By Gifford Lee in Surfers Paradise
Foxtel Business believes guest satisfaction and the ability for operators to differentiate from their competitors will be greatly enhanced after the subscription television provider launched its premium service for the accommodation sector at The Wave Resort on the Gold Coast this week.
The provider can now offer its full consumer services to accommodation providers and their guests alike with its Platinum Package, which delivers the likes of 112 channels, High Definition and the ability to pause, rewind and record via its iQ set top boxes that are in each room.
Foxtel’s Head of Business Sales, Raelene Smethurst, said providers could now deliver a superior entertainment product to a more discerning public.
“Previously we could only offer a limited amount of Foxtel channels in our accommodation package and our hotel customers’ feedback was their guests’ expectation is to have the same or better experience available in-room as to what they have at home,” she said.
“Now with a full suite of channels across all genres and the convenience of the iQ recorder, hotel guests can find something to watch at any time.
Foxtel’s National Sales Manager, Commercial, Daniel Gardiner, said the familiar technology would benefit guests as much as the providers.
“Seven million Australians use this technology every day,” he said.
“They know it’s easy to use, they know they won’t get lost and, for a hotel operator, that’s the best thing because you don’t want to have to educate people on how it works. The guest simply presses a button and it starts.
“Guests lead busy lifestyles, because of reasons like business or family, and they are not always in their rooms when the shows they want to see are on. But with this technology, they can record anything they want and watch it when they want. That is a very big selling tool for places like The Wave Resort.”
The Wave Resort, which is part of the Icon Resort Apartments Group that also owns five other Gold Coast accommodation properties, is now a Foxtel Platinum Partner and is the first large apartment resort on the Gold Coast to install 92 in-room iQ set top boxes.
Icon is rolling out Foxtel’s Platinum iQ service across the entire group, covering over 750 apartments.
The Wave Resort’s reservations manager, Karen Young, said Foxtel’s new offering gives her customers better variety and flexibility while on holiday or during business trips.
“It’s a home-away-from-home for our guests now. They expect the creature comforts of home,” she said.
“Just last week I had a gentleman staying who said ‘I need my footy’ and with the new Foxtel product I can offer that to him via the Fox Footy channel.
“I believe it’s the best service we offer at The Wave now.”
Pictured above: Foxtel talent and staff, including Foxtel national sales manager Daniel Gardiner (centre), and members of staff from The Wave Resort