Ariane’s KeyStation to Complement Self Check-In Initiatives @ Hotels Worldwide

Ariane Systems has launched its latest innovation, the compact KeyStation guestroom keycard dispenser.

The proprietary device is designed as a complement to the hotel e-check-in strategies that forward-thinking properties are implementing through Ariane’s Allegro Web-Mobile-Kiosk Check-in/out Solution, which was introduced last year.

Shown as a product prototype at HITEC in June, KeyStation is already in full production and is now available to hotels worldwide.

The KeyStation, comprising of a 9-inch digital touch screen, a 2D barcode reader and a keycard encoder/stacker, offers many important benefits for both hoteliers and their guests, including:

• Compatible with both magstripe and RFID keycards, as well as loyalty cards
• Interfaced with 18 different keycard manufacturers
• Easily portable for use as a countertop unit or free-standing pedestal
• Simplifies the check-in experience for today’s web-savvy guests
• Provides added convenience and saves guests valuable time
• Optimizes front desk operations
• Complements and supports e-check-in strategies
• Creates strong differentiating factor recognized as a main driver of loyalty
• Integrates consistent user interface and branding

The Ariane KeyStation allows guests who have checked-in online to retrieve their guestroom keycard in a matter of seconds without assistance from front desk staff. The addition of this unique hardware component allows hotels to offer a 100% self-service option, providing added convenience, saving guests valuable time and optimizing front desk operations.

Once hotel guests have finalized the web check-in process, using Ariane’s Allegro web check-in solution, they automatically receive an email and/or SMS text message with a barcode on the day of arrival. The barcode can be printed out or used directly from the screen of any web-enabled device, such as mobile phone or tablet computer. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest places the barcode under the 2D barcode reader on the KeyStation, which searches in the database for and retrieves the guests’ reservation details. The guest then simply selects the number of keycards desired, and the KeyStation automatically encodes and dispenses them. The entire process takes less than 12 seconds to complete.

Hotels or chains with a guest loyalty program can even choose to allow members to use their existing loyalty cards as their room key, as an added convenience and program benefit. Instead of using a barcode, loyalty members simply insert their magstripe or RFID-enabled loyalty card into the encoder and the card is automatically encoded by the KeyStation for use as the room key.

“After enlarging the scope of hotel self-service solutions to web and mobile check-in capabilities with the Allegro platform, it soon became clear to us that we needed to ‘rethink’ and re-engineer the entire guest check-in experience to extend convenient self-service options all the way through guestroom access. By deploying our technology, hotels will make the guest experience easier and the hotel more efficient,” said Laurent Cardot, CEO for Ariane Systems. “Since most hotels will continue using physical keys, such as magnetic and/or RFID keycards for the immediate future, we set out to design a simple and convenient way for guests to retrieve these keycards without staff assistance by leveraging the use of a barcode. The KeyStation is the answer to that challenge, providing our clients with an ideal complement to an e-check-in strategy.”

 Christelle Pigeat, Ariane’s VP of Sales & Marketing for North America, said, “A positive guest experience is a strong differentiating factor that is being increasingly recognized by the hotel industry as a main driver of loyalty. A well designed guest check-in experience, with consistent user interface and branding is difficult to replicate and can create a lasting effect that translates into greater profits for a hotel group or brand.”

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