What happens when digital check-in fails? Your front desk needs clear SOPs for missing IDs, split payments, early arrivals, and room changes.
.webp)
What happens when digital check-in fails? Your front desk needs clear SOPs for missing IDs, split payments, early arrivals, and room changes.
You rolled out self check-in systems. Guests love it. Your staff loves it.
Then a guest shows up at 10 AM without an ID. Another one completed mobile check-in but now wants to split the bill three ways. Someone else checked in online for Room 302, but now they need an accessible room on the ground floor.
Digital check-in works beautifully until it doesn't.
And when it breaks, your front desk needs to know exactly what to do.
This guide covers the real exceptions that happen every day with hotel check-in systems and how your team should handle each one without slowing down operations or frustrating guests.
Most hotels see 60 to 80 percent completion rates on pre-arrival check-in.
That sounds good until you realize it means 20 to 40 percent of your arrivals still need manual processing.
Even guests who complete online check-in sometimes show up with requests that require human intervention.
Here's what actually happens:
A guest completes contactless check-in on their phone at 8 PM the night before. They upload their ID. They add a credit card. Everything looks perfect in your system.
Then they arrive at noon and ask to add their spouse to the reservation. Now you need to collect a second ID and update the registration card.
Or they completed WhatsApp hotel check-in but their payment didn't go through. Your system sent them a link, but they ignored it. Now they're standing at your desk.
Digital check-in reduces work. It doesn't eliminate exceptions.
Your front desk needs clear protocols for every common failure point.
Without them, your staff makes inconsistent decisions. One agent waives an ID requirement. Another refuses. One agent manually processes a split payment. Another tells the guest it's impossible.
This creates confusion for guests and frustration for staff.
This is your most common exception.
You send pre-arrival messaging. You remind them twice. They still show up without completing mobile check-in.
Do you make them complete it at the desk on their phone?
Do you complete it for them on your terminal?
Do you skip it entirely and process them manually?
For properties under 50 rooms:
Process them manually at the desk. It's faster than walking them through the mobile flow while other guests wait.
Collect their ID. Take a card imprint. Have them sign the reg card. Move on.
For properties over 50 rooms:
Have them complete self-check-in on the hotel kiosk in your lobby.
Your staff should guide them through the first few steps, then step back. This keeps your desk clear for actual exceptions.
If you don't have a kiosk, process them manually but track the reason they didn't complete pre-arrival check-in in your system notes.
Common reasons guests skip online check-in:
This data helps you identify patterns. If 30 percent of your guests can't upload their ID from mobile, your digital check-in system has a technical issue you need to fix.
This is where most front desk agents freeze.
The guest completed self-check-in systems perfectly. But when they arrive, their ID is expired. Or they forgot it entirely.
Your SOP must be explicit here.
Accept it. Make a note in the reservation. Move forward.
Most expired IDs are still valid for identification purposes even if they're not valid for driving or travel.
Your legal requirement is to verify identity, not to enforce government renewal deadlines.
Ask if they have any government-issued document. Passport. Driver's license from any country. Military ID. National ID card.
If they have nothing, you have two options:
Option 1: Accept alternate verification
Ask for two other documents: credit card with their name and one utility bill or piece of mail with their name and address.
Cross-reference this with the email address and phone number in the booking.
Take a photo of both documents and attach them to the reservation in your PMS.
Option 2: Require a cash deposit
Charge a refundable deposit equal to one night plus incidentals.
Explain clearly that this will be refunded at checkout if there are no damages or extra charges.
Most guests in this situation will accept this without argument because they know they're asking for an exception.
Pull up the uploaded image in your system.
Verify that the person standing in front of you matches the photo.
Make a note: "ID verified via pre-arrival upload, physical ID not available at check-in."
This is completely acceptable for identity verification purposes.
Don't let your staff invent rules on the spot.
Don't refuse the guest without offering an alternative.
Don't make them feel like criminals for forgetting their wallet.
Guests complete mobile check-in and add one credit card.
Then they show up and want to split the bill between three people.
Your digital check-in system probably didn't account for this.
Split payment requests are becoming more common as group travel increases. According to recent hospitality trends, multi-generational and group bookings continue to grow, which means more front desks need clear protocols for handling shared expenses.
During check-in:
If they ask before you assign the room, it's simple.
