And, as we know him, he will certainly also be closely observing the level of local tourism and the hotel industry. It is in hotels that he sees the greatest potential for the iNELS smart electrical installation brand, which he has represented for the last ten years and which he has supplied to dozens of Czech villas, residences, apartments, and accommodation facilities.
Why are hotels your biggest business right now?
We have two trump cards in our hands. The first is HRESK, which allows us to transform an aging hotel room into a new one in a matter of hours or days at most. This brings the hotel significant savings, usually in the tens of percent. Customers then feel like they are in completely new spaces because we can equip them with stylish elements. The second is the classic iNELS BUS – a wired solution that used to be much more expensive years ago, but thanks to a new central unit, it is now similarly affordable to wireless solutions. It is logically more robust and is particularly suitable for larger renovations or new buildings. Thanks to both types of solutions, we can guarantee a return on investment within two years in hotels. However, we usually manage to do it faster. For example, in one of our projects in Lipno, we were able to recoup the investment after just one season.
Where will such significant savings come from?
The biggest problem facing hotels today is unfilled rooms. It is said that even in good hotels or accommodation facilities, it is necessary to expect that approximately a quarter of capacity will remain unfilled. And that is, of course, also an energy problem, because it makes no sense to heat, air-condition, or light such rooms. It is not humanly possible to constantly circulate and check everything. We have decided to connect our iNELS intelligent electrical installation directly to the reservation systems. Thanks to this, we know exactly which rooms will be filled. And we can prepare them according to reservations so that the empty ones save energy and the ones that are currently reserved create ideal conditions for the guests who are arriving.
How is your solution different from the competition?
There are usually two types of companies on the market. The first are specialists in home or hotel intelligence. The second, on the other hand, are specialists in electronic products and devices. Thanks to our own production, we do both at the same time. We design, calculate, and launch smart electrical installations—and at the same time, we supply components that can refresh the interior. It may not seem like it, but this often saves money. We save time for the owner, who would normally have to talk to two different suppliers.
Is return on investment the key factor for customers, or is it more about guest comfort?
Of course, it’s both. Guests are becoming increasingly demanding, and they have the opportunity to rate and review every accommodation facility, which in turn affects the price that the accommodation provider can charge per night. Competition is growing, which is most evident at reception desks, where you are more likely to encounter a digital kiosk than a real attendant. But at the end of the day, everyone is still calculating the cost of energy. Especially at a time when we are no longer sure where the ceiling is.
What is the state of the Czech development and hotel industry today?
We are not yet where we were four or five years ago. First, we were slowed down by COVID, then by rising energy prices, and finally by high inflation and expensive mortgages. Many projects were put on hold, and only in recent months have we seen a new breath of life. Tourism has recovered more quickly, while residential construction is still waiting for even better times. For us, this is an opportunity – because savings are a big issue. And we guarantee a quick return on investment. As the classic saying goes: one year, two at most!
