My Grandmother stayed at the Royal Hawaiian in the 40s when one took a ship. I then stayed there in the 80s to try and see what her experience may have been like. My grandmother was greeted with a fresh orchid Lai and a Mai Tai upon arrival...My experience was not quit like that , but I was greeted with a friendly hello and a smile after a long flight from New York. I'm now supposed to now have my face digitally recognized and be dispersed a key from a machine? Why not just run me down a cattle shoot and brand me??? In their insatiable greed for more and more profits, Corporations are searching out ways to squeeze any remaining humanity from us. Once again technology is isolating us from any form of human interaction. I hate checking in at the airport kiosk which half the time requires me to call over a representative when it doesn't work. Now slap on your baggage tags and better make sure you put it on the right way.....and even computer generated boarding calls at the airport gates. No longer does a waiter take your order while waiting for your flight, simply press a button with your food selections on an Ipad and a plate is plopped in front of you. Only the very wealthy are afforded any kind of human interaction at a high price. Great, the cost of travel has come down...but at what price? Embrace technology you say? I will when it doesn't degrade the experience of travel and my own human dignity.
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Why would check in require Alexa? You simply use the hotel app to check in and receive your electronic key. Then you simply go directly to your room. With a reservation, it is already waiting for you. Desk staff need to work on higher order tasks. Simply handing out keys does not seem a good use of humans.
If the concierge is not doing 90% higher order tasks, I do not think she correctly does her job. I would expect an AI system could handle simple requests and she should get the hard ones. AI will actually eliminate few roles. It will reduce the number of people needed to fill the roles. Maybe not a significant difference to someone let go, but it describes better what will really happen.
1
The only way to get better jobs is to eliminate the bad ones with advances in all kinds of technologies (not just computers). This has been going on since the industrial revolution and I am very grateful. Adapt and embrace the future! It is the American way and, truthfully, is the most important reason so much of the world wants to forsake their homes to come to America.
1
Pleeeeeasse Mr "Hoteliers", do NOT replace real people with boxes to talk to. I hate this when airlines do it. I want a person to talk to so my meanings are CLEAR not just bracketed, processed, stored and used for marketing. So many examples of how the staff greeting makes the stay much more enjoyable. If the bottom line is almighty god at least make it clear in your marketing. Brag about it: "WE have the latest greatest advanced robotic heckling on earth., Yippee no more stupid locals to deal with!" . The I will know to AVOID your places.
4
It's odd that the workers think going on strike will help things!
That will only make management that much more interested in using robots instead; they don't strike.
5
I would love automated check-in. I prefer to get to my room ASAP. I still would like a live person available, if needed, as our automated assistants are not that smart yet and we are in no danger of them overtaking the world. I have Alexa at home and find it quite handy, but Alexa also is on my phone, so I don't need a device in the hotel. It's kind of like the landline phones in most hotels when we all have cell phones.
2
Robots are not very good at aloha. But the wonderful staff at the Royal Hawaiian are. I will be looking for them and only them when I check in.
4
I am not a Luddite but I resent any attempted use of my personal bio-metrics or other personal data to enhance the bottom line of companies and set up distinctions between customers. I value my privacy and will take the few extra minutes to interact with staff who can assist me with any issues that may arise with my reservation. Further, I will not be concerned about the loss of any more personal data than is necessary for my transaction.
Just because something can be done does not mean it should be done.
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What are the weighted pros and cons before we let the technology take over?
I still don’t completely trust the real slim shady: Alexa. Worst is I know several people including one I occasionally housesit for that have their homes attuned to Alexa. Big deal. You can still very much function without her (or is the more PC term, its?) help.
So far, in my opinion, the smartest thing has been when Amazon bought Whole Foods making shopping more affordable for the middle class. I’m on my way there now.
1
@I Don’t Drink Koolaid, I Drink Kombucha You must be referring to "Whole paycheck"which it's more widely called by us commoners .
2
The reality of the situation is true ,there's no drugs ,drunks, sick days or attitude with machines.The drug epidemic ,including dope smokers eliminates over 30 % of job applicants to begin with so why should employers have to deal with slackers.The cost of people ,if you want to call them that ,employees doing simple mindless tasks which machines ,without effort or expensive payrolls can perform without thinking is a no brain er .
