Two-way radio use in the hotel and hospitality sector

Digital two-way radios have a number of benefits for hotels and businesses in the hospitality sector. Whether you run a small B&B, guest house or large hotel or restaurant (also see two way radios for use in restaurants), digital two-way radios can make the everyday running of your businesses a lot easier. Below we have listed a number of reasons how two-way radios can help.

Improve guest experience

Providing guests with a 5-star service has never been more important in this day and age. With review sites like TripAdvisor and social media platforms with location tagging becoming so popular, your hotel services are constantly under scrutiny and are firmly in the spotlight. A radio system can help you provide the best customer service to every single guest through fast and discreet communication between staff members and departments.

For example, when someone comes to check-in the reception will need to know if the guest’s room is ready. With two-way radios the reception can instantly communicate with housekeeping staff on that floor or send out a group message to all housekeeping to find out if it has been cleaned and is ready. This will provide an answer within seconds, allowing the guest to have an answer as soon as possible and not have to wait round to possibly find out their room isn’t even ready. If the room isn’t ready the receptionist can guide them to the lounge or bar and then radio the bar staff as soon as their room is ready for them to check-in.

Similarly, the concierge can communicate with the reception when guests arrive to ensure they get a prompt welcome, the reception can then communicate with staff members to come and help guests carry their bags to their room. This will help to provide efficient service, something which customers will be looking for and appreciate.

Fast communication between departments

Digital two-way radios can be set up so that each department within the hotel has their own channels for individual communication between their department, as well as having a main group channel where they can communicate with everyone. Some digital two-way radios even have caller ID so every radio user can be contacted privately if needed. For example, if a guest calls down for room service or extra towels, the reception can quickly communicate with the relevant department to ensure the request is fulfilled as quickly as possible.

Stock control

If stock is running low on a particular item such as toiletries, drinks or food for example, with a digital two-way radio system staff can quickly and easily alert the relevant people who can then arrange for a delivery to be made. Also, in a restaurant if a particular item of food or dish runs out mid-service the kitchen can quickly radio the wait staff to let them know that this dish is off the menu.

Security

Keeping staff and guests safe is vital in the hotel and hospitality sectors. Many digital two-way radios have built in safety features like location tracking and lone worker functions which can help to keep staff safe. If there are ever any problems like a fire alarm or security system is triggered then staff can quickly communicate this to help guide the guests to safety.

Cost effective

Digital two-way radios today are robust, reliable, provide instant clear communication and are very cost-effective to run in comparison with alternative solutions such as mobile phones. They are built to last and can withstand wear and tear, unlike mobile phones which would regularly need updating and can quite easily break.

Discreet communication

Another great feature of two-way radios is that you can get accessories like push to talk earpieces which allow staff to discreetly communicate between each other. This means that things like customer complaints can be dealt with quickly and discreetly.

Digital two-way radios recommended for the hospitality and hotel industry:

DigiX Nano

The DigiX Nano is a discreet, compact and lightweight Digital PMR. Its small size is perfect for use in the hotel or hospitality sector where staff are often on the move and don’t want to be carrying large, bulky radios around. It’s incredibly easy to use and despite being small it’s incredibly robust packing a whole range of features into its small sturdy shell. Features include:

• Compact and lightweight
• Long lasting battery including a battery saving mode
• Private calling, group calling and call all functions
• Record for up to 200 hours
• Remote monitoring to help keep staff organised and safe
• Call alerts
• 48 channel capacity

DigiX Liberty

The DigiX Liberty is a licence free PMR which boasts a range of impressive features inside a compact and lightweight handset. The ideal choice for hotel and hospitality businesses, this compact radio can easily be slipped inside a pocket or clipped onto a belt whilst working. Weighing just 135g it’s impressive how many features are packed in it, these include:

• Reliable battery, low battery prompt and battery saving mode
• Comes with a free fast charger
• Compact and lightweight – smallest UK DMR radio
• Licence free – no need to buy a radio licence to use this device
• Hands free VOX
• Easy to use – hidden LED display
• Can be used in analogue and digital modes
• 128 channel capacity

DigiX Horizon

The DigiX Horizon Push to talk over Cellular radio is a piece of state-of-the-art technology in the palm of your hand. Leading the way in professional UK communication this PoC radio is ideal for the hospitality and hotel industries. Small enough to fit into the palm of your hand it has a sleek slimline design, perfect for carrying around whilst on the go. It provides outstanding connectivity and even works in the busiest of bandwidth areas such as London city centre, which is ideal for busy hotels and restaurants. This compact device has a wide range of useful and impressive features including:

• Astounding connectivity – supporting WIFI, Bluetooth, 3G, 4G and even 4G/LTE networks
• Compact and lightweight design
• High battery capacity – even comes with a fast charger as standard
• Touch screen interface
• Water and dust resistant – IP67 rating
• High memory capacity
• Android operating system
• 2 cameras – on the front and back
• Location tracking and user status functions
• Desktop dispatcher software automatically allocates resources to staff helping them to complete tasks in the most efficient way
• Private call, group call and all call options
• Allows for seamless push to talk communications

If you are in the hospitality or hotel industry and want to invest in or update your existing two-way radio system contact NRC today and we’ll be happy to help and discuss the best options for your business. Whether you want to update slowly in stages or need to implement a whole new system, we can help. NRC have a wide range of digital two-way radios that suit a whole variety of sectors available for purchase or hire. Call us on 0800 1955919 or email us at sales@nrcradio.co.uk to find out more.