ALEXA SMART PROPERTIES

All the features of Alexa Smart Properties

Information

Alexa becomes a virtual concierge always available in the room, ready to provide useful information and innovative services to guests and staff, making the stay and property management more pleasant and convenient.

Property Information

Alexa provides guests with detailed information about the property and all available services, offering a comprehensive guide to maximize their comfort during the stay.

Local information

Alexa can assist guests by answering questions and offering advice on attractions, places to visit, restaurants, and local services. These responses are taught to Alexa by the property staff, ensuring that the voice assistant provides the same answers as the front desk.

Images

Each piece of information provided by Alexa can be accompanied by a dedicated image, enriching the content, experience, and interaction through Echo Show devices (which feature a touchscreen display).

Multilingual

Alexa can understand and respond to commands in Italian, English, French, Spanish, and German. From the control panel, or automatically via PMS integration, guests’ preferred language can be set at check-in (and changed by asking Alexa later).

Detailed Information Management

The web Control Panel allows you to input detailed content for each piece of information Alexa needs to know about the property or local services. Alexa shares this info based on the guest’s question.

General Information

Each entry requires a name, associated category, detailed description, and image. For example, this allows Alexa to answer questions like “Alexa, tell me about breakfast.”

Location

Guests may ask Alexa where a service is located. You can specify its location inside the property or provide an address (e.g., “Alexa, where’s the breakfast room?”).

Opening Hours

If a service is only available at specific times, enter this to allow Alexa to answer questions like “Alexa, what time is breakfast?”

Phone number

If a guest wants to call a department, they can ask, “Alexa, how can I contact the breakfast room?” Alexa will provide the phone number.

Price

Guests can discreetly ask Alexa about the cost of services, like “Alexa, how much is breakfast in the room?” Price details can be entered per service.

Usage Instructions

Guests may ask how to use certain devices (e.g., “Alexa, how does the coffee machine work?”).

Booking

Alexa can help guests book additional services, supporting upselling. For example, after describing room service, Alexa might ask, “Would you like to book this service?”

Requests

With Alexa, guests can request items, services, or assistance directly from their room using voice commands. This personalization enables faster service and enhances both guest experience and staff efficiency.

Items

Guests can request towels, in-room breakfast, or other items using a simple voice command.

Customizable Items & Services

The NAVOO’s Control Panel allows staff to add and customize requestable items and services for delivery to rooms, apartments, or vacation homes.

Quantity

If enabled, Alexa will ask the guest how many items they want (e.g., more than one towel).

Paid Items & Services

Alexa will inform the guest of any costs before confirming the request. Costs can vary by room type, for instance, towels might be free in Suites but cost extra in Classic rooms.

Request RecipientsRecipients of requests

Requests are sent to multiple recipients via email, SMS, or Echo devices (e.g., at the reception), with the option to route different requests to different departments.

Assistance & Maintenance

Guests can request repairs or report issues through Alexa.

Reportable Issues

You can configure which items or services guests can report as broken or in need of repair via the NAVOO’s Control Panel.

Tailored Responses

Alexa can provide prewritten responses for specific problems. For example, if the shower has no hot water, Alexa might say maintenance will fix it soon; for a TV issue, Alexa might say the request has been forwarded.

Requests Recipients

Just like guest service requests, maintenance alerts are sent to multiple recipients, including Echo devices in the maintenance office.

Front Desk Use

Installing Echo devices in the reception or staff rooms allows staff to make requests on behalf of guests using Alexa.

Authorized Devices

Certain Echo devices can be given permissions to make requests for guests. For example, staff at the front desk could say “Alexa, I need a towel,” and Alexa will ask for the room number.

Requests Recipients

As with in-room requests, these are sent to multiple recipients and can be routed by request type.

Checkout

Alexa allows guests to get information about checkout, request it from their room, or ask for a late checkout.

Checkout Info

Alexa provides information on checkout times, processes, where to leave keys, payment methods, etc., particularly helpful in B&Bs without a staffed front desk.

Checkout Preparation

Guests can ask Alexa to prepare checkout, triggering tasks like pre-billing or verifying payments.

Late Checkout

Guests can request a late checkout via Alexa. The front desk will be notified to check availability and respond accordingly.

Recipients

Checkout-related requests are routed via SMS, email, and Echo notifications to multiple staff members.

Messages

Using NAVOO’s web Control Panel, messages can be sent directly to Echo devices in guest rooms.

Types of Messages

Notifications

When a notification reaches the Echo device in the room it makes the typical sound of an incoming message. If equipped with a screen, the device will display an icon in the upper right corner. However, if the Echo device does not have a screen, it will emit a pulsing yellow light. Alexa will read the text of the received message only after hearing the phrase “Alexa, what are my notifications?” Thus, the user experience is the same as what guests are used to at home, for example, when they receive notification from Amazon of an incoming package.

