Technologies are an Additional Value to the Hotel Industry Can you image a hotel fully staffed by robots? The Henn-na Hotel in Nagasaki is the first hotel where technologies bring the guests one step further into the future (“Henn-na Hotel General Concept”).It is the first hotel in the world where the hotel is staffed by robots. The journey starts at the front desk where guests will be welcomed by robots that speak multiple languages that will help to check- in and out. Then, a robotic arm will store the guest its luggage and, finally, a guest could enter its room once his face is familiar with the recognition system of the hotel. Due to this, the guest does not need to carry the room key. This hotel in Nagasaki shows that technology is advancing faster than ever in the hotel industry. Although hotels are often seen as a slow adopter of technology, it is highly important for hotels to innovate in order to stay in business. Besides, technology contributes to improvement of the operational efficiencies and the customer satisfaction (Kriechbaumer). Technology can ensure that processes in hotels are accelerated so guests can go directly to their room by arrival. Even though many guests consider passing the reception for an accompanying conversation as convenient, other guests dislike the aspects of not being able to ask the staff about, for example, room upgrades or general information about the hotel.
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Although some people consider the increasing use of technologies in the hotel industry as a threat, technologies are an additional value, since it contributes to a customized guest experience, it delivers a faster service, and it reduces costs. First of all, some people consider the increasing use of technologies in the hotel industry as a threat, since the personal touch by human employees disappears. However, technologies create additional value to the stay of a guest, because they contribute to a customized experience. As Sean Gerety says: ‘’the technology you use impresses no one. The experience you create with it is everything” (qtd. in 5 Tech Philosophies from Learn to Live’s New Chief Technology Officer). Specific information about guests that is retrieved during previous stays, such as age, cultural background and preferences, gives the hotel insights which can help to deliver a customized experience for each guest (Carter). With this customization, the guest will not be bothered with offerings that are not relevant for him. By using technology, a hotel can easily register the food and beverage preferences of guests by recording the consumed items from the minibar and in the restaurant. For example, if a guest consumed red wine both in the restaurant and from the minibar, the hotel could offer a bottle of red wine upon arrival to exceed the expectation of the guest and to create a customized experience. Furthermore, technologies make it possible for guests to customize their own stay by using an in-room iPad for adjusting in-room preferences, such as lighting. Through this technology, hotel guests do not need to communicate their needs and …show more content…
However, due to the increasing demand for technologies, new vacancies arise in other industries, such as the technology sector. Nowadays, it is becoming more common to make a career switch and to educate in a different industry. As Stacey Rapacon states: "The single career path or job-for-life certainly isn't dead, but it's becoming more and more likely that people will go through at least one career change in their lifetime." Thus, despite the fact that innovation causes a loss of jobs in the hotel industry, new jobs arise in other industries. In addition, the replacement of human employees by technologies reduces the hotel its costs. Even though technologies, such as robots, require a large investment on the short term, the labour costs reduce on the long term. First, robots work more efficient than human employees, since they can work 24 hours for 7 days a week without getting tired or sick which results in lower labour costs. Furthermore, the hotel does not have extra costs, such as the insurance costs of human employees (Loong). The hotel can invest the saved labour costs for using robots instead of human employees in other departments of the hotel which is good for the economy. For example, the money can be invested in new technologies or in a manner that the customized
Although some people consider the increasing use of technologies in the hotel industry as a threat, technologies are an additional value, since it contributes to a customized guest experience, it delivers a faster service, and it reduces costs. First of all, some people consider the increasing use of technologies in the hotel industry as a threat, since the personal touch by human employees disappears. However, technologies create additional value to the stay of a guest, because they contribute to a customized experience. As Sean Gerety says: ‘’the technology you use impresses no one. The experience you create with it is everything” (qtd. in 5 Tech Philosophies from Learn to Live’s New Chief Technology Officer). Specific information about guests that is retrieved during previous stays, such as age, cultural background and preferences, gives the hotel insights which can help to deliver a customized experience for each guest (Carter). With this customization, the guest will not be bothered with offerings that are not relevant for him. By using technology, a hotel can easily register the food and beverage preferences of guests by recording the consumed items from the minibar and in the restaurant. For example, if a guest consumed red wine both in the restaurant and from the minibar, the hotel could offer a bottle of red wine upon arrival to exceed the expectation of the guest and to create a customized experience. Furthermore, technologies make it possible for guests to customize their own stay by using an in-room iPad for adjusting in-room preferences, such as lighting. Through this technology, hotel guests do not need to communicate their needs and …show more content…
However, due to the increasing demand for technologies, new vacancies arise in other industries, such as the technology sector. Nowadays, it is becoming more common to make a career switch and to educate in a different industry. As Stacey Rapacon states: "The single career path or job-for-life certainly isn't dead, but it's becoming more and more likely that people will go through at least one career change in their lifetime." Thus, despite the fact that innovation causes a loss of jobs in the hotel industry, new jobs arise in other industries. In addition, the replacement of human employees by technologies reduces the hotel its costs. Even though technologies, such as robots, require a large investment on the short term, the labour costs reduce on the long term. First, robots work more efficient than human employees, since they can work 24 hours for 7 days a week without getting tired or sick which results in lower labour costs. Furthermore, the hotel does not have extra costs, such as the insurance costs of human employees (Loong). The hotel can invest the saved labour costs for using robots instead of human employees in other departments of the hotel which is good for the economy. For example, the money can be invested in new technologies or in a manner that the customized