Excerpt from CoStar
Robotics and Automation Top American Hotel & Lodging Association List
Industry experts say two technological improvements that have been talked about for years are poised to become a reality for hotels.
Hoteliers have been touting the potential benefits of greater automation and the addition of robotics to streamline operations and improve efficiency for a long time.
Michael Blake, chief technology officer for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, said both are going to have a very real impact on hotel operations this year.
"There are a couple things that are happening, which make it a little more real this year. ... Staffing shortages are real, and we continually see people having a hard time augmenting their current teams. And two, I think the robots are actually getting better," he said.
Aimbridge Hospitality Chief Information Officer Andrew Arthurs said this falls in line with the types of technology guests want to support.
"Guests are quick to adopt tech that enhances their experience and reduces friction," he said. "No one likes to wait in line or on hold, and many guests don't carry cash, so we see increased adoption of self-service check-in, SMS messaging and mobile tipping. We also know guests expect an in-room tech experience that mirrors their experience at home. More and more guests are bringing their content on their mobile devices with the expectation that this content can be watched on their in-room TV. It needs to be an easy and obvious solution that works every time."
Similarly, Scott Neslage, director of lodging operations at Indigo Road Hospitality, said mobile tipping is top on the list of tech investments.
"Guests really appreciate ways to acknowledge their service staff, and I also think a lot have ceased to carry cash as a habit," he said, noting there are not many "great solutions" available to address that.
Click here to read complete article at CoStar.