The Internet of Things has become one of the most important technologies of the XNUMXst century, having burst into the daily life of consumers as well as the activity of companies.
The hotel sector is no stranger to this trend and the implementation of the IoT in hotels it only increases. However, not all hoteliers properly prepare their properties before adopting this technology. For its proper functioning, an efficient and secure network infrastructure is essential.
If you are thinking of incorporating this solution in your hotel, this article is for you! We tell you about its benefits and applications and what steps to follow before its implementation
What is the IoT?
The IoT (Internet of Things) or Internet of Things refers to a network of objects interconnected by sensors, software or other technologies that are capable of exchanging data over the Internet. These devices can range from common objects, such as thermostats or monitors, to much more sophisticated tools.
This digital system simplifies business activities and the hyperconnection it produces, involves recording and collecting huge amounts of data that can later be analyzed and processed until it provides valuable information.
IoT in companies: What previous steps must be followed for its implementation?
According to the report of Kaspersky “Pushing the limits: How to address specific cybersecurity demands and protect the IoT”, andl 64% of companies worldwide already use IoT. And it is that this technology offers numerous advantages in terms of automation, productivity and analytics.
Fundamentally, there are 5 prerequisites that must be met for the implementation of the IoT to be a success:
- Optimal network structure: The first step will be to analyze whether the existing infrastructure is adequate for communication between devices. For this, the ideal is to carry out a Site Survey, which helps to detect possible interferences or points of improvement.
- Network monitoring: Once the adequate infrastructure is secured, it is convenient to monitor the traffic that is consumed. In this way, the technical team will be able to detect problems and propose solutions.
- Study of security needs: At this point it is important to verify if the devices to be implemented allow the necessary security settings to ensure secure communication on the network.
Did you know that almost 20% of organizations have suffered cyberattacks on their IoT devices, according to Gartner.
- Integration between different devices: By definition, the IoT requires a connection in the same network between the different devices. Therefore, it is clear that these devices must have technologies that are compatible with each other.
- Correct access management: authentication and access protocols are essential, as well as implementing security factors such as double authentication, digital certificates or biometric scanners.
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4 great benefits of IoT in companies
Cost reduction
The Internet of Things helps save costs on many fronts. For starters, let anticipate equipment failure and reduce the time they are inactive. It also encourages process automation, thus eliminating repetitive tasks and allowing resources to be assigned to tasks with the highest added value. It can also help save energy costs (with smart thermostats or motion sensors), fullfilment of security requirements (through cameras with implemented notices) and even in inventory and personnel management.
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Increased
The implementation of IoT positively impacts the productivity of the company since it allows assess demand accurately make a effective reallocation of resources available, efficiently manage the different stages of the production process and reduce monotonous tasks low added value, among others.
Real-time analytics
One of the great advantages of the Internet of Things is its ability to collect large volumes of data that, after the corresponding analysis, can be of great help to understand consumer preferences and behavior.
Improved user experience
The collection of quality data about users will allow you to know them better and be able to offer them customized services that encourage upselling and cross-selling.
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IoT in hotels: main applications
The hotel industry is the sector where the use of this technology has grown the most in recent years, since hoteliers have seen in its implementation a great opportunity to improve the experience of your guests and the profitability of the business, while reinforcing their commitment to the sustainability.
Among the applications of IoT in hotels, we can highlight:
- Interactive stations: smart devices make it possible to turn existing everyday objects, such as mirrors, into interactive stations that allow guests to control basic functions in their room (such as lighting or temperature) and receive information from the hotel and destination. In this way, the implementation of a contactless experience is encouraged.
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- Smart thermostats: that allow you to adjust the temperature and turn off the system automatically when it detects that a room is empty. You can even program the air conditioning system to turn off when the guest opens the window or to raise and lower the blinds at certain times of the day to avoid unnecessary changes in the temperature of the room.
- Preventive Maintenance: sensors can be installed in rooms that, for example, notify staff when HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems) or air conditioning begin to fail and require maintenance.
- Delivery robots: a more futuristic approach that seeks to reallocate human resources to tasks with greater added value. Thanks to sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning, robots could, for example, move around the hotel facilities until they deliver an order.
How to prepare for the arrival of IoT in hospitality
To introduce this technology it is important that our strategy or digital transformation plan keep in mind a renovation of the technological infrastructure of the hotel and that includes a robust layer of ciberseguridad.
Specifically, the three basic premises for implementing the IoT in hotels are the following:
Have a GPON fiber optic infrastructure
La GPON fiber optic: This technology allows you to expand the bandwidth to each room to connect more devices to the Internet.
Having this infrastructure will be essential to be able to successfully implement the IoT, as well as other technologies such as ITPV, video surveillance and automation systems.
Implement these technologies without neglecting cybersecurity
One of the great challenges of the IoT is security. According to Kaspersky, 43% of companies do not protect their IoT infrastructure well. In addition, more than half of the companies (57%) recognize that data breaches are the main barrier to the implementation of this technology.
Implementing connected technologies requires applying additional protection barriers, since cybercriminals can attack these devices.
Introduce IoT containment technology
This technology makes IoT adoption more secure by providing three relevant benefits: it simplifies the onboarding of IoT devices, it ensures your IoT system conditions are met, and it improves overall cybersecurity.
This containment technology is based on creating logically separate environments for each group of IoT devices, even though they all share the same physical infrastructure. This way, if a security breach occurs, it cannot be broadcast outside of the container.
There is no doubt that the hotel of the future uses the IoT and that the previous preparation of your establishment is essential so that the implementation is successful and reports all the benefits that this technology offers to the hotel sector.
Cerium is your ideal partner in this process. As hotel technology integrators, with experience in the deployment of networks prepared to support IoT, We can help you introduce this solution without compromising the security of your data, thus improving the experience of your customers and reinforcing the image and competitiveness of your business. Talk later?
