Aavgo, a cloud-based SaaS provider, has signed an agreement with the Econo Lodge Franchise Association (EFLA) to offer its Smart Reception capabilities at the more than 700 Econo Lodge hotels across the U.S.
Aavgo’s Smart Reception kiosk connects guests with a certified and trained front-desk agent who is dedicated exclusively to helping manage operations at a single property. Real-time response agents are available to care for guests at check-in 24/7, 365 days a year, and Aavgo’s end-to-end platform offers all Econo Lodge hotels an all-in-one contactless solution designed to enhance the guest experience while reducing operational costs, according to the company.
With Smart Reception, guests get all the services offered by a traditional front desk, such as check-in, receiving room keys and speaking with a remote agent, which properties can provide without diverting scarce resources away from hotel operations.
The remote agents provide guest services, including:
- Checking guests in and out, including managing both advance reservations and walk-ins.
- Signing guests up for loyalty or rewards programs and informing them of their capabilities.
- Managing payment transactions through cash, card swipes, EMV chips, Google Pay, Apple Pay and more.
- Responding directly to guests’ requests or questions about the hotel and the surrounding area.
- Generating guestroom keys.
Through Smart Reception, remote front-desk agents can also provide assistance with administrative and clerical tasks. Some of these back-of-the-house tasks include:
- Managing the night audit process.
- Responding directly to online reviews.
- Opening, managing and responding to housekeeping and maintenance ticket requests.
- Answering phone calls to the property from both on-premise guests and off-property requests.
“We are excited to partner with Aavgo to welcome their remote front-desk technology to Econo Lodge,” said Pradip Patel, president, ELFA. “This technology is helping hotel operators remain efficient and profitable in an environment that is increasingly competitive. Using Aavgo, our hoteliers will be positioned for success despite the many challenges limiting operations across hospitality.”
“Our recent agreement with the Econo Lodge Franchise Association is helping more hoteliers than ever take their tech edge to a new level in a hospitality labor market that is still in recovery,” said Mrunai Desai, founder/CEO, Aavgo. “We are pleased to provide state-of-the-art, remote front desk support systems to any and all Econo Lodge hotels, giving guests access to a fully contactless stay experience while reducing the operational burden on hoteliers. Our certified and trained agents can perform any action associated with the front desk, including responding to guests, answering online reviews, and even managing night audit processes. As the oldest hospitality association in the U.S., ELFA has been looking out for its members’ success and well-being since 1974. We are honored to be a part of their strategy for success and will continue to support hoteliers through technology going forward.”
