Having been a journalist for 25 years and specialised in hotel business, Maria Pütz-Willems travelled the world for 16 years as a freelance journalist for leading hotel and tourism publications. Always with a certain feeling for trends and ideas and staying in permanent contact with international dialogue partners. In 2005, she launched the online magazine www.hospitaliyInside.com, a bilingual network for international hotel business.
 |
|
www -- the world-wide wind-up
I wonder if Bill Marriott, the highest man in charge of the Marriott Hotels, Kurt Ritter from Rezidor -- Radisson Hotels -- or Horst Rahe from the A-Rosa Hotels have ever tried to access the internet from one of their hotel rooms? Simply plugging in the modem cord only to realize with frustration that one is still offline? Getting even angrier because one's e-mails are invisibly piling up and one's business partners are audibly upset because one was unable to reach them for hours?
The www is a world-wide wind-up in the field of hotel business. Full-bodied promises and not much to attest to them. Problem number 1: unqualified employees. Prior to a conference in the new A-Rosa Resort in Travemuende, I call up the hotel to ask, whether the internet connection from the rooms works via an analogue connection or a broad-band unit. Naturally, I don't want to pack unnecessary cords. After five minutes in the room: What was described to me as an analogue connection is, of course, broad-band. Frustration.
Problem number 2: too many access possibilities. Two weeks later in the brand new Courtyard by Marriott in Paris-Colombe. Stressed out between official meetings, e-mails and a professional deadline, I try to quickly log in to the internet in my room. Using the infra-red keyboard, I look for the "internet" button on TV as it would be pleasant to work on the large plasma screen rather than on my small 10-inch laptop screen. The hotel wants five Euro for this service -- for 60 minutes. As I am in a hurry, the price seems right, but the whole affair is far too complicated. The built-in "mouse" is much too stiff and I can hardly move it.
So back to plan A: plugging the broadband cable into my own laptop. Now, though, I have to confirm on my screen that I am willingly logging in from my room and that I am happy to pay a flat fee of 12 Euro for 24 hours to provider Ibahn. Ok, it's working. Finally.
This evening, I am thinking about working from the stationary PCs down in the lobby., This way, I could go get a beer at the bar while at the same time watching what's going on in this really charming living-lobby and answering my e-mails. Good idea. The provider for logging into the lobby PC is the same as in my room, but: As a hotel guest, I can't log into the account "just like that" -- I have to pay again, choosing between a credit card payment and the reception's prepaid cards. 12,50 Euro for 90 minutes! I take a deep breath and register: this is the third payment and the third way of accessing the internet in this brandnew hotel!
Problem number 3: empty promises. A week later in the Radisson SAS Style Hotel in Vienna. Fun hotel in a great location, makes you feel good. The flyer on my desk has a picture of smiling CEO Kurt Ritter. He is promising "guest satisfaction". The flyer just next to it tells me everything about "free internet surfing". I plug in my broadband cable. Perfect. Nevertheless, I can't seem to get a connection. I check all the settings -- should be working. No signal, though. Call to the reception desk: the technics guy is on his way. He is not. Second call: the technics guy is currently taking luggage up to a room, he will be there in no time. Three minutes later I open the door -- a smiling Asian, speaking only (!) English. He sees what the problem is and together we unplug and replug all the cables -- he doesn't understand either. He goes and gets the hotel's cable. Plug in, pull out -- it's working! But why? This cable is just the same as my own! But here, once again, I have to confirm that I am happy to pay a flat fee of 12,50 for 24 hours.
Dear hotel owners, it is just annoying! Please refrain from making empty promises. Marketing bluffs, confusing access methods and incompetent employees are not characteristics of how to win regular guests. Nowadays, an internet connection is a must for every traveller -- a part of a mobile life that has to work without problems, just like turning on the light in the room. So when will you start thinking about free internet access and a simply access method?
Maria Pütz-Willems, ailing online editor.
|
