Choosing the song is all it takes or is it necessary to do something else?Designing an environmental system in a hotel may be a simpler step but it requires much more than we might think!
From Ideal to Reality:
Music, and its combination with sound equipment, makes any environment more pleasant and comfortable. Ideally, we create unique atmospheres to increase levels of satisfaction, well-being, and in some cases, customer loyalty. We can even influence their consumption through music!
After all these years in hospitality, as a guest and as an IT designer, I still hear a lot of noise, either because of the poor quality of the sound systems or because the music choice is not inappropriate to the spaces and moments of the day. There is a devaluation of the investment and lack of awareness about the potential of this auditory area.
Inconsistency in Investments:
There are incredible hotels, with huge investments in architecture and decoration, all the details seem to have been well thought out, but the reality proves that the reality is not that perfect. I’m talking about operational issues that are totally incompatible with the day-to-day life of a hotel, per example, the high maintenance costs and, of course, about the duality between having good sound system equipment and having playlists that are totally out of order or vice versa.
Your Hotel’s Music may have a negative impact:
The impression we get from entering a hotel for the first time can be negatively impacted by the music that is playing: it can be inappropriate or lack in quality. Worst case scenario: the different employees choose the musical genre according to their own taste without even think about the guests, the hotel, and its concept, if it really exists!
Let’s start at the beginning:
Designing a system for broadcasting ambient music, throughout the hotel’s various spaces, requires a 360º knowledge of the hotel’s concept (when it really exists) and the profile of the guests. It is vital to define a general genre, segmented by spaces and by periods of the day. This is the beginning of a serious work, thought out to the smallest detail.
Different Spaces / Different Heights:
Each space within the hotel has its function and personality, so the music in the lobby cannot be that same music that ate playing in the restaurant or bar, and it is not adequate for every moment of the day.
There are numerous styles of generalist music: Jazz, Chill-out, Deep House, Soul, Smooth Jazz, Neo Jazz and they are not always compatible with each other, and even less with the hotel’s concept or space. It is not enough to hire companies that provide music with copyright privileges, nor having music licenses and think that everything is done.
What do I need to do?
It is necessary to ask for specialized assistance to carry out a structured project that goes through each step of the customer’s experience, whether inside or outside the hotel unit: once the key matrix is defined, you can focus on its specific application in each part of the hotel, such as: restaurants, bars, common spaces, swimming pools, wellbeing space. The following step is the creation of the playlists for each part of the day, aligned with the Human rhythms – in the morning, afternoon, early evening, or night – music stimulates emotions, sensations and we are influenced by it. Our main goal is to create amazing experiences for the guest, ensuring their well-being and satisfaction while walking through the hotel’s spaces.
After everything is defined, it is necessary to choose the hardware – sound equipment that allows flexibility of use, space independence, special soundproofing when we have nearby spaces with different functions. Sound quality is crucial for the correct and harmonious projection of music.
We must define which ambient music zones are inside or outside the unit.
There are some basic rules that need to be considered:
- We must define which ambient music zones are inside or outside the unit.
- How many of these areas will have different audio sources and genres aligned with the unit/Brand concept
- Choose quality sound system brands in order to ensure the best return on investment and to ensure good technical assistance.
- Assess if we’ll provide a music experience in the room or if it is possible to for the guest to choose his own playlists through his devices
- Develop the audio project in accordance with the architectural project so that they can create the necessary structures during the construction or rehabilitation phase. Also important: absolute connection with the decoration project, in order to ensure the correct harmony of shapes and colors.
- Not all spaces need to have music (thankfully)! It’s not smart to promote sound saturation, for example: corridors to access rooms.
I’ve been extra careful with the choice of solution for supplying playlists, choosing solutions that give me freedom of choice not by genre, but those that allow me to define adjusted and dynamic sound atmospheres.
Rui Picão
IT Strategist Designer