The rise of the machines: will they replace your hospitality job?
The big picture is getting somewhat clearer.
However, what has always been clear is that when businesses are faced with increased costs of any kind they will always search for ways and means to remain profitable. And that can mean raising prices, cutting back on staff or switching to automation…perhaps a combination of all three courses of action.
A study done at Oxford University in 2017 discovered that 45% of all current jobs will disappear in the next 10 years with some of them being completely automated or at least upgraded to a point where a fraction of the workforce is required.
In the hospitality industry, the evolving technology is becoming more affordable and as the cost of labour becomes more expensive: the switch to automation makes it an attractive proposition.
Those of us who came of age during the 20th century are well aware that all you had to do, once in your hotel bedroom was dial “0” and an operator would come on-line to help you. However, as telephone automation continues to evolve dramatically, with artificial intelligence (AI) based voice assistants like ‘Siri’ and ‘Alexa’ that enable us to make hands free calls, the need for a live telephone operator is fast diminishing.
Automatic sliding doors (using optical or motion detection sensors) that magically open as you walk up to it, are progressively shutting out the doorman in most hotels. Have you ever seen a traveler at the airport carry a suitcase lately? I doubt if anyone does it now. Up until a few years ago only airline crew wheeled their luggage, but now almost every passenger does: from the airport right up to their hotel room. The new breed of traveler no longer looks for a bellboy to carry their luggage up to their room.
As hotel guest become more accustomed to the self-check in kiosks, in the near future, the front desk agents will go virtual. Say good bye to the live front desk agent. Say hello to the virtual front desk agent - who as your fingertip touches a button, is instantly on call.
Guest Empowerment Technology (GET) is designed to provide self-service to hotel guests, enabling them in turn to exercise more personal control over their stay without direct intervention from hotel employees. Some examples of GET include online reservations systems, check-in / check-out kiosks and the virtual concierge in the lobby, mobile applications for keyless hotel room entry and in-room entertainment systems.
GET is now spilling over to the F & B arena. Self-service Table-Side Tablets (TSTs) are making their presence. Ziosk for example, is a table-side touch screen tablet that enables diners to order and pay on their own when they want. All that the Restaurant operator needs is a few fleet-footed ‘food runners’ to bring out the food and take back the dirty plates. For the customer it means, not having to wait: for the server to bring the menu: to catch his/her attention to take the order: worry about receiving an incorrect order been served: wait for the check at the end of the meal and leave a tip. As this new service gathers momentum, servers will be used less. Ok, not all will be gone, but the majority may surely have one foot out of the door already.
Robots haven’t taken over the bar…yet. Replacing the barman with a robot would be laughed off by many F & B professionals. Hold that thought though. Meet the ‘Makr Shakr’, now installed on the new Royal Caribbean Cruise ships. It can do the same work as three bartenders. Check out the 360-degree video of it in action here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19aqVOrXBTM Makr Shakr not only lowers your labour costs, it also removes any worries on bartenders dispensing free drinks, over / under pouring, creating inconsistent and irregular mixes or absenteeism issues.
All these exciting new developments and opportunities may not appear good for some. However, look at the bright side of it. Future entry-level workforce will become more productive as they adjust to the use of new technologies, which like the future, is already here.
Don’t fight it…embrace it.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-hotelier.
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