The provision of fast, robust and dependable guest wifi holds paramount importance for accommodation providers.
As an increasing number of guests embrace remote work and seek continuous connectivity through live streams with friends, family, and colleagues, the significance of wifi has never been more pronounced. The ability to work seamlessly from any location hinges on the presence of fast and reliable guest wifi.
Recognising that longer stays translate to increased revenue, accommodation providers are presented with the opportunity to entice guests for extended visits. Transforming a stay into a working holiday, where families can comfortably combine work and leisure, facilitates the attraction of longer bookings. To achieve this, ensuring the availability of guest wifi that meets all the needs of occupants becomes imperative.
A critical consideration for accommodation providers is the reliability of their wifi infrastructure during online meetings. The frustration associated with buffering or dropped connections can swiftly lead to negative reviews, damaging the reputation of the establishment.
Key areas of focus in enhancing guest wifi:
Internet connection: Accommodation providers must ensure that their internet connection is not only fast but capable of handling peak usage times, such as school holidays and evenings from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Unlimited data is essential to prevent disruptions in service, with consideration given to multiple NBN connections or a fibre connection for optimal speed and stability.
Fibre connections have reduced in price a great deal over the last twelve months, and it may be a good idea to check with your guest wifi provider what the cost is to procure a fibre connection to your complex. If you have multiple NBN connections running your guest wifi currently, often the monthly fee for a fibre connection is not much more than what you are currently paying. Fibre also offers a faster and more stable service too.
Guest wifi backbone and management system: The backbone of the guest wifi system should support multiple NBN connections, ensuring scalability to meet increasing bandwidth demands if a fibre connection is not available to your site or too expensive. An effective management system is crucial, allowing for the throttling of bandwidth speeds to units or rooms, thereby optimising the distribution of available bandwidth.
Your management system should allow your guest wifi provider the ability to remotely restart equipment and make changes to bandwidth for guests.
Signal strength and coverage: External or hallway wifi systems are no longer sufficient, as they do not provide the necessary signal coverage and speed within guest units. Placing modems, routers, or access points in every unit ensures strong, reliable signal strength, negating the need for repeaters or boosters. Guests want wifi signal everywhere.
Easy and secure connection of guest devices: Modern guests desire a seamless experience akin to their home environment. A clunky login process is outdated; a user-friendly system that requires guests to log in once for the entirety of their stay is now essential.
Each unit should have its own modem, router and access point, providing a secure network for easy and secure connectivity of multiple devices, networking within the unit and the ability to bring wireless printers for those wanting to ‘work from home’ at your complex.
In summary, an effective guest wifi system requires a holistic approach: A fast and reliable internet connection tailored to the size of the complex, with considerations for multiple NBN connections or a fibre connection.
A scalable guest wifi backbone equipped with a robust management system.
An in-room wifi system with individual modems, routers, or access points for each unit, ensuring a strong and consistent signal.
An intuitive guest wifi system that replicates the ‘at home’ experience, allowing guests to connect seamlessly without cumbersome login procedures and bring every device they want to easily connect.
A cautionary note is sounded against advertising fast wifi unless the infrastructure is in place to deliver. Guests lured by the promise of efficient guest wifi will undoubtedly voice dissatisfaction if their experience falls short. Establishments must strive to provide wifi that enables guests to ‘live their lives’ at the complex, setting the stage for enhanced guest satisfaction and ultimately, increased rewards and excellent reviews.
In the era of heightened connectivity expectations, investing in robust guest wifi infrastructure is not just a luxury but a strategic necessity for accommodation providers
Judy Senn Director, Time Out Internet www.timeoutinternet.com
