August 1, 2021 / Knitec Enterprises, Kayla Gephart

Upgrading your guestroom televisions is an investment. Here are tips to make sure you’re getting the best possible price on your next Hospitality TV order.

Buy from a Reseller

Expert Hospitality Technology Resellers have an eagle-eye view of the Hospitality Television market. For major brands like Samsung and LG, Resellers know which models are end-of-life (EOL), which are set to have price increases/decreases, and which manufacturers are running promotions. They can give you a variety of quotes for comparable models without manufacturer bias so you can pick the most cost effective option while making sure you’re getting the features you want.

Double-Check Your Hotel Brand Standards

If you’re a branded hotel, clarify the required features for your guest room televisions as opposed to immediately purchasing the exact TV model they recommend. Some brands will suggest a TV model that is above and beyond (ie - more expensive) than they intend because they don’t know all of the available models on the market. A true Hospitality Technology Expert will be up-to-date on the major hotel brand standards and can help you satisfy your standards and stay on budget.

Consider Must-Have vs Nice-To-Have Features

Some Hospitality TV features -- like bLAN, Pro:Idiom, and LYNK -- are critical to ensuring your TV works with your Hotel’s infrastructure. Other features might “wow” guests, but can also bump up the budget. For instance, SMART TVs aren’t without benefits, but they’re significantly more expensive than their non-SMART counterparts and can cause issues without the proper hotel infrastructure. Decide which features your Hospitality TVs absolutely must have versus those that you’d consider if budget allows.

Buy Extra

Although it may seem like the opposite of cost savings at first glance, purchase a few extra televisions when placing a large guestroom TV order. No matter how carefully the Televisions are packaged and shipped, these complex electronics can get damaged in transit. And even though you may be able to exchange a damaged TV, it could take a few days to get to you, leaving you with an unrentable room. Similarly, when a TV inevitably malfunctions, you’ll be able to swap it from your stock without downtime, saving you time, aggravation, and money.

Buy Now

For the last decade, Hospitality Television prices have gradually decreased. However, supply chain restraints and increased demand have caused significant increases in prices over the last year -- a trend that is unfortunately anticipated to continue well into 2022. All sales tactics aside: customers that place their orders today will enjoy better pricing than customers that place their orders in October. If you have a Hospitality Television project on the horizon, secure a quote (with a clearly defined expiration date!) sooner rather than later.