Bartech's customised in-room minibar PoS solutions lead to increased hotel guest satisfaction

Sponsored article: Hospitality's leading provider of automated minibar technology credited by customers for refining the contactless, convenient experiences that guests now expect.

London UK 2021 — Bartech, the leader in automatic minibar solutions for the global hospitality industry, has been recognised by its hotel clients around the world for increasing guest satisfaction with its extensive line of minibars and in-room point-of-sale (POS) solutions. Along with providing an alternate source of revenue and meeting guest needs, Bartech's flexible and innovative solutions are designed to maximise guest satisfaction with the following methods.

Convenience

With one-third of guests consuming from the minibar, the convenience of minibars makes it an essential amenity for hoteliers seeking to provide a high-quality experience. Offering a wide variety of in-room F&B options gives guests a quick and easy choice, and when everything else is closed, the minibar is always available to meet guest needs. Tired guests can indulge in a snack or a drink without stepping out of their room, eliminating the need to go the nearest bar or convenience store, or even to wait for room service.

Additionally, guests can enjoy consuming from the minibar at price points similar to the prices of similar items found at other hotel outlets, such as hotel restaurants, bars, and quick shops, without the added effort from guests. While providing guests with minibar choices increases their satisfaction, its stream of revenue does not impact alternative revenue sources but instead works to complement them by creating a distinctly unique in-room experience that through its instant service advantage, ensures enhanced value.

Products Stocked

Three quarters of global travelers indicate that their purchasing choices will be influenced by how the world around them is changing, according to a report by GlobalData. To understand and meet a guest's minibar expectations, Bartech tailors their solutions as the market changes.

"Providing guests with the food and beverages they would stock in their own household increases their satisfaction by creating an ultimate home-like experience," said Craig Kinninmonth, Business Development Director UK, Ireland & Mainland Europe of Sales at Bartech. "We are delighted that our advanced minibar solutions, which provide customers with the means to automatically manage inventory levels and adjust their offerings to meet guest needs, have helped hoteliers provide the most comfortable experience for their guests by offering instant access to items that are vital to perceptions of an ideal stay."

Minibar usage data reveals that consumption rate of caffeinated beverages between 8am and 10am, not only pointing to the convenience of utilising minibars when guests are tired, but also allowing for hoteliers to properly adjust their offerings to suit guest needs. For example, Diet Coke has been found to be a best seller item, but with a shelf-life of 3-4 months, its inventory must be frequently checked, and guests may be dissatisfied to find an expired product in their minibars. Bartech's automatic minibars can fully sidestep this issue by routinely alerting staff to any products with approaching expiration dates. With Bartech's BarTouch Cloud solution, hotels with manual minibars can also track inventory levels and issue restock requests using any smart device. Guests can rest assured that their minibars will always be fully stocked with fresh products.

High-end properties have begun offering a highly curated selection of products in their minibars. As guests increasingly expect and enjoy a wide variety of products, Bartech's expansive product offerings ensure that hoteliers can meet this need.

Bartech's eTray solution, an innovative platform that allows hoteliers to sell non-refrigerated products in the guestroom without the need for an existing minibar, offers full wireless operating abilities using a module that is directly integrated into the solution's electronics. Bartechs eDrawer, C32 and DD46 automatic minibars, offer fully customisable design, along with a choice of three methods of central server communication between the minibars and hotel's property management system.

Contactless Experience

Bartech's minibar and software solutions are further credited with addressing guest expectations for minimised contact with hotel staff or with shared surfaces. Bartech's automatic minibars feature infrared, magnetic or micro-switch sensor technology, which automatically updates the guest's bill when items are removed while ensuring that guests are not accidentally charged for items that a previous guest consumed. By providing real-time updates on minibar consumption and inventory levels, Bartech minibars notably eliminate unnecessary visits by staff to individual guestrooms which may represent a germ exposure risk. After an item is removed and the guest is billed, employees can be automatically directed to restock and sanitize minibar units and merchandise once a guest checks out. Thanks to Bartech's fully comprehensive remote minibar operation abilities, hotels also don't have to worry about faulty minibars, as Bartech's proactive system updates the performance status of each in-room bar in real-time.

All Bartech minibar solutions provide hoteliers with full customisation capabilities in order to adapt to any specific need or guestroom design. This includes being made available in virtually any size, colour and finish along with the option of implementing the solution with glass and leather.

Bartech's Minibar+ solution, a "plug and play" platform that is available as a downloadable application, can likewise minimise close contact between hotel staff and guests for properties equipped with manual minibar operations. Using a mobile device, employees can sidestep the need to enter guestrooms to control minibar functions such as the adjusting of temperature. Thanks to the open-door detection, employees will know in advance if minibars need cleaning and restocking. Minibar+ can also be used to remotely lock and unlock minibars depending on the guest profiles.

Guestroom centric guests will expect more from your in-room F&B offering:

• No PMS Interface
• No Licence Fee

Now is the time to create a guestroom-based profit centre

Seamlessly convert Bartech manual minibars to intelligent functionality and benefit from:

• Centralised operation
• Staff Efficiency
• Enhanced safety

For more information about Bartech's comprehensive range of automatic minibar solutions, please contact Craig Kinninnmonth, e:ckinninmonth@bartech.com or or visit www.bartech.com.