Robots are taking over the tourism industry!

 

Between the 9th and 13th of March 2016 was held the 50th edition of the tourism trade show ITB, in Berlin. The whole class of the SEMTM master got the opportunity to go there and learn more about the new trends in Tourism and discover how this industry work from the inside.

 

Even before entering the first exhibition hall, the visitors of the fair were welcomed by a new addition to the tourism industry, the robot hostess, Chihira Kanae.
This droid is considered as the “more human-like” robot ever build and was brought to ITB from Japan, as her first international appearance (TechAdvisor).

 

Source: http://borneobulletin.com.bn/coming-to-a-hotel-near-you-the-robot-humanoid-receptionist/

 

Her job was to greet visitors and she was “answering questions and guiding people in the right direction” (Reuters). Speaking 4 languages, namely Chinese, Japanese, German and English, Chihira Kanae is supposed to advise and guide visitors as well as a human hostess would do.

Indeed, “a survey of travelers across Britain, France, Spain, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Japan, the U.S. and China, done by online travel and entertainment deals site Travelzoo showed that 80 percent of consumers expected robots to play a big part in their lives before 2020. However, the survey also showed people still wanted the human touch when on holiday and in certain countries, such as Germany and France, consumers were more skeptical.” (Reuters)

 

In addition, another robot named Mario joined Chihira during ITB. Less human-like, his goal is to do the check-in in hotels and currently the “Marriott hotel in Ghent has been trialling Mario, using him to hand out room keys, high-five guests and liven up meetings held in the hotel by reading out presentations.” (Reuters) Mario speaks 19 languages.

 

Source: http://www.capital.fr/bourse/actualites/le-monde-du-tourisme-peuple-de-robots-au-salon-itb-de-berlin-1108433

 

 

These evolutions show that high technologies such as robots will soon be omnipresent in various industries including the Tourism sector. Robots can be used as receptionists in hotels or offices, in addition to their human counterparts.  As it has been explained by Fabrice Goffin, co-founder of QBMT whose software powers Mario, to Reuters at the fair: “the point is to make people smile and give them a unique experience. It's not to take the place of employees”.

 

Even if those robots are not build with the goal of replacing human staff, in the tourism industry, many jobs are likely to become automatized and that aspect might bring fear in the eyes of employees. Nevertheless, there is still no substitute for a tip from the concierge to plan you free time and evening out. Also a welcoming smile from the staff at the reception still cannot be replaced.

 

 

Lucile BESSON & Léa MARET

 

Sources:

http://techadvisor.lk/2016/03/10/7213/

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-tourism-robot-idUSKCN0WC1SY

http://borneobulletin.com.bn/coming-to-a-hotel-near-you-the-robot-humanoid-receptionist/

http://www.capital.fr/bourse/actualites/le-monde-du-tourisme-peuple-de-robots-au-salon-itb-de-berlin-1108433

 

 

 

 

VIB Smart Bracelet as a revolutionary tool for the hospitality industry

Have you ever dreamt of leaving your hotel room without carrying money, your smart phone or your room keys? The Tecnalia Applied Research Centre has made this dream come true with the launch of its smart VIB (Very Important Bracelet) recently introduced at Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza and Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel.

David Godsall presents Palladium Hotel Group as a visionary in hotel technological innovation and in hotel guest services.

The time when guests were carrying everything in their pockets and losing their room keys ten times a stay is over! The smart VIB is an innovative wristband that guests can obtain in order to enjoy the hotel facilities at best, anytime and anywhere. Thanks to this new device, guests in Ibiza can now serenely go to the Hark Rock Café or to the Ushuaia Ibiza beach Club, pay for any product using the PayPal system (thanks to an assigned PIN code) and come back to their room with the use of a simple bracelet. They can also share experiences on social networks via the numerous hotel touchscreens. All this with guaranteed convenience, security of payment and protection of information at all times.

Source: http://diadao.blogspot.fr/2014/05/7-innovations-technologiques-hotels.html

However, this service is not free of charge as David Godsall noticed: VIBs are priced 29€ for the Smart VIB and 19€ for the Smart VIB Kids (for children under the age of 16). The more recent VIB packages (ZEN VIB, VIB Ballad, VIB Clubber) which offer guests various exclusive discounts and a range of added-value services, are of course more expensive.

David Godsall chooses not to reveal the VIB’s production cost but from our point of view the innovation has probably been very costly for Palladium Hotel Group. The Group appears to expect guests to spend more money in their establishment thanks to this smart bracelet.

