One of the key technological services for the hotel industry is WiFi networks. Many hotels still have major deficiencies that affect the quality of the network, its security, and the experience of guests or clients. Furthermore, they do not make the most of a service that can become a powerful loyalty and sales tool.
What is the usual situation of the WiFi networks of many hospitality businesses?
- Open networks without access control
Offering WiFi through a public password does not ensure regulatory compliance with the Data Protection Law (LOPD). On the other hand, offering the network in this way does not create a good experience for the guest, who perceives it as unsafe and unreliable.
- Very limited security measures
In addition to having tools that offer access under registration, there are also deficiencies in important measures such as:
- Strengthen communications encryption, typically WEP and WPA. If this encryption is not robust, any hacker can access the password and see all the traffic generated from a device, activating possible fraud.
- Implement an Acceptable Use Policy, which allows confirming that users will comply with the Internet use rules defined by the company. This protects both the customer and the hotel chain itself against misuse of the network.
- Implement firewalls that track staff activity, and keep a record of individual user activity and their web browsing.
- Problems arising from poor installation
Oversized networks or networks planned without a study of the real density of users connected to the network; coverage problems due to poor calculation and location of Access Points or WiFi Access Points or a poorly configured network, with interference problems between signals or without data consumption monitoring or filters.
- Networks that do not take advantage of the advantages of WiFi marketing
WiFi marketing turns a customer WiFi hotspot into an automated marketing platform. The establishment provides WiFi and, in exchange, highly valuable data is obtained that allows us to know customer profiles and activate marketing and loyalty actions.
How to turn a WiFi network into a more secure and higher-quality capture tool
To provide an agile response to these common problems in the WiFi networks of establishments with a large volume of accesses and with very sensitive data; For both business and clients, there is a very interesting tool: a hotspot captive portal.
What is a captive portal or WiFi hotspot?
It is a tool that allows you to control and manage access to WiFi networks through an authentication process or login portal. Through this system, it is possible to capture information about users in exchange for enabling access to a secure and quality WiFi network.
How does a hotspot captive portal work?
The operation of a hotspot captive portal includes the following steps:
- Login portal with an authentication process: First of all, when the user accesses the Internet, they are redirected to an access portal or login where they will find the steps they must follow to enjoy Internet access. Accessing even through their social profiles.
- Landing page
After completing registration, these tools allow the business to choose where to direct the customer once they connect. It can be the website or a specific landing page where you can promote services or promotions. This is a very attractive option to improve the upselling of each client.
- Integration with marketing automation tools
Finally, the captive portal is integrated with marketing automation tools such as Mailchimp to activate personalized communications with the guest that help improve their experience at the hotel from the first minute.
Advantages of a WiFi hotspot for hotels and hospitality businesses
- Improves marketing and loyalty actions and reduces intermediation
It helps businesses obtain more and better data, but also to be able to agilely integrate it with other tools or software such as PMS, loyalty programs, email sending or automation, etc.
- Improve database segmentation
Update information in real-time and integrate useful data for the marketing team (city, reason for travel, age, services of interest…)
- Improves control over access to our WiFi network
With this control, the hotel can carry out maintenance and optimization actions on its WiFi network.
- Regulatory compliance is required for WiFi networks in tourist establishments
Add a layer of security to your WiFi network for the prevention and detection of cyber attacks.
As you can see, the hotspot portal tool is ideal for turning WiFi networks into safer and more efficient marketing tools.
At iDNSportal, we have the most advanced and secure WiFi hotspots in the hospitality sector. With this solution, we manage to improve network security, by blocking access to unauthorized devices and identifying connected users. It also allows control of connections and their consumption, including blocking users or devices.
Finally, its integration with business management and marketing tools helps reinforce direct sales and the customer loyalty strategy. All of this allows the establishment to improve the guest experience and the competitiveness of the business.
