I’ve been busy lately writing about Wi-Fi. An article for Hospitality Upgrade to be published in a month or so and also a Wi-Fi security brief to educate front line workers on how to advise guests on accessing Wi-Fi and security issues. (Not to mention an IT assessment for a Indian Casino which included Wi-Fi)
The article started with an incident at a Marriott hotel where the employees blocked personal Mi-Fi internet hotspots from operating. Since the airspace Wi-Fi operates in is a public airspace, this is a big deal. You can’t interfere with the publics use of public airspace. Well, you can if you use it in the way it is intended like causing so much congestion and traffic that it becomes unusable. But as long a you remain in the FCC guidelines, it’s all good. But wait! The FCC has approved equipment that blocks Wi-Fi signals! Is this approval to use the technology? Well, not really…. Thus the rabbit hole got deeper and the debate gets more intense.
My educational brief was meant more for a FAQ type answer to questions like “Is your Wi-Fi secure?” or “Is you Wi-Fi able to run Netflix?”
Wi-Fi running Netflix? Well technically Wi-Fi and Netflix are Apples and Oranges. But good customer service dictates we take the question, figure out what is really being asked, and then provide an answer that the customer expects. And we want a front desk or concierge staff member to be able to do this. Luckily, they may have the same question and understand what the customer is asking but not the answer. So all that is needed, is the answer key!
Wi-Fi Internet is rising ever higher on the Maslow hierarchy of needs. Bathing and food have already dropped below it and since it’ mobile, Shelter also is below it.
So bottom line. Don’t mess with my Wi-Fi unless you like kicking the hornet’s nest. They will swarm and attack and the result will not be pretty.
(As an aside, we still have to deal with issues regarding Public Wi-Fi. Look for my Hospitality Upgrade Article for more info!)
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