Since then, they have remembered the date with fabulous meals and service that has more than made up for any problem in the past. They ask if she wants to stay in the same room she did last time. They always serve her burgers well-done, the way she likes them. Because they collect data on their guests' every preference. Everything from your shoe size to your husband's name could end up in a property's computer database.
Hotels use the system to pre-empt a guest's needs and to predict demand for rooms.
I had the opportunity to take a look at one hotel's guest database recently, and what I found was surprising and a little disturbing. The property, which let me into its back office under the condition that I wouldn't use its name, is part of an international chain. When you check in, the system clues in the hotel staff from the get-go. It instantly reveals details about your room preference, the newspaper you want delivered in the morning, what kind of room service breakfast you prefer. Personal things that you don't want broadcast through the hotel.