Hilton to automate check-in services

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Hilton Hotels is the latest travel industry giant to turn to self-service kiosks. Hilton says it will pilot a program in its Hilton Chicago and Hilton New York properties that will echo a move recently made by the airline industry.

In a project with IBM, guests at each of the participating hotels in the fourth quarter of 2003 will be the guinea pigs for a new system that will let them check in to their rooms without having to wait in long counter lines.

The hotel chain is hoping to draw on IBM Global Services’ experience with developing airport and railway kiosks.

The kiosks, which will be set around the lobby, will issue room keys, let guests choose their room and offer printed directions to the room. The same kiosks will be used to check out of rooms and to print out a copy of their bills.

“Self-service kiosks will allow our guest service agents to focus on providing value-added services to those guests who require it,” says Thomas Spitler, a Hilton vice president.

Hilton believes the more tech-savvy of their guests will appreciate the time-saving kiosks and will embrace them the way air travelers have taken to kiosks at the airports.

Hilton believes there are many benefits to the new technology, including the ability to reduce overall transaction costs.

The hotel chain hopes to eventually fold in information it has about guests, including their room preferences and awards program profiles.