Virdee, a SaaS company delivering digital check-in and virtual concierge services to the hospitality industry, has released a web-based extension of its contactless check-in software.
Users can now access and input pre-arrival check-in information into the system via the web and, in some cases, receive a web-based secure digital room key. Other experiences require an app for mobile keyless entry or obtaining a physical key from a kiosk.
The Virdee Virtual Reception solution provides a fully contactless check-in experience, empowering 100% of hotel guests to check-in either via mobile device or kiosk, receive a digital or physical key and head straight to their guestroom without ever standing in line at the front desk. The web version facilitates more engagement earlier in the pre-check-in process; guests can complete much of the pre-check-in requirements before arrival, and can seamlessly transition to the app to receive their digital key.
This framework also paves the way for eventually storing the key in a “digital wallet” hosted by Apple or Google. The former recently announced that its upcoming iOS 15 update to Apple Wallet will use NFC technology (like Apple Pay) to allow guests to access their hotel rooms.
“There’s no doubt that self-service, mobile check-in will be standard across the hospitality industry in the near future because, when done correctly, it both increases guest satisfaction and reduces labor costs,” Branigan Mulcahy, cofounder, Virdee, told Hotel Business. “At the same time, we know that most travelers don’t want to have to download an app to check-in each time they visit a new hotel. So, the solution is to manage as much of the check-in process as possible—ID verification, payment collection, pre-stay communications—on a mobile web platform. That way, once the guest arrives at the property, all that’s left to do is obtain either a physical key from the front desk or a kiosk, or download the app to receive a secure, digital key and head straight to the guestroom.”
