Departure pilot

While working at Premier Inn, we wanted to improve the guest departure experience by rethinking how guests checked out of the hotel and left feedback. The traditional check-out process was cumbersome, and guests often skipped leaving feedback due to the inconvenience. In addition, housekeeping didn’t have visibility on who had checked out, so were cleaning rooms at random. I was tasked with designing a solution that would streamline the departure process, blending physical and digital elements to create a seamless, efficient experience.

My task was to develop a new check-out system that incorporated both physical interaction points and digital feedback loops. This involved:

• Observing and mapping the existing customer journey to identify friction points in the departure process.

• Studying the housekeeping process to understand how they worked.

• Working with industrial designers to create a physical departure kiosk that guests could use to check out and leave feedback efficiently.

• Ensuring that the design maintained brand consistency and aligned with Premier Inn’s customer service goals.​

The project involved a combination of UX, industrial design, and iterative prototyping, moving between digital interfaces and physical installations

​

1. Mapping the Customer Journey:

   • User Journey Analysis: I began by mapping the customer journey, focusing on how guests interacted with the hotel from check-in through to departure. I identified key pain points, such as long lines at reception during check-out and low engagement with traditional feedback forms. The goal was to make the departure process smoother while encouraging guests to leave feedback.

   • Service Analysis: I looked at the housekeeping service and how they accessed information about guest departures.

   • Physical and Digital Touchpoints: I looked at the interaction between digital and physical spaces, recognising that guests needed an easy way to engage with both. This helped shape the decision to create a physical departure kiosk that would link to Premier Inn’s digital systems for feedback collection.

2. Initial Ideas & Industrial Design:

   • Brainstorming & Concept Development: I generated initial ideas for how a departure kiosk could function within the hotel lobby. I collaborated with an industrial design team to sketch out early concepts of the physical kiosk, focusing on how guests would physically interact with it, from inserting room cards to providing quick feedback.

   • Digital Integration: Alongside the physical design, I developed the digital interface guests would use on the kiosk. The interface needed to be simple, allowing guests to check out and leave feedback with minimal friction. I focused on creating an intuitive, responsive UI that would work seamlessly with the physical design.

3. Industrial Design Iterations:

   • Physical Prototyping: Working with the industrial design team, we iterated on the physical design of the kiosk. We created sketches and MDF models to test ergonomics, ensuring that the kiosk was easy to use for guests of all heights and physical abilities. The industrial design process was crucial to making the interaction feel natural and efficient.

   • Feedback Loops: I integrated feedback collection directly into the kiosk, making it easy for guests to rate their stay with a simple touch interface. The feedback system was linked to Premier Inn’s digital platform, ensuring that guest responses were collected in real time for further analysis.

4. Design Iterations & Prototyping:

   • Mid-Fidelity Prototypes: I developed mid-fidelity prototypes of both the physical and digital elements, testing them with staff and guests to gather initial feedback. The focus was on ensuring that the physical kiosk was easy to interact with, while the digital interface was clear and intuitive.

   • Refining the Interaction: Based on user feedback, I refined both the physical and digital design. This included adjusting the height of the kiosk for accessibility, adding clear visual cues on where to insert room cards, and simplifying the digital feedback form to make it quicker to complete.

5. Final Design & Implementation:

   • Physical Installation: The final design of the kiosk was sleek and modern, aligning with Premier Inn’s brand. The physical design included a touch screen, card reader, and subtle branding elements. The industrial design team ensured that the materials used were durable and could withstand heavy use in a hotel lobby environment.

   • Digital Interface: The digital interface allowed guests to complete check-out and leave feedback within minutes. The interface was designed to be responsive and fast, providing real-time updates to the hotel’s system. Guests could check out with just a few taps, and the feedback process was simplified to encourage higher participation.​

One of the key challenges was ensuring the physical kiosk would work well in a busy hotel lobby. The design needed to be robust enough to handle frequent use while also being intuitive and quick to interact with. Balancing the aesthetic design with functional ergonomics was critical to the success of the project. Additionally, the digital interface needed to integrate seamlessly with the physical design to create a cohesive experience, both in terms of user flow and technical implementation.

• Increased Feedback Collection: The new kiosk design led to a 15% increase in feedback submissions. Guests found it easier and quicker to leave feedback before departing, with one guest noting, “It’s great that I don’t have to fill out a long form—I can just tap and go.”

• Improved Check-Out Experience: The streamlined check-out process reduced queue times at reception by 20%, as more guests used the kiosk instead of waiting in line. This improved overall guest satisfaction, as check-out became a more efficient and stress-free part of their stay.

• Positive Reception of Industrial Design: The physical kiosk was well-received by both guests and staff. One staff member commented, “It blends in really well with the lobby and makes it easier for us to manage check-outs without a bottleneck.”

• Brand Alignment: The design maintained Premier Inn’s brand values, with the kiosk fitting seamlessly into the hotel environment. The blend of digital and physical design ensured that the solution was both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

By integrating industrial design with digital UX, I helped Premier Inn create a departure experience that was smooth, efficient, and aligned with their brand. The project successfully bridged the gap between physical and digital interactions, improving the guest experience while collecting valuable feedback for the business.