The mobile key allows hotels to send keys prior to arrival, enabling our clients to inform guests about mobile access at the property and, if applicable, offer a "Skip The Desk" scenario to its guests. It works best when you regularly include guests' email addresses when booking reservations.
How does it work?
PMS Integrations allow your hotel's reservations to be communicated to OpenKey. These arrivals are stored in the COMMUNICATIONS tab of OpenKey HOST under "Reservations." If your hotel has opted to activate Pre-Arrival Emails via OpenKey, our platform will automatically send out a personalized email and text message to each guest with an email address and phone number on file, 24 hours prior to arrival time.
Reservations can be found in the Communications Tab of OpenKey HOST. The Send Pre Arrival Automatically must be checked.
These emails allow guests to provide their mobile numbers prior to arrival.
Guests are encouraged to download the app prior to arrival, but they will not have access to their guest room or any common access areas until a Hotel Team Member issues their mobile key.
OpenKey HOST - Anytime a guest submits pre-arrival confirmation, the Front Desk will receive a notification via email and the guest's information will appear in HOST in the GUEST tab under CHECK-IN CONFIRMATIONS. At this point, the Hotel Team Member can review the guest's reservation to determine if they qualify for Skip The Desk.
*We suggest the Management Team create and enforce a list of rules to determine eligibility for this option. Be sure to address payment verification requirements, if you require the guest to have booked directly versus through an OTA like Expedia or Booking.com, if you require the guest to have stayed at the property previously, etc.*
If the guest is eligible for Skip the Desk, proceed through the regular check-in process via the hotel's PMS. Do not check the guest in through OpenKey HOST. If you check the guest in via HOST before processing their arrival in the PMS, the guest will receive duplicate notifications and have to re-download their key once checked into the PMS.
*As a reminder, you can still issue plastic keys along with mobile, as long as you follow the proper procedure laid out by your lock manufacturer. Find out more about how to issue both mobile keys and plastic keys for the same reservation here.*
The benefit of using OpenKey's pre-arrival email is two-fold:
- It gives guests an opportunity to verify or add their mobile phone number and send it back to OpenKey. If their phone number in the reservation is incorrect or missing entirely and Automated Key Delivery is enabled, the mobile key will automatically be issued to the phone number they provide even if it hasn't been updated in the PMS.
- The average consumer needs to view a message 5-9 times before they absorb it. OpenKey's pre-arrival email gives your guests one more opportunity for the message that the mobile key is available to sink in.