ENHANCING CUSTOMER DELIGHT THROUGH IOT-DRIVEN INNOVATIONS: A STUDY OF SMART HOSPITALITY PRACTICES IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

Abstract

With the fast-changing face of the hospitality sector, the Internet of Things (IoT) has appeared as a disruptive force, remaking service provisioning and guest experience. This research explores how innovations driven by IoT are maximizing delight for customers by embracing intelligent hospitality practices in contemporary hotels. The study looks at prominent IoT uses like smart automation of rooms, voice-based services, energy management based on sensors, predictive maintenance, and instant guest feedback mechanisms. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research gathers information from hotel guests and management in selected city hotels that are renowned for adopting smart technologies. The results point out that IoT solutions greatly enhance comfort, personalization, responsiveness, and efficiency, thus enhancing the overall guest experience. Customers are more satisfied when they engage with intuitive technologies that sense needs and offer seamless service. In addition, the research observes that IoT not only improves the quality of services but also promotes sustainable behavior by minimizing energy and resource usage. Despite these benefits, issues such as data privacy, high upfront costs, and technical integration are still major issues. This study adds to the expanding smart hospitality literature base by offering practicable recommendations to hoteliers willing to adopt IoT technologies to realize customer delight, operational excellence, and sustainable competitive advantage.