Announcements

When an announcement reaches the Echo device in the room, the text of the message is read immediately by Alexa. In case of Echo Show device, which has a screen, the textual content will also be viewable. The guest does not have to take any action to hear the message, however, if they are not present in the room, they will not be able to re-listen to it.

Persistent images

Through the Control Panel, you can send Echo Show devices an image (which will go in the background) and text that will be superimposed on it automatically. When this content reaches the Echo device, no sound is played and Alexa does not read the text. The message remains on the fixed screen until the guest taps an appropriate button to close the message.

Immediate Alerts

It is a very particular type of announcement. When sent, the Echo device is automatically set to maximum volume, and the announcement is read 5 times at 30-second intervals. It can be used to support communication, in situations where very urgent alerts need to be given to guests (note: Alexa Smart Properties cannot be used as an alarm or emergency system).

Management & Customization

Instant Send

Once created in the Control Panel, a message can be sent instantly to selected rooms—ideal for quick updates like confirming breakfast is on its way.

Scheduled Send

Messages can be created in advance and scheduled for delivery, perfect for confirming bookings or sending morning greetings.

Recurring Send

Hosting poolside drinks every Wednesday? You can schedule weekly messages with set days and times.

Room Selection

Messages can be sent to one or multiple rooms. In rooms with multiple Echo devices, the message is delivered to all of them.

Messages with Buttons

Messages can include multiple sections of text (of a predefined maximum length) and be displayed sequentially on Echo Show screens.

Buttons can be added, each with a label indicating the action. Buttons can trigger any supported function, e.g., book a service, request not to be disturbed, decline housekeeping, etc., without speaking to Alexa.
These messages can be sent instantly or scheduled and targeted to specific or all rooms. They can be used, for example, to upsell, suggest bookable services, ask if you would like not to be disturbed or for the room not to be cleaned, etc..

This offers guests an additional way to interact with the system, making the most of the Echo Show’s touchscreen capabilities.

Templates

Each message can be sent to a single room or to multiple rooms at once. In rooms with more than one Echo device, the message will be delivered to all devices in that room.

Marketing

With Alexa, it’s possible to promote the facility’s services, suggest activities, and understand guests’ needs, thus increasing upselling and improving the quality of service.

Auto-Rotating Screens

The rotating screens displayed on Echo Show devices are a valuable promotional tool. Through images and text, guests can be guided on how to use Alexa, discover hotel services and products, and the content can be fully managed and updated independently via NAVOO’s web Control Panel.

A constantly updated virtual showcase that provides guests with information even when they’re not actively using Alexa.

Information and Suggestions

The marketing screens provide an opportunity to guide new guests on how to use Alexa, explain its features, and suggest common voice commands. For example, they can offer information about the facility, suggest attractions and external services, or explain how to request in-room items and services. The screens rotate automatically, alternating with local weather forecasts.

Upselling

With marketing screens, the facility can discreetly and elegantly present available services and ongoing promotions, encouraging guests to ask Alexa for more details. All information is always accessible, and every doubt can be resolved directly from the room, supporting the sale of additional services and increasing upselling opportunities.

Feedback

Through interaction with Alexa, guests can provide feedback, enabling quick and interactive detection of satisfaction levels and reasons. Instant notifications sent to the staff allow for timely intervention while the guest is still on-site.

More Features

In addition to being a virtual concierge, Alexa is also useful for offering entertainment, music, news, weather forecasts, and much more.

Useful Tools

Alarm Clock

With Alexa, there is no need to purchase alarm clocks or ask reception staff to handle wake-up calls. Guests can independently set alarms and timers directly from their rooms.

Bluetooth Speaker

Alexa easily connects via Bluetooth to guests’ devices, allowing them to play their own music in just a few simple steps.

Information Services

Traffic

Guests can ask, for example,
“Alexa, how’s the traffic to the airport?”.

Alexa knows the location of the facility and can provide real-time traffic information.

Weather

Alexa provides weather forecasts for the current location (“Alexa, what’s the weather?”) or for other locations (“Alexa, what’s the weather in Venice tomorrow?”), helping guests plan their activities accordingly. On Echo Show devices, weather forecasts also appear automatically among the rotating screens.

News

Alexa can provide up-to-date news at any time. Without turning on the TV or searching for a news app on their smartphone, guests can say
“Alexa, what’s the news?”
and listen while unpacking or getting ready for dinner.

Entertainment

Radio and Music

Alexa can play major radio stations and music streaming channels for free. No need to link a personal account, just say, “Alexa, play the radio”, o “Alexa, play Radio Monte Carlo” o “Alexa, play classical music”.

Games and other Skills

Via the NAVOO web Control Panel, Alexa “apps” (called “skills”) can be activated. Many games are available, entertaining guests of all ages through voice interaction. Other skills guide users through physical exercises, relaxation, and more! These apps are free for both the hotel and its guests.

