Digi unlocks new revenue prospects for hotels with "handy" solution
NEWS RELEASE
- For immediate publication
Digi unlocks new revenue prospects for hotels with ‘handy’ solution
- Exclusive partnership with Tink Labs to enable hotels to drive incremental revenues, enhanced guest satisfaction and loyalty with customised experiences on one handy smartphone device
SUBANG JAYA, 10 February 2017 – Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) today announced its partnership with Tink Labs, to bring a mobile travel solution called handy to meet the connectivity needs of hotel guests in Malaysia. These innovative handy devices are fast becoming essential to the modern guest experience, and are made available as a free amenity in partner hotel rooms. It combines the functionality of a personal mobile phone, with remote access to hotel services, localised city guides and travel facilities, into one take–and–go smartphone. And it’s powered by Digi, so guests are always connected anywhere in the city with unlimited access to high–speed internet, local and international calls on Malaysia’s widest 4G Plus network.
Already a standard feature in 4– to 5–star hospitality establishments in Asian countries like Hong Kong and Singapore, handy devices are available exclusively with Digi as the sole distributor in Malaysia.
A powerful hospitality solution for hotels
handy is the key differentiator that gives hotels an advantage over alternative competitors and disruptors in the hospitality industry. It is a powerful hospitality solution that has proven to help improve guest connectivity, satisfaction and loyalty, uplift hotel review scores and associated revenues by enabling hotels to provide the best service possible in and beyond their premises. It enables hotels to communicate directly with guests while being able to customise individual guest experiences and offerings according to useful insights derived from the handy device. For example, handy’s push messaging feature helps drive customer awareness and call–to–action for hotel services and facilities. Extending the hotel service footprint such as F&B, spa and golf bookings, and more, means a boost in revenues for hoteliers.
A hassle–free, always connected travel experience for tourists
handy devices have helped hotels set new boundaries for guest connectivity in and out of their rooms. These mobile devices found in tourists’ hotel rooms eliminate the hassle of mobile roaming and buying of local SIMs. Powered by Digi’s 4G plus network, hotel guests have access to unlimited data, local and international calls, curated local city guides, and speed dial hotel services on the handy device for free. What does this mean? Guests can make calls and use social media like a normal phone, but they are also able to access hotel services and locate nearby tourist activities and hotspots. handy is also connected to the hotel’s directory so room service can be ordered before guests return or call the helpdesk when they’re out and need help asking for directions in the local language.
Malaysia welcomes an average of over 20 million tourists¹ in a year. Adding the estimated 200,000 hotel rooms available nationwide speaks largely of potential revenues for hotels, which Digi believes it can help hoteliers unlock by leveraging mobile technology according to Praveen Rajan, Digi’s Chief Digital Officer. Entering into partnerships that bring new digital services, by leveraging on customer insights, to benefit end users and businesses is a way Digi will look at expanding new revenue streams moving forward.
“Technology is increasingly playing a central role in the travel experience. Being able to better communicate with guests, connect them to their destination, bring personalisation and self–service, and to top it off, delivering these conveniences that guests prioritise at a touch of a button can lead to an increase in brand loyalty. And that is something we understand hoteliers are always striving to improve. Through this partnership with Tink Labs, we are looking to enable progressive hoteliers to tap into a readily available solution that has proven to improve bottom lines, and unlock previously unexplored opportunities by better understanding guest behaviour, while providing them with a seamless digital experience throughout their stay. This is a solution that hotels could really benefit from at a time when tourists agree that smartphones are a very important, if not a critical must–have on any trip.”
Wong Yu Hsiang, Managing Director (Southeast Asia, Australia & New Zealand) of Tink Labs, the company that created the innovative mobile travel solution handy, also agrees that the partnership with Digi will ensure tourists within the country will be able to enjoy a fantastic user experience while partner hotels stand to gain from the devices’ ability to distinguish guest experiences. “With our custom Android software and app drawer coupled with high–speed connectivity, tourists can experience what their travel destination has to offer with a click of a button. It is a fantastic tool not only to enhance guest satisfaction, but also drive incremental revenues for various travel experiences such as dining and spa outlets amongst others.”
Tech–savvy hotels are the future of travel, with mobile technology enabling the way forward to meet escalating guest expectations, serving them better with greater immediacy and personal engagement. As a report quite aptly states, hotels that provide a consistently exceptional hotel stay with technology² “are not only able to remain relevant, they can also strengthen guest loyalty, motivate return visits, increase average daily rate, and drive incremental hotel revenue.”
From now until 31 March 2017, Digi will be providing an introductory offer to progressive hotels who sign–up to adopt the handy mobile hospitality solution. For more information and to sign–up, please visit www.digi.my/handy.
About handy
handy, the flagship product from Tink Labs Limited, is an innovative mobile travel solution that combines the functionality of a personal smartphone and hotel services into one fully integrated device. Each handy smartphone is customized for the hotel and provides travelers with free unlimited internet, local and international calls, as well as an interactive city guide and one–click access to the hotel’s concierge and amenities. handy is already available in 20 cities, covering 100,000 rooms and helped 10 million global travelers stay connected.
² PwC Hospitality Directions: Spotlight on Connected Devices