in. They can focus on arriving at the property and not have to deal with anything else.”
Here are five reasons guests love remote check-in:
- Eliminate the wait. No more waiting in line after 10 hours of driving or catching back-to-back flights. You can even notify the guest the moment their room is ready if early check-in has been requested.
- High-tech, high value. The high-tech experience appeals to younger demographics while allowing seasoned guests to replace in-person check-in with a few clicks in their personalized and easy-to-use guest app.
- Property info on the go. With property information readily available within the guest app, guests are no longer tasked to keep up with check-in paperwork containing pertinent information or helpful tips about the area. It’s always at their fingertips.
- Two-way communication. Not only can property managers provide guest information directly through the app, but guests can also send questions and maintenance requests efficiently–without stopping by the front desk or sitting on hold with customer service.
- Seamlessly satisfied. The seamless first point of contact sets off the vacation in a positive light, boosting guest satisfaction from day one.
Are you sensing a trend? That’s right, property managers and front desk staff love remote check-in as much as guests. Traditional check-in requires your team to help every guest access their property upon arrival. On busy check-in days and holiday weekends, your team might spend all day managing check-ins rather than focusing on everything else they need to do to keep the property running smoothly.
Remotely checking in guests requires hardly any work for your team while ensuring the guest is well taken care of. This frees them to focus on serving guests better, managing maintenance proactively, finding great vendors, and other tasks to keep your property running smoothly.
With remote check-in, you can create an outstanding guest experience and increase team efficiency in the process. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Remote check-in with BeHome247
Leading hospitality management companies and vacation rental properties are turning to remote check-in. Contactless check-in not only reduces stress for guests but also provides the seamless digital experience today’s guests expect. Plus, remote check-in reduces work for your team and allows them to focus on high-value tasks.
If you’re looking for the best remote check-in solution for your hospitality property, BeHome247 is the way to go.
With BeHome247, you can automatically send welcome messages, room-ready notifications, and so much more. BeHome247 also helps you manage smart devices to make sure units are comfortable for guests, like triggering smart locks to generate unique codes for guests with BeHome247 automatically. Remote check-in from BeHome247 has everything you need to wow guests from the start.
Glen Kaiser uses BeHome247 for remote check-in and operational management at Kaiser Vacation Rentals. He says, “Not having somewhere to check-in is a very positive experience for guests. BeHome247’s remote check-in has absolutely improved the guest experience. Guests love it.”
Along with remote check-in, BeHome247 also provides a complete property and device management platform. With BeHome247, you can manage every aspect of operations, guest management, and communication. BeHome247 can also automate your day-to-day operations, like housekeeping scheduling, guest communication, maintenance, inspections, check-in, and more.
Glen Kaiser appreciates that “BeHome247 allows us to be proactive instead of reactive. For example, we get a heads up if the temperature is changing outside of ranges that are set. BeHome247 lets us know that we may have an air conditioning issue. This allows us, again, to be proactive rather than reactive.”
Whether you’re looking for just remote check-in software or a complete operational management platform, BeHome247 has what you need.
Book your BeHome247 demo today to boost your guest experience with remote check-in.