Go into your PMS. Add the additional payment methods manually.
Split the reservation charges however they request: by night, by percentage, or equal thirds.
Print or email each person a separate folio showing their portion.
Make sure all parties sign authorization forms for their portion of the charges.
After check-in:
If they completed contactless check-in and already have their room key, you need to adjust the billing after the fact.
Open the reservation. Add the new payment methods.
Reallocate the charges. Send updated folios to each guest via email or WhatsApp hotel check-in messaging.
This is more complex.
Let's say a family booked four rooms under one confirmation number. They all completed pre-arrival check-in individually.
Now they want Room 101 billed to Dad. Rooms 102 and 103 billed separately to the adult children. Room 104 billed to Mom.
Your PMS should allow you to split a master reservation into sub-folios.
If it doesn't, you need to manually create separate folios for each room and link them with a note.
Don't tell guests you can't split payments after they've checked in.
Don't make them complete a new check-in process just to add a second card.
Don't charge everything to one card and promise to "fix it later." This creates accounting headaches and unhappy guests at checkout.
Your guest completes online check-in the night before for a 3 PM check-in.
They show up at 10 AM.
Your self-check-in hotel system has no mechanism to handle this.
If the room is ready:
Assign them the room immediately. Update the check-in time in your PMS.
No need to make them wait just because they checked in online for 3 PM.
If the room is not ready:
Give them two options:
If you charge a fee, add it manually to their folio. Send them a confirmation via email or WhatsApp with the updated charges.
If they're upset about waiting:
Explain that pre-arrival check-in confirms their reservation and speeds up the key-issuance process, but it doesn't guarantee early access.
Offer them access to your lobby, pool, or any day-use amenities while they wait.
The guest completed mobile check-in and their checkout time is set for 11 AM in your system.
They call or text at 9 AM asking to stay until 2 PM.
Your SOP depends on occupancy:
If you're under 80 percent occupancy:
Approve it immediately. Update the checkout time in your PMS. Send them a confirmation message.
If you're over 80 percent occupancy:
Check if their specific room is needed for an incoming arrival.
If yes, offer them a different room to move to for the extra hours or a discounted late checkout fee.
If no, approve the late checkout and update the system.
Log every early arrival and late checkout request in your system notes.
Track whether you charged a fee or waived it.
This data helps you set better policies and identify patterns in guest behavior.
Room Changes After Pre-Arrival Check-In
The guest completed self-check-in systems and was assigned Room 205.
Now they want Room 310 instead.
Maybe they want a higher floor. Maybe they're traveling with someone in another room and want to be closer. Maybe they have mobility issues and need ground-floor access.
Before they arrive:
If they request a room change before physically checking in, it's simple.
Go into your PMS. Change the room assignment. Send them an updated confirmation via pre-arrival messaging.
Their digital lock keys will automatically update if your system is properly connected to your door lock system.
After they've picked up keys:
This is where it gets tricky.
If they've already been issued physical keys or digital keys, you need to:
If you skip step 4, you create a security issue.
If the new room has a different rate:
Explain the rate difference clearly before making the change.
If they're moving to a more expensive room, update the folio and send them a revised confirmation with the new total.
If they're moving to a less expensive room, credit the difference immediately.
Don't make them complete online check-in again just because they changed rooms.
Don't forget to update the room number in your pre-arrival check-in system.
Don't issue new keys without deactivating the old ones.
Digital check-in only works if your front desk knows how to handle exceptions.
Here's how to train them.
Include these sections:
Each section should have step-by-step instructions with screenshots from your PMS.
Have your team practice:
This builds confidence and reduces hesitation during real interactions.
Your team needs to know:
For example:
Your PMS or guest completion rates dashboard should show:
Review this data weekly with your team.
If you see patterns, adjust your contactless check-in messaging or your digital check-in system settings.
Industry data shows that hotels investing in staff training for technology exceptions see significantly better guest satisfaction scores than properties that only focus on the technology itself.
Sometimes guests get frustrated when digital systems don't work perfectly.
Train your staff to acknowledge this without being defensive.
Good response:
"I completely understand. Let me get this sorted for you right now."
Bad response:
"Well, you were supposed to complete check-in before arriving."
The goal is to solve the problem quickly, not to prove the guest should have done something differently.
