AI can do a better job than certain hotel managers

Many things have changed during the past few years in Sri Lanka - from the economic environment to regulations - but for hoteliers, the power of attracting and retaining loyal guests remains the same.

We are all aware that we now live in an economy of convenience. Increasingly, hotel guests have come to expect a seamless and frictionless experience throughout their stay with a property. Patience is a virtue goes the proverbial phrase, but today’s guests have become resistant to this high merit behaviour. Accustomed to the luxury of technology-enabled access to information and services in multiple aspects of their lives, from working, shopping and traveling to news and entertainment, they expect that luxury to extend to their hotel experience. For hotels, meeting these expectations means ensuring guests feel genuinely heard and valued. For instance, they expect lightning-fast responses to their inquiries to the front desk.

Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel in Colombo. It seems to be blissfully unaware that the power of Guest personalization is quickly becoming table stakes - the minimum ante that hotels have to put on the table just to stay in the game.

Phil H from the UK is a regular visitor to Sri Lanka. He has stayed at the Cinnamon Lakeside fifteen times and has made plans for another visit (his 16th,) with his wife, his daughter and her toddler this year in December. Accordingly, he made a booking with the hotel where he asked for interconnecting rooms and cots, etc. for the baby. In his own words he describes the interactions, and I quote, “It was hard work to get responses. The response re: booking etc is underwhelming to say the least: Given that the GM remains copied even more astonishing…” unquote. As an example, he sent me two emails that were exchanged between himself and the hotel’s Front Office Manager. Here’s how it went:

• Phil’s email dated 18^th May’25 to the hotel’s FOM: “For your information and records we have booked 2 executive rooms for 7 nights from the 23/12/25. We also have friends, Mr. and Mrs. joining us for the same 7 nights also in exec rooms. 
• The Hotel FOM’s email reply dated 13^th June’25: Dear Mr. H, Your mail is noted with thanks. Best Regards.

How freaked out should one be on reading the email from the hotel? To me, this FOM’s response is brusquely very transactional. Hospitality isn’t just about transactions, it’s about experiences. Hospitality is built on genuine connection. Good hotels architect journeys, not process transactions. The FOM took 26 days to reply to Phil’s message! There are now hospitality Chatbots that answer better (and obviously faster) than this.

This gap comes from a deficiency of intent as well as a lack of scalable communication with the hotel’s department head masquerading under the guise of management. And it applies to the GM as well for his deafening silence. Leadership is about presence. Position and titles mean nothing without service.

Today’s job market is particularly tough on entry-level roles, and AI could, according to some experts eliminate up to half of entry-level knowledge work within the next decade. That is why it’s critical for young people to develop skills like creative thinking and empathy, and to focus on the humanities as core career infrastructure. Lately though, it’s not only young people who have to level-up, but also some holding managerial roles if they want to remain relevant.

Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Ex-Hotelier

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