Video calls

This feature is only available for facilities involved in personal care, such as nursing homes or assisted living centers.

Alexa allows guests to communicate with the outside world via video calls on Echo devices, enjoying quality audio and video by simply saying: “Alexa, call my sister”

Calls can only be made to other Alexa devices (Echo or Alexa app on smartphones), and only outgoing calls are allowed, preventing unwanted incoming calls.

Housekeeping

Alexa provides essential support in the housekeeping area, offering useful features for both staff and guests.

Staff Support

Alexa removes the need for paper notes or constant phone calls between floor staff and the front desk. With simple phrases like “Alexa, the room is clean” or “Alexa, the room is ready,” staff can update room status in real-time and notify their colleagues.

The front desk can instantly see the status of rooms, speeding up the check-in process for new guests.

Room Status notification

Staff can inform Alexa when a room has been cleaned and then when it has been inspected by the housekeeping manager. There’s no need to mention the room number, Alexa knows the location. This avoids communication errors, and the room’s status is updated in real-time in the NAVOO’s Control Panel.

Integration with PMS and Other Software

NAVOO already integrates with various PMS systems and other software. Room status can be automatically updated in the PMS after a voice command is given by staff. For some PMS systems, the reverse function is also available: staff can ask, “Alexa, which rooms do I need to clean?” and the PMS will relay this to Alexa, enhancing productivity and efficiency. For staff-only features, Alexa requires a password to avoid use by guests.

Guest Features

Additional Cleaning Request

If enabled in the Control Panel, guests can request additional cleaning via Alexa. The request is sent directly to relevant staff (via SMS, email, and Echo device notifications).

Do Not Clean Request

Alternatively, guests may request no cleaning, for privacy reasons or environmental concerns. These requests are also sent directly to staff through Alexa.

Management

Using the NAVOO web Control Panel, staff can fully and independently manage the entire Alexa system. They can monitor interaction volume, respond to requests, analyze data, and optimize the guest experience with Alexa.

Rooms

Creation and Management

Each Echo device must be assigned to a room or space in the property. In a hotel, for example, all rooms can be created in the Control Panel. In other types of accommodations (like apartments or vacation homes), individual rooms can be created and linked to Echo devices.

Room Types

Rooms can be grouped by type (standard, classic, deluxe, suite, family suite, etc.), allowing for settings and features to be applied across similar room types.

Specific Skills

Skills (Alexa apps) can be activated uniformly across all rooms or tailored for specific ones. For instance, a home automation skill might only be relevant in certain suites.

Echo Devices

Association

The administrator can add Echo devices and assign them to rooms via the Control Panel. A room can have multiple Echo devices, but each device can belong to only one room.

Status

The Control Panel shows which devices are online (powered and connected to Wi-Fi) and which are offline (disconnected or turned off).

Settings

Each Echo device can have settings modified at any time: language, units of measure, default radio station, max volume, etc. Settings can be adjusted manually via the console, automated via PMS integration, or changed by voice by the guest or staff.

End-of-Stay Reset

At the end of a stay, devices can be reset to their initial state, ready for the next guest. The reset clears unread messages, alarms, and more. All devices in the same room are reset simultaneously. Reset can be done by voice, via the control panel, or through PMS integration.

Users

Creation

The Control Panel administrator can independently create and manage user access for one or more properties.

Roles and Permissions

Each user can be assigned specific roles with different access levels and editing capabilities.

Change Tracking

All changes made to Alexa content and functionality are tracked, allowing administrators to see who made which changes and when.

Analytics

Using NAVOO’s Control Panel, guest and staff interactions with Alexa can be monitored, offering a clear overview of how the voice assistant is used.

Volume

Each interaction is a dialogue between a person and Alexa. You can filter and group interaction counts by date, identify peak usage days, and see which rooms generate the most interactions.

Types

It’s also possible to analyze the types of requests, both by category and by specific information requested. This reveals the most needed guest information and the most used features.

Guests vs. Staff

The system distinguishes between interactions from guests and staff, making it easier to assess the impact on daily operations and management.

Integrations

PMS, Software, and Apps

NAVOO’s Alexa Smart Properties system is already integrated with several major PMS systems and other tools used by staff and hosts. Integration with other systems not yet supported can be requested. Note: connecting Alexa to a PMS is not mandatory.

Home Automation

“Alexa, turn off all the lights”,
“Alexa, I’m hot”, guests can make the same voice commands they use at home in the hotel room or B&B. Voice control for home automation depends on the provider used.

TVs

“Alexa, turn on the TV”,
“Alexa, turn down the volume of the TV”, and other commands can be used without needing a remote control. Availability of these features depends on the TV model installed in the room.

video guides

Watch the videos!

Discover how to provide information, entertainment, and services to guests and staff!