Most hotels think of digital check-in as a way to eliminate front desk work.
That's not realistic.
The right way to think about it: self-check-in hotel systems handle the routine work so your front desk can focus on exceptions and guest service.
When 70 percent of your guests complete mobile check-in smoothly, your team has more time to help the 30 percent who need assistance.
But only if you've built clear SOPs for the exceptions.
Without them, your staff wastes time figuring out what to do each time something goes wrong.
With them, exceptions become routine. Your team handles them confidently. Your guests barely notice the extra step.
Most hotel check-in systems handle the happy path well. Guest completes pre-arrival check-in. Everything works. They get their key.
The exceptions are where you need system flexibility.
Guestara's digital check-in module connects with your PMS and door lock system, but it also gives your front desk tools to handle exceptions without breaking the workflow.
If a guest didn't complete online check-in, your team can trigger it from the unified inbox and walk them through it via WhatsApp hotel check-in.
If a payment fails, the system automatically sends a new payment link and notifies your front desk.
If a guest requests a room change, your team can reassign it in the task board and the new room number flows automatically to pre-arrival messaging and digital lock keys.
The goal is simple: handle exceptions without making your staff log into three different systems or confuse the guest with conflicting information.
Want to see how exception handling works in practice? Schedule a demo to see how your front desk can manage digital check-in exceptions smoothly.
What happens when digital check-in fails? Your front desk needs clear SOPs for missing IDs, split payments, early arrivals, and room changes.
You rolled out self check-in systems. Guests love it. Your staff loves it.
Then a guest shows up at 10 AM without an ID. Another one completed mobile check-in but now wants to split the bill three ways. Someone else checked in online for Room 302, but now they need an accessible room on the ground floor.
Digital check-in works beautifully until it doesn't.
And when it breaks, your front desk needs to know exactly what to do.
This guide covers the real exceptions that happen every day with hotel check-in systems and how your team should handle each one without slowing down operations or frustrating guests.
Most hotels see 60 to 80 percent completion rates on pre-arrival check-in.
That sounds good until you realize it means 20 to 40 percent of your arrivals still need manual processing.
Even guests who complete online check-in sometimes show up with requests that require human intervention.
Here's what actually happens:
A guest completes contactless check-in on their phone at 8 PM the night before. They upload their ID. They add a credit card. Everything looks perfect in your system.
Then they arrive at noon and ask to add their spouse to the reservation. Now you need to collect a second ID and update the registration card.
Or they completed WhatsApp hotel check-in but their payment didn't go through. Your system sent them a link, but they ignored it. Now they're standing at your desk.
Digital check-in reduces work. It doesn't eliminate exceptions.
Your front desk needs clear protocols for every common failure point.
Without them, your staff makes inconsistent decisions. One agent waives an ID requirement. Another refuses. One agent manually processes a split payment. Another tells the guest it's impossible.
This creates confusion for guests and frustration for staff.
This is your most common exception.
You send pre-arrival messaging. You remind them twice. They still show up without completing mobile check-in.
Do you make them complete it at the desk on their phone?
Do you complete it for them on your terminal?
Do you skip it entirely and process them manually?
For properties under 50 rooms:
Process them manually at the desk. It's faster than walking them through the mobile flow while other guests wait.
Collect their ID. Take a card imprint. Have them sign the reg card. Move on.
For properties over 50 rooms:
Have them complete self-check-in on the hotel kiosk in your lobby.
Your staff should guide them through the first few steps, then step back. This keeps your desk clear for actual exceptions.
If you don't have a kiosk, process them manually but track the reason they didn't complete pre-arrival check-in in your system notes.
Common reasons guests skip online check-in:
This data helps you identify patterns. If 30 percent of your guests can't upload their ID from mobile, your digital check-in system has a technical issue you need to fix.
This is where most front desk agents freeze.
The guest completed self-check-in systems perfectly. But when they arrive, their ID is expired. Or they forgot it entirely.
Your SOP must be explicit here.
Accept it. Make a note in the reservation. Move forward.
Most expired IDs are still valid for identification purposes even if they're not valid for driving or travel.
Your legal requirement is to verify identity, not to enforce government renewal deadlines.
Ask if they have any government-issued document. Passport. Driver's license from any country. Military ID. National ID card.
