In today’s market, there are countless technological trends impacting the hospitality industry and with so many to choose from it can get overwhelming on where to start. These technologies range from complex to implement to quick solution for instant impact. eSignatures is a quick implementation and big impact but it appears as if they are being slow to adopt.
Historically, the Guest Registration Form has been the most significant document in the hotel as it somewhat serves as the “contract” between the guest and the establishment. It is also used to cross-reference against any information in the hotel property management system. A hotel without a signed registration form would be most concerning, as the guest could dispute charges, and / or having even stayed at the property at all. With eSignature, not only is your guest registration streamlined, there are many other benefits for your hotel including:
- Positive 1st Impression – Guests are likely to have the impression that the hotel is modern and trendy
- No physical storage required – In my past experience as a Hotel General Manager, I recall having to fill boxes with folded registration forms since hotels are expected keep these documents 1 to 5 years. With the eSignature cloud, this step in no longer required.
- Saving Paper – Some hotels to proactively print guest registration forms prior to check in, then reprint them to post any modifications. eSignature eliminates this step as it’s all virtual.
- Accessibility – If there is a need to retrieve an old registration card, instead of having search through piles of file boxes to locate the form, eRegistration forms can be conveniently accessed online.
- Decrease chargeback disputes – Traditional guest registration forms could be misplaced, which means that if a guest disputes charges, there is a high probability that they could win.
- PCI Compliance – Although implementing eSignatures will not make a hotel PCI compliant, it will bring your property closer to compliance.
- Increases Guest Security – Having the registration cards stored electronically prevents theft of personal information.
- Increases accuracy – If and when modifications are required, updates on the paper format could result in miscommunication if the changes aren’t easy to interpret.
- Save time– Reducing the number of steps in the registration process will save you time and increase the guest experience with a quicker re10. gistration.
- Save Money – Essentially, all these items combined result in significant cost savings for the hotel.
