Why two-way digital radio is out-performing mobile phones for hotel communications, every time!
I'm sure you've experienced the problem... you're trying to reach a colleague or staff member on their mobile phone, but either you're in a black-spot, they've got no signal or perhaps you're both in busy, noisy places? Interrupted conversations, voicemail messages, shouting and straining to hear… the sheer frustration of it all is stressful enough, let alone the lost time and poor guest experience it leaves in its wake. And I've not even mentioned cost, durability or usability issues yet!
So - are you struggling-on with mobile phones, or joining the increasing number of organisations heading back to two-way radio? Because efficient communication between staffis the key to meeting your guests' demands, which in turn generates good reviews, personal recommendations and increased bookings.
65% of enterpise mobile users say their phone batteries "frequently" or "occasionally" don't last even one shift1
BUT CAN MOBILE PHONES REALLY BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE GUEST EXPERIENCE?
Well, yes, I believe so. For hoteliers and the hospitality industry, mobile phones have proved to be not-so-mobile - and not so smart - afterall. They don't actually work anywhere and everywhere; they aren't as rugged as a radio; and they certainly can't connect you to multiple people, in different locations, all at the same time and all at the push of just one button.
Here's some food for thought....
- Consumer devices (mobile phones and smart phones) are 3x more likely to fail than digital radios2. It's quite simple, they tend to break when they're dropped, unlike radios.
- Each failure costs 60 - 120 minutes of lost work time1. So, that's up to 2 hours your staff are not available to you or your guests and, in effect, prevented from doing their job.
- And over a 5 year period, consumer devices incur 50% higher costs than radios3. Because there are no monthly charges, call charges or package limitations with two-way radios.
Even if you have good mobile network coverage, the signal is unlikely to reach places such as your kitchens, service corridors, cellars or underground car parks. Plus you're typically limited to one-to-one communication; finding the number, dialing, waiting for a connection and finally talking, can be surprisingly time-consuming, especially when you have to do it multiple times.
All of which means when your guests need information or assistance, they may just have to wait for it - and we all know how much guests like waiting around don't we?
Some of you may still be thinking: "Two-way radios? Aren't mobile phones the obvious choice these days?" And yes, they may be obvious - mainly because we all have one for personal use - but are they the right choice for your critical staff communications?
For instance, did you know the annual failure rate of consumer mobile devices in taxing applications is 18% - 20%.
So, before you commit to a potentially lengthy and expensive mobile phone contract, it pays to arm yourself with all the facts. In a comparison of key attributes, it's easy to see how two-way radios 'outsmart' mobile phones...check out the infographic:
1"Business-Critical Communications: Benefits of Selecting Two-Way Radios over Cellular Phones"; VDC Research, 2014
2Krebs, David. "Enterprise Mobility & Connected Devices"; VDC Research, August 2013
3Mobile Device TCO Models for Line of Business Solutions; Volum 1/Track 7: Enterprise Mobile Device TCO; VDC Research Group, Inc; Mobile and Wireless Practice; February 2013
Entries » Blog » You can't do that with a mobile phone when you work in hospitality!
You can't do that with a mobile phone when you work in hospitality!
Why two-way digital radio is out-performing mobile phones for hotel communications, every time!
I'm sure you've experienced the problem... you're trying to reach a colleague or staff member on their mobile phone, but either you're in a black-spot, they've got no signal or perhaps you're both in busy, noisy places? Interrupted conversations, voicemail messages, shouting and straining to hear… the sheer frustration of it all is stressful enough, let alone the lost time and poor guest experience it leaves in its wake. And I've not even mentioned cost, durability or usability issues yet!
So - are you struggling-on with mobile phones, or joining the increasing number of organisations heading back to two-way radio? Because efficient communication between staff is the key to meeting your guests' demands, which in turn generates good reviews, personal recommendations and increased bookings.
65% of enterpise mobile users say their phone batteries "frequently" or "occasionally" don't last even one shift1BUT CAN MOBILE PHONES REALLY BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE GUEST EXPERIENCE?
Well, yes, I believe so. For hoteliers and the hospitality industry, mobile phones have proved to be not-so-mobile - and not so smart - afterall. They don't actually work anywhere and everywhere; they aren't as rugged as a radio; and they certainly can't connect you to multiple people, in different locations, all at the same time and all at the push of just one button.
Here's some food for thought....
- Consumer devices (mobile phones and smart phones) are 3x more likely to fail than digital radios2. It's quite simple, they tend to break when they're dropped, unlike radios.
- Each failure costs 60 - 120 minutes of lost work time1. So, that's up to 2 hours your staff are not available to you or your guests and, in effect, prevented from doing their job.
- And over a 5 year period, consumer devices incur 50% higher costs than radios3. Because there are no monthly charges, call charges or package limitations with two-way radios.
Even if you have good mobile network coverage, the signal is unlikely to reach places such as your kitchens, service corridors, cellars or underground car parks. Plus you're typically limited to one-to-one communication; finding the number, dialing, waiting for a connection and finally talking, can be surprisingly time-consuming, especially when you have to do it multiple times.
All of which means when your guests need information or assistance, they may just have to wait for it - and we all know how much guests like waiting around don't we?
11 REASONS WHY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS 'OUTSMART' MOBILE PHONES
Some of you may still be thinking: "Two-way radios? Aren't mobile phones the obvious choice these days?" And yes, they may be obvious - mainly because we all have one for personal use - but are they the right choice for your critical staff communications?
For instance, did you know the annual failure rate of consumer mobile devices in taxing applications is 18% - 20%.
So, before you commit to a potentially lengthy and expensive mobile phone contract, it pays to arm yourself with all the facts. In a comparison of key attributes, it's easy to see how two-way radios 'outsmart' mobile phones...check out the infographic:
INFOGRAPHIC: 11 Reasons Why Radio Communications Outsmart Mobile Phones
Do you use mobile phones in the workplace? Have they ever let you down?
Digital radio has never looked better
Discover more here >>
Sean Fizgerald is Senior Manager, Solutions Marketing EMEA
Connect with Sean on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sean-fitzgerald/1/705/4a0
1"Business-Critical Communications: Benefits of Selecting Two-Way Radios over Cellular Phones"; VDC Research, 2014
2Krebs, David. "Enterprise Mobility & Connected Devices"; VDC Research, August 2013
3Mobile Device TCO Models for Line of Business Solutions; Volum 1/Track 7: Enterprise Mobile Device TCO; VDC Research Group, Inc; Mobile and Wireless Practice; February 2013