If they have nothing, you have two options:
Option 1: Accept alternate verification
Ask for two other documents: credit card with their name and one utility bill or piece of mail with their name and address.
Cross-reference this with the email address and phone number in the booking.
Take a photo of both documents and attach them to the reservation in your PMS.
Option 2: Require a cash deposit
Charge a refundable deposit equal to one night plus incidentals.
Explain clearly that this will be refunded at checkout if there are no damages or extra charges.
Most guests in this situation will accept this without argument because they know they're asking for an exception.
Pull up the uploaded image in your system.
Verify that the person standing in front of you matches the photo.
Make a note: "ID verified via pre-arrival upload, physical ID not available at check-in."
This is completely acceptable for identity verification purposes.
Don't let your staff invent rules on the spot.
Don't refuse the guest without offering an alternative.
Don't make them feel like criminals for forgetting their wallet.
Guests complete mobile check-in and add one credit card.
Then they show up and want to split the bill between three people.
Your digital check-in system probably didn't account for this.
Split payment requests are becoming more common as group travel increases. According to recent hospitality trends, multi-generational and group bookings continue to grow, which means more front desks need clear protocols for handling shared expenses.
During check-in:
If they ask before you assign the room, it's simple.
Go into your PMS. Add the additional payment methods manually.
Split the reservation charges however they request: by night, by percentage, or equal thirds.
Print or email each person a separate folio showing their portion.
Make sure all parties sign authorization forms for their portion of the charges.
After check-in:
If they completed contactless check-in and already have their room key, you need to adjust the billing after the fact.
Open the reservation. Add the new payment methods.
Reallocate the charges. Send updated folios to each guest via email or WhatsApp hotel check-in messaging.
This is more complex.
Let's say a family booked four rooms under one confirmation number. They all completed pre-arrival check-in individually.
Now they want Room 101 billed to Dad. Rooms 102 and 103 billed separately to the adult children. Room 104 billed to Mom.
Your PMS should allow you to split a master reservation into sub-folios.
If it doesn't, you need to manually create separate folios for each room and link them with a note.
Don't tell guests you can't split payments after they've checked in.
Don't make them complete a new check-in process just to add a second card.
Don't charge everything to one card and promise to "fix it later." This creates accounting headaches and unhappy guests at checkout.
Your guest completes online check-in the night before for a 3 PM check-in.
They show up at 10 AM.
Your self-check-in hotel system has no mechanism to handle this.
If the room is ready:
Assign them the room immediately. Update the check-in time in your PMS.
No need to make them wait just because they checked in online for 3 PM.
If the room is not ready:
Give them two options:
If you charge a fee, add it manually to their folio. Send them a confirmation via email or WhatsApp with the updated charges.
If they're upset about waiting:
Explain that pre-arrival check-in confirms their reservation and speeds up the key-issuance process, but it doesn't guarantee early access.
Offer them access to your lobby, pool, or any day-use amenities while they wait.
The guest completed mobile check-in and their checkout time is set for 11 AM in your system.
They call or text at 9 AM asking to stay until 2 PM.
Your SOP depends on occupancy:
If you're under 80 percent occupancy:
Approve it immediately. Update the checkout time in your PMS. Send them a confirmation message.
If you're over 80 percent occupancy:
Check if their specific room is needed for an incoming arrival.
If yes, offer them a different room to move to for the extra hours or a discounted late checkout fee.
If no, approve the late checkout and update the system.
Log every early arrival and late checkout request in your system notes.
Track whether you charged a fee or waived it.
This data helps you set better policies and identify patterns in guest behavior.
Room Changes After Pre-Arrival Check-In
The guest completed self-check-in systems and was assigned Room 205.
Now they want Room 310 instead.
Maybe they want a higher floor. Maybe they're traveling with someone in another room and want to be closer. Maybe they have mobility issues and need ground-floor access.
Before they arrive:
If they request a room change before physically checking in, it's simple.
Go into your PMS. Change the room assignment. Send them an updated confirmation via pre-arrival messaging.
Their digital lock keys will automatically update if your system is properly connected to your door lock system.
After they've picked up keys:
This is where it gets tricky.
If they've already been issued physical keys or digital keys, you need to:
If you skip step 4, you create a security issue.
