Dear WuBookers, today we’re discussing a topic that’s very important to everyone in the hospitality industry: speeding up hotel check-in. The moment of arrival and check-in, in fact, can have a positive or negative impact on travelers. That’s why it’s important to try to make this process pleasant, efficient, and quick. Let’s see what can help us achieve this.

How can you speed up hotel check-in?

No one likes to start their vacation by standing in line at the hotel front desk, and a long wait can lead to dissatisfaction. This situation frustrates guests and can also create difficulties for the staff. Dealing with irritated or sensitive guests isn’t always easy, and managing many impatient people at the same time is certainly a challenge.

Other hotel guests might also be affected by crowds at the front desk: the area might be blocked by luggage and suitcases; and it might be difficult or take a long time to communicate with staff, even for quick or simple requests.

That’s why it’s important to try to streamline check-in through a few simple but effective measures.

Offer flexible check-in times

First, it’s advisable to offer greater flexibility regarding check-in times, allowing guests to arrive during broader time slots than those typically provided. This way, you’ll prevent travelers from all arriving at the same time and instead encourage a more spread-out flow throughout the day.

Furthermore, a property that’s only available for check-in for two or three hours a day may come across as rather rigid and less appealing than one that offers more flexibility. This is therefore a measure that can speed up check-in procedures while simultaneously increasing guest satisfaction with the hotel.

Offer early and late check-in for a fee

Similarly, early and late check-in options are highly appreciated by travelers. Although it’s a paid service, being able to check in at a time agreed upon with the property can be truly useful, especially for those traveling very early in the morning or late at night. Public transportation schedules, of course, are just one reason why this option can be practical: let’s not forget, in fact, that guests love to feel free, especially when it comes to checking in or checking out of their room.

Ask About the Expected Arrival Time

Another way to reduce wait times at the front desk and speed up check-in is to try to anticipate arrivals as much as possible. After a guest has made a reservation, ask them about their transportation schedules and when they expect to arrive at the property. Using the train or flight number, you can also check for any delays or disruptions in real time. All of this can help you better organize the staff at the front desk and be prepared for peak times, when foot traffic is highest and you need to process multiple check-ins at once.

Reducing Wait Times with Technology

There’s another thing travelers love very much, besides freedom, and that’s having a choice. To speed up hotel check-in, you can also use self-check-in or online check-in. This way, guests can decide, based on their needs and the options technology offers, which method to use, and the time saved will benefit both them and the hotel.

Compared to other methods, which are still valid and compatible with one another, self-check-in has the advantage of being free for guests and allows them to arrive at the hotel whenever they wish, without having to share schedules or other travel details.

All the Benefits of Online Check-In

Registering for your stay without having to go through the front desk, via the web or an app, offers numerous benefits, since:

• it reduces lines in the lobby;
• it reduces the workload on staff;
• it enhances the experience for guests.

Online check-in is also a familiar practice for those who have already gotten used to it: these guests, therefore, will always choose it when available, and may even have adopted it as a decision-making criterion for selecting hotels and properties. But how is this process managed, and what technology is required?

Quick check-in? The solution is hotel management software

PMS (Property Management Systems) or hotel management software are automated systems that allow you to streamline many aspects of work in the hospitality industry, including check-in. Zak by WuBook, for example, is a streamlined and effective tool that lets you manage your property conveniently from a smartphone, tablet, or PC, and makes life much easier for your guests as well.

How does online check-in work on Zak?

Let’s take a look at how the entire booking process works for a property using Zak. When someone makes a reservation, the system can send a message, pre-set by the hotelier, inviting the guest to fill out the form with their information for online check-in. The property manager can decide what information to request: they can include only the basic details required by local authorities, or ask for additional information. In the settings, the property manager can also choose whether or not to require a digital signature for privacy reasons.

The guest then receives a link for online check-in, through which they can perform many actions:

• confirm, print, or cancel the reservation;
• request an invoice;
• contact the property;
• make another reservation;
• enter notes and arrival time;
• leave feedback (but only after check-out).

Just like in-person check-in, online check-in is also an opportunity to sell additional services: from the same link, guests can purchase extras set up by the hotelier.

Thanks to this method, guests can enter their information directly, conveniently and without burdening the property. This option significantly speeds up the entire check-in process and benefits both staff and guests.

Other Ways to Optimize Check-In with Zak

Zak is a comprehensive tool and, as such, also offers other alternatives for optimized check-in management. Through the linked app, you can scan the guest’s ID and automatically enter the information into their profile, without having to type it in manually, a significant time saver for staff and for the guest waiting at the front desk.

Alternatively, hoteliers can set up paid extras of their choice on the booking page. These can also include early and late check-in (and check-out), which the hotelier can choose to promote and customize as desired: for example, they can decide to apply these options to a specific room, the entire reservation, or individual guests.

Finally, for the Italian market, the self-check-in feature is also available: Rivola App allows guests to check in completely on their own and verify their documents without going through the front desk, thereby streamlining the entire process and ensuring maximum privacy.

The check-in process can slow down operations related to guests’ arrival and their access to their rooms, leading to dissatisfaction and frustration. Management software like Zak can significantly speed up this process in many different ways: it’s ideal for meeting the needs of travelers and the preferences of property managers.