4
Maybe we could have robots take our vacations for us. They could send back pictures while we relax at home and avoid the hassle of traveling.
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I want to know which hotel chains are going to be using Alexa-type automated front desks so I can go elsewhere. I prefer the human contact. Apparently we are evolving toward a society that doesn't.
21
This march to reduce labor costs can only lead to a catastrophic conclusion. Namely the destruction of the consumer marketplace itself. All the displaced workers are also consumers. Will a robot or Alexa turn out the lights when the last consumer has been fired?
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@MICHAEL
Well said.
The AI need not be paid a salary. Nor does it pay taxes or buy goods and services. So when salary earners no longer have jobs to be taxpayers and consumers, what then?
5
As a potential guest at these hotels and resorts, if I'm confronted with an Alexa device upon checkin, I will be most upset. If there is one in my room, I will ask for it to be removed and if they don't comply, I will either leave or remove it myself. In any event, that will be the last time I stay with them.
21
We are so not ready for the amount of jobs that will be lost from this coming wave of automation. Not one mention of Universal Basic Income in this piece. Hotel jobs usually come with health care, sick and vacation days, etc., perks that are not offered in other low wage jobs.
The lack of foresight is stunning.
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I travel to foreign countries for business, and the "front desk" is the only source, consistently, for an English speaker. If you need assistance it may be the only place to get it, and the "follow through" is 95% or better, compared to calling housekeeeping, et. al., directly.
The front desk is the most critical staff at a hotel. Don't take this away.
16
First, please stop calling the positions "bellhop" and "housekeeper". Those are outdated and from the perspective of the associates that hold those positions, demeaning. The bell staff don't hop for you. This isn't the 1930's when you might have said " boy, hop over there and get my bags." Those days , gone. Pretty much " front-desk clerk" has been replaced with Desk Agent or Guest Service Agent. Time to update your files.
Likewise, the associates that clean up after you- guests do things in hotel rooms do thing they would never do at home- they're not housekeepers or worse "maids". Don't ever refer to them as "maids" if you want your room cleaned that day! Room Attendant is the current term of choice, as chosen by Room Attendants.
It doesn't surprise me that Marriott would lead the way on a new technology. I've worked for two international hotel companies that each researched how to move to the "no check-in, check-in" years apart from each other and in the analysis, frequent travelers, the much desired business traveler didn't mind standing in line ( a short line) at check-in. Long analysis short, it appeared that they wanted to engage directly with the hotel ( through the Agent) to answer questions, verily some other information like check-our, but basically that " someone would know they were in the hotel".
4
@Tom M
Oh, puh-leeze, Mr. PC. "Bellhop" and "housekeeper" are the most used terms in the industry, whether you approve of them or not.
9
My local Chase bank recently installed six automatic teller machines where their used to be human beings; making a salary, supporting their families, purchasing goods and " human" services while paying their taxes. Oh, and most of all, smiling and interacting with their human customers. I will go to a different branch or a different " human" bank if necessary. Same with Marriott. If they keep this up, the only customers they will have are machines such as "Hal" - I date myself :-) - and Alexander :(
21
Not to the exclusion of innovation, shouldn’t the charter for American companies be as much about contributing to the well being of their employees as it is about the well being of their customers, shareholders and executives?? We’re all part of the same American economic ‘ecosystem’
11
We will be reading more stories such as these in the future, describing more businesses that currently rely on services provided by individuals. Union action can only be a temporary solution. It is time to seriously consider how to structure governmental minimum annual support payments for all citizens.
10
I'm sure an Alexa in every room listening to and recording every conversation will go over well with the guests.
35
Unioning workers will only increase the speed of automation deployment. If the technology is available to do that same job at a better price the firm's will increase automation. The capital investment becomes easier to justify as labor costs rise. Unions are fighting a losing battle. Walk through a McDonalds to see how technology is being used to reduce headcount in each location.
1
@Michael C
So, don't even think about trying to keep your job. Or move into a new one, right?
Just roll over and accept your fate.
4
I love technology and there are a lot of transactions I'm happy to make without human intervention. Checking into a hotel isn't one of them.
13