If the new room has a different rate:
Explain the rate difference clearly before making the change.
If they're moving to a more expensive room, update the folio and send them a revised confirmation with the new total.
If they're moving to a less expensive room, credit the difference immediately.
Don't make them complete online check-in again just because they changed rooms.
Don't forget to update the room number in your pre-arrival check-in system.
Don't issue new keys without deactivating the old ones.
Digital check-in only works if your front desk knows how to handle exceptions.
Here's how to train them.
Include these sections:
Each section should have step-by-step instructions with screenshots from your PMS.
Have your team practice:
This builds confidence and reduces hesitation during real interactions.
Your team needs to know:
For example:
Your PMS or guest completion rates dashboard should show:
Review this data weekly with your team.
If you see patterns, adjust your contactless check-in messaging or your digital check-in system settings.
Industry data shows that hotels investing in staff training for technology exceptions see significantly better guest satisfaction scores than properties that only focus on the technology itself.
Sometimes guests get frustrated when digital systems don't work perfectly.
Train your staff to acknowledge this without being defensive.
Good response:
"I completely understand. Let me get this sorted for you right now."
Bad response:
"Well, you were supposed to complete check-in before arriving."
The goal is to solve the problem quickly, not to prove the guest should have done something differently.
Most hotels think of digital check-in as a way to eliminate front desk work.
That's not realistic.
The right way to think about it: self-check-in hotel systems handle the routine work so your front desk can focus on exceptions and guest service.
When 70 percent of your guests complete mobile check-in smoothly, your team has more time to help the 30 percent who need assistance.
But only if you've built clear SOPs for the exceptions.
Without them, your staff wastes time figuring out what to do each time something goes wrong.
With them, exceptions become routine. Your team handles them confidently. Your guests barely notice the extra step.
Most hotel check-in systems handle the happy path well. Guest completes pre-arrival check-in. Everything works. They get their key.
The exceptions are where you need system flexibility.
Guestara's digital check-in module connects with your PMS and door lock system, but it also gives your front desk tools to handle exceptions without breaking the workflow.
If a guest didn't complete online check-in, your team can trigger it from the unified inbox and walk them through it via WhatsApp hotel check-in.
If a payment fails, the system automatically sends a new payment link and notifies your front desk.
If a guest requests a room change, your team can reassign it in the task board and the new room number flows automatically to pre-arrival messaging and digital lock keys.
The goal is simple: handle exceptions without making your staff log into three different systems or confuse the guest with conflicting information.
Want to see how exception handling works in practice? Schedule a demo to see how your front desk can manage digital check-in exceptions smoothly.
Most hotels see 60 to 80 percent completion rates on pre-arrival check-in. The rate depends on how early you send the link, how many reminders you send, and how easy your mobile check-in process is to complete. Properties with WhatsApp hotel check-in tend to see higher completion rates because guests are already familiar with the platform. Learn more about optimizing your pre-arrival messages for better completion rates.
You can encourage it, but you can't force it. Some guests will refuse to use mobile check-in for privacy reasons, technical limitations, or personal preference. Your front desk needs to be able to process them manually. The goal of self-check-in systems is to reduce work, not to create conflict with guests who prefer traditional check-in.
Your digital check-in system should automatically notify your front desk when a payment fails. Your SOP should be: send the guest a new payment link via email or text, and if they still don't complete it, collect payment manually when they arrive. Never let a guest access their room without a valid payment method on file.
Deactivate the old keys immediately in your door lock system, assign the new room in your PMS, issue new keys, and confirm the old keys no longer work. If your contactless check-in system is properly integrated, this should happen automatically when you change the room assignment. If not, you need to manually update each system.
That depends on your occupancy and your policy. If the room is ready and you're under 80 percent occupancy, there's no reason to charge. If you're near full occupancy and need to prioritize housekeeping, an early check-in fee is reasonable. Be consistent and make sure your policy is communicated clearly in your pre-arrival messaging.
We work closely with the industry leaders to offer seamless solutions
We’re here to help your whole team stay ahead of the curve as you grow.
Get up and running quickly with a personalized onboarding plan
Connect with real people who really get it, 24/7
Checkout our vast library of fee resources, templates and more
There's only so much we can say — so let us show you! Schedule a demo today and reach your business goals.
.png){kind=icon}
