All I want for Christmas is a white label app

Whether smaller hotels should develop an app or not is still up for debate, but white label products are one solution, writes Andrew Hennigan

For hotel chains that can spread the cost over hundreds of properties, investing in technology like apps is less of problem, but for independent hotels and resorts developing a secure, user-friendly app from scratch is prohibitive.

Now they don’t have to thanks to the widespread availability of white label apps from companies like Appy Hotel in Hong Kong, Fingi in New York and Intelity in Florida that can be customised and branded so that they appear to be the hotel’s own app.

Initially these branded apps offered the most basic functions like online booking, but now they include more advanced big-chain features like mobile check-in and even keyless entry to rooms.

London’s Eccleston Square Hotel, an independent boutique hotel known for its pioneering approach to technology was an early adopter of branded mobile apps. It chose Intelity’s ICE Mobile platform for guest services. In this case the reason for adopting a mobile app was a better service.

“We were the first hotel in Europe to do it and at the time it fitted our brand identity as one of the most high-tech hotels in Europe,” says director James Byrne.

As Eccleston doesn’t have the luxury of hire a full-time concierge, the app helps guests to discover inside information about the local area, “enabling them to view all the amenities in a cool and simple way”.

The hotel’s branded app currently offers information about the hotel and surrounding area as well as ordering in-room dining and tray pickup, booking sports facilities, housekeeping requests and rebooking. According to Byrne, dining requests, DVD library requests and housekeeping requests are used most frequently.

It’s not just hotels that benefit from branded apps. FurnishedQuarters, a New York based company that just launched to provide fully furnished short-term rental apartments, has also chosen this approach.

“We cater for business travellers and longer-stay leisure travellers who may very well be on the go while in town,” says VP of Marketing Robin Spindel. “If a guest suddenly remembers that he needs extra towels or shampoo he can plug it into the app while in transit.”  

Through the app guests can submit requests for a concierge service, housekeeping or maintenance. They can also book stays, search for and check in to their flight. Information, both about the apartment and the surrounding area, is available.

A motivating factor for FurnishedQuarters was to replace paper documentation with paperless apps. The suites contain full-sized kitchen appliances, smart TVs and bluetooth sound systems. Providing support in for these in the form of guides is both necessary and easy through the app, says Spindel. If someone can’t get what is required from the app, there is a phone number connected to reception for assistance.

More advanced functions

Today, most companies taking a branded app approach are using features like booking, check in and access to hotel services. However, thanks to partnerships between app developers and other companies more advanced functions like keyless access to hotel rooms are becoming possible. Through a recent agreement between Swiss security company Kaba and hotel app developer Intelity, for example, independent hotels will be able to add a feature, allowing guests to go directly to their room without picking up a key at the front desk.

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