Pay to see: a convenient option

By Duván Chaverra A.

It is 8 o'clock at night, after a long trip I arrive at the hotel where I will rest after fulfilling my business appointments. I check into the lobby and then go up to my room, which by the way is becoming more and more distant because of the fatigue that plagues me.

I want to arrive now, take off my shoes, lie on the bed and turn on the TV to find something to watch while my head rests on a soft pillow. When I turn it on I realize that most of the channels I see are local and some of the traditional international ones that are seen everywhere in Latin America.

After zapping all over the programming grid I craved to see a good movie. I want to look at what options there are while enjoying a good dinner and after having enjoyed a good shower.

Many may wonder why I dared to start this article in a first-person narrative way that describes the arrival of a guest at a hotel after a long journey. Perhaps this introduction closely resembles the experience of one of our readers and a similar experience may have come to mind.

But I'm not done yet, because our guest was looking for a good movie to watch but understood that to do so he had to request the pay-per-view service offered by the hotel where he is staying, a service that will be charged in the personal account at the time of leaving the establishment. After the request, our protagonist was able to observe the film with tranquility and managed to rest for the hard day of business that awaits him.

Pay to view
Many of us arrive at a hotel and on many occasions we have been limited to requesting the pay-per-view service in a hotel, sometimes due to ignorance of the cause, other times because you do not want to add more costs to your trip or simply because you are not interested in using this service.

Our topic today in this edition of the magazine HOTEL MANAGEMENT has to do with the benefits that brings for the hotel and for the guest the use of the Pay Per View or Pay per View service, which has been implemented more regularly within hotels in the world and that with the advantages and technological developments that television now has it becomes much more attractive to observe a good movie in High Definition quality through a large TV with LCD, plasma or LED technology, as the case may be.

To talk about the subject we invited an expert in the field, the person in charge of relations for Latin America of Direct TV, one of the most recognized subscription television companies in the region and that among the packages offered are also included services for hotels.

It is worth making a brief description of what the Pay to Watch system means: it is an additional service offered by subscription television operators in which the guest, in the case of hotels, can request to watch a movie or a program that is not included in the traditional package of channels. This service has an additional value.

Initially, Jason Cohen spoke about the benefits that the use of the Pay Per View system brings to both hotels and guests, highlighting the advances in image quality and storage.

According to our guest, one of the advantages that this system has for hoteliers is the ability to manage the contents that guests can observe and create a list of movies or programs that can be chosen either divided by months or by seasons.

Our guest comments that "there are many levels of service that can be offered. The owner can choose the value they will give to the films they will exhibit and has the option to select which films to provide each month. These offers can be customized by the owner or by the brand that offers the system."

But it is important to mention that a PPV system is characterized by the different additional options it provides. For example, Jason Cohen says that the brand he represents prefers a system that offers additional services.

"There are different types of PPV systems. We prefer the Guest-Tek system which has the ability to offer Pay-per-View movies, as well as all interactive features such as check-in-out, Spa programming, room service, emergency announcements, In-Home channels, and many other features."

According to the guest, a large percentage of guests staying in a hotel use television as their first means of entertainment and this leads to the systems we have mentioned being an attractive option.

"Television is the most widely used entertainment medium in a hotel. Approximately 80% of guests turn on the TV in a room during the first 20 minutes of their arrival at the property. Between 8 and 10 movies are purchased per room in a month, although the numbers may depend on the occupation of the property, "said the representative of Direct TV.

Rapid development
Finally, Jason Cohen indicated that there have been many advances in this kind of services helped by wireless technology, and that although the United States is currently the country that shows the most development, Latin America will not take long to also witness television entertainment systems.

"Really the market is developing rapidly in IPTV (IP television). The role of broadband services with High Definition content for television programming will create a new mix of technology. This will activate the hotels' television on a basic device that will deliver some local channels, making the guest live a home experience provided by web browser functions, HD content, Dolby Digital sound, a more extensive channel line, connectivity and guest services in one place, "said the guest.

And he added that "we are already moving in the USA and things are not far behind in Latin America for the new owners, who seek to serve all their customers, from the frequent business traveler to a family on vacation."