It’s 2019, and let’s be honest, there’s no excuse for no or poor Wi-Fi in this day and age – so whether you’re a small town B&B or a worldwide hotel chain, customers expect Wi-Fi and a good one at that!
Every day we see and talk to hotels with poorly implemented guest Wi-Fi that affects all aspects of their business, and according to Statista, over 80% of people say Wi-Fi is one of the most important services they expect when booking a hotel – highlighting the importance of implementing a secure, reliable and super-fast internet solution for your business.
To prevent you from making the same mistakes and to help you chose the right solution for your business, we reveal the top 5 mistakes make when it comes to hotels choosing the right Wi-Fi…
1.Insufficient Access Points
Picture this…
You’re away on business, you’ve checked into your hotel, which you ensured had internet access for your stay, you head up to your room to catch up on those all-important emails and do some work remotely via VPN, then bang, you’re hit with a pesky and pathetic internet connection that wouldn’t be suitable as a free service let alone a paid one.
You’re sat there thinking to yourself, “this isn’t what I paid for”, “this is useless, why don’t they just get better internet and add more speed!!!”
Well, the reality is, it’s probably not the speed that’s causing your poor in-room connectivity – it’s the placement and lack of wireless access points that are causing issues throughout the property.
Whilst Wireless Access Points can be the most expensive component of a wireless infrastructure (assuming these are the most ratified and from a reputable vendor), they’re most definitely the most important too – so having them in the wrong place, not having enough, or indeed too many is critical to the success of any network and business.
So whether you’re looking to install for the first time or simply upgrade, be sure to get an expert opinion. And its imperative you get a detailed plan on how to execute and meet your wireless needs, one that recommends the correct access points for the structure of the building, and one that is built around the type of service you are trying to achieve, be it basic Internet access, voice services or simply streaming to a TV – as this really can turn your hotel from a 4 star to a 5 star.
2.Cheap Products
Like anything, you get what you pay for. If you want cheap products, chances are, you’ll get cheap results. You know the saying, “Buy cheap, buy twice”
As belts tighten and budgets get lower, the idea of using cheaper products to fall in line with your FD’s demands are more than tempting, but if you’re planning on cutting corners to cut costs here – you may as well not bother.
This is about your customers’ needs, not yours, so give them what they want and you’ll certainly reap the rewards.
And remember, when a wireless network is designed correctly it doesn’t always mean hundreds of access points, sometimes less is more!
3.Inadequate Security
There are many factors to bear in mind when it comes to providing a secure wireless network for your hotel, but the two most obvious are; how do you secure 3rd party devices and access points you don’t own?, and how do you secure the number of different types of devices connected to your network?
Easy, implement a concrete cybersecurity solution into your setup.
Your network infrastructure needs the ability to be able to monitor what a user is doing and restrict what they can and can’t do, in addition, protect their device from any vulnerabilities – as well as protect your own infrastructure from the threat of an attack.
As a standard, your network will need a firewall, role-based access control, profiling and some form of intrusion detection/prevention service.
We recommend Umbrella, the industry’s first secure internet gateway, acting as the first line of defence against threats online – protecting you and your guests at all times.
Don’t take the chance, get your FREE 14-day trial here!
4.High Access Fees
Whilst the hospitality sector once saw Wi-Fi as a luxury commodity, seeing it as something guests would pay handsomely for – that’s rarely the case today. The reality is, guests expect Wi-Fi wherever they go, and for free.
Despite this, many hotels are still charging significant fees for in-room Wi-Fi.
And whilst It may seem tempting to charge your guests a fee for what you deem as a premium service, people in this day and age expect it for free – so you’re only deterring customers from A. booking your hotel in the first place, and B. ever coming back to stay.
We understand offering something for free may seem daunting, but there are many advantages to offering a free service too. Not only do you promote trust and value for your guests, it’s also a brilliant way to acquire data, capturing emails and surveys upon registration – all of which help promote repeat bookings and increase overall revenue for you and your business.
5.Choosing the Right Partner
Designing, implementing and managing enterprise level wireless networks is not an easy task.
We’ve been doing it for over 16 years within the hospitality sector, investing vast amounts of time and money, using the most advanced technology available, and are proud to say we have the most intelligent and industry recognised engineers – but even still, we too learn something new every day.
One thing we have learnt is that wireless networks are complex and require highly-specialised skills, with many businesses falling short thinking they can do it in-house or find a cheap 3rd party to do the job.
Even if you have the finances and resource to develop an in-house solution up to the required level, there’s the risk of them walking out tomorrow – leaving you in dire straits.
There’s no avoiding this, so however you chose to tackle your wireless needs, it requires experience and skill – meaning finding the right partner is crucial to the success of your project.
Parting Thoughts
The key to a successful wireless network is down to careful planning and attention to detail, highlighting the importance of choosing the right solution and partner to implement and manage your infrastructure.
The quality of product and security is paramount, so don’t take the risk…
Get a no-obligation consultation and we’ll demonstrate our 16+ years experience and skills, FREE of charge. Not only will we identify your current risks and weaknesses, we will also demonstrate and educate you on how to improve your existing network infrastructure.
Improve your network today, book your FREE consultation now.
