Holidays give us a chance to reset and reconnect with our friends, family and most importantly, ourselves. Vacations give us a break from work life, it’s important that we aren’t disconnected entirely.
While being contactable is important for emergencies, staying in touch to let people know how much fun you’re having on social media, streaming something to calm the kids after a hectic day, or even just staying connected and on top of work to mitigate the chance of any surprises happening when you get home, is important. So, a break is good but broken connectivity can be really frustrating.
I experienced this first hand on my recent holiday in Turkey, where I rapidly realised the importance of staying connected while being away. The hotel I stayed at, while lovely with great amenities, failed to keep me and my young family connected. As a business owner and as a Dad, this presented some serious annoyances, from not being able to check in with my team, to having to tell my daughter there would be no ‘Operation Ouch’ before bedtime.
The WiFi wasn’t at the level expected for a hotel that prides itself on giving guests the best possible experience. While the experience was nice at the hotel, it didn’t help me when it came to staying connected to the world outside its walls.
I recently discovered that I’m not alone. 80% of travellers said that internet access is crucial when they’re away according to Statista. This even beat accessible rooms and room service (52% and 48% respectively) when it came to necessary services, which adds evidence to how important connectivity is when away.
For the hospitality industry, keeping guests connected is important, not just to allow people to stay in touch with life and work back home, but also to give guests the opportunity to talk about where they’re staying – if the connectivity isn’t reliable, then no one is able to post on social media about the pool, or update work colleagues on the joys of answering emails in the sun. There’s also the potential that if your guest WiFi isn’t up to snuff, the business WiFi isn’t either, which can impact everything from card payments to stock control systems.
Have you had bad experiences abroad on holiday when it comes to staying connected? Getting away is nice but going on holiday shouldn’t mean being isolated from home and work completely if we don’t want to be. That’s why, when I got home, I decided to make it a personal mission to fix poor internet at hotels across the UK.
Amtech has already helped hospitality businesses to stay on top of their connectivity, so that they and their guests can enjoy reliable internet that doesn’t get in the way of the day-to-day running or a wonderful time away. We’re even sorting out the WiFi at a local pub of the UK’s favourite royals. Ask us today for more information on what’s possible and to book a free site survey.
