The hospitality industry welcomes IoT
Hotels, restaurants and other consumer-focused hospitality businesses have been quick to adopt the Internet of Things (IoT). In fact, 70% of hospitality executives report that they have active IoT projects—far ahead of the average (48%) for all others in our survey. These execs are most focused on operating more efficiently (53%), compared with 33% who want to modernize their brand and add new capabilities. They expect IoT to improve the customer experience, security and asset management.
As with all the companies in our survey, trusted tech is a top concern for hospitality executives, who are most worried about cybersecurity (37% are extremely concerned) and the impact a trust issue might have on their brand or reputation (also 37%). On the flip side, they acknowledge that IoT has helped bolster trust among their stakeholders—in particular, their workforce—and half have seen increased trust.
How they're building trust with IoT:
Anticipating guest needs
Almost all the hospitality executives said that equipping hotel rooms and other areas with IoT devices enhances the guest experience. More than half (53%) said they are already doing so, and another 33% plan to in the next two years. Occupancy sensors can alert housekeeping when a room is ready to be cleaned, smart luggage carts can share their precise location at any given moment and connected room-service trays can notify staff when they need to be picked up.
Saving energy and maintenance headaches
IoT can help manage energy use in several ways, and 43% of respondents already enjoy the benefits, while 27% expect to benefit in the next two years. Smart heating systems and occupancy sensors can maintain a consistent temperature and turn things off when no one is in the room. IoT can also help hotels and other facilities keep tabs on their energy use without having to integrate with utility companies’ meters.
IoT can enhance employee safety—something 43% of hospitality executives are doing and another 33% are planning.
Managing crowds and knowing who belongs
Biometric-based technologies that support facial recognition, queue management algorithms and predictive analytics can be used to streamline registration and entry into events. They can also help detect suspicious behavior and identify people who might cause problems. Half of the hospitality executives in our survey said they are using IoT to improve security, and 23% expect to do so.
Giving workers added confidence
Nonintrusive IoT buttons give hospitality workers a way to request assistance. For privacy, these buttons do not track location until they are activated by the employee. This is just one way IoT can enhance employee safety—something 43% of hospitality executives are doing and another 33% are planning.
See how IoT is affecting other industries:
IoT makes industrial manufacturers “smart”
The internet of things has roots in the world of manufacturing and continues to help usher in an era of smart factories. The majority of those in our IoT survey—some 71% of industrial manufacturing executives—confirm they are either building or testing IoT-related solutions.
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Retailers are sold on IoT
The retail sector has a high percentage of companies with active IoT projects: 58%, compared with 48% of all the respondents in our IoT survey. Another 30% of the retailers have IoT projects in a research or development phase.
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IoT cures health industry headaches
Health has been an early adopter of IoT. Nearly half (46%) of the health industry executives in our survey said their organization is actively using IoT, and another 21% have projects in development.
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