For the author, this bracelet revolutionizes the way to manage CRM in the hospitality industry. In a festive destination such as Ibiza, this service makes perfect sense. But would it be as pertinent for a familial hotel to invest in this kind of service?

Cécile ROUX & Margaux SCHERER

http://www.loughboroughecho.net/lifestyle/travel/smart-vib-bracelets-in-ibiza-7685879

Need to increase your productivity and your client satisfaction? RoomChecking is here to help.

RoomChecking is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) app dedicated to hospitality services management. This app is not only useful and functional but also intuitive as it works connected to the PMS (Property Management System) of the hotel.

On the one hand, it gathers and analyses internal information about the hotel. From the front desk to housekeeping or general administration, every employee has access to it through smartphones or tablets. It allows them to improve their communication with each other, performance and reactivity in order to increase the hotel’s client satisfaction.

The app is divided into seven functionalities, including the main duties:

• Housekeeping
• Technique
• Chambermaid
• Client
• Incidents Management
• Client calls
• More… 

For example, if the light is broken in a room, the head housekeeper will either enter the information or take a picture of it and send it directly to the technician.

A regular customer arrives? All of his or her habits are registered in the app so employees can dedicate their service according to the client’s preferences.

RoomChecking is also a great tool for tasks distribution and follow up. Through monitoring in real time, employees can realize the tasks in due time and improve their reactivity. Manager can also communicate with employees through instant messaging and check how the work has been done. This is particularly useful to avoid problems in time or when it comes to reward the teams.

On the other hand, clients can download their own version to facilitate their stay. Indeed, they can find information about the hotel (map of the facilities, list of services, rates, schedule…), but also activities nearby such as touristic sites and restaurants. Moreover, clients can inform the front desk of any demand or issue and rate services through the app, which simplify feedbacks gathering.

The aim is to optimize work time in order to have more time to focus on the client. Employees are more efficient and more autonomous. They focus more on the client’s satisfaction. 

Not yet used by hotel chains, this app has already been implemented in 150 independent hotels. But for sure, this kind of app will be developed more and more as it also gives the opportunity for hoteliers to promote room services or other hotel services like dining or spa services, giving guests the option to quickly contact someone for more information or book immediately – meaning additional revenues.

Sources:

http://www.cdsgroupe.com/blog/2016/01/roomchecking-une-facon-radicalement-nouvelle-de-faire-circuler-linformation-a-linterieur-de-lhotel/

www.roomchecking.com

http://blog.apps-builder.com/hotels-with-mobile-apps/

Transformation of the check-in process in hotels: what is the next step?

Hilton has recently announced implementation of its digital check-in and room selection technology, which is now available in 20 hotels in Australia region. With this technological tool, guests will be able to check-in and choose room they prefer by checking digital floor plans on their pc, laptop, tablet, and mobile devices.

“Never before have guests been able to check-in, select their rooms from a digital floor plan, and customize their rooms to be ready for arrival. We are truly revolutionizing the industry, and this is just the tip of the iceberg for digital at Hilton Worldwide,” said Ms Calpin, global head of digital. In the next few months, Hilton plans to introduce this system across hotels in Asia, India, China, and Japan and by the end of the year 2015, the company expects to offer the digital service at all U.S. properties of four brands: Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Canopy by Hilton.

Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Resorts also try to keep up with the times and, besides mobile check-in, suggest services that customers are willing to have or even those they have not thought about yet. The brand has launched an app that provide a “luxury experience for its guests”.

With this tool guests can: order poolside or room service; make service requests (such as: replacing toothbrush, ordering extra washcloth or soaps, etc.), make mobile check-in and check-out. Moreover, “Shareable Experiences” feature allows guests to share experience and memories – “to modify and enhance travel photos with digital stamps, titles, and filters (specific to the particular property and geographic location) to create retro travel posters to share via social media or save as digital souvenirs”.

*Ritz-Carlton’s New Mobile App.  Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2014/08/18/ritzapp/

Despite all the advantages that technology can bring into check-in process, many hoteliers are still hesitating to introduce them.  The reasons could be:
• cost of the new technology implementation
• security of a new system
• cellphone or mobile device problems (dead battery or loss of a device)

Hoteliers are also afraid that check-in process will not be a memorable experience anymore. However, some hotel managers have found an alternative solution to avoid long and tiring process.

Auberge Hotels and Resorts, chain of 5-star properties, and Andaz, new five star hotel brand from Hyatt Hotels, decided to redesign the process of check-in but keep personal contact to improve customer experience and satisfaction from the very beginning. To avoid boring standing in line, guests are greeted when they come in personally by the employees. They use a roving iPad to check people in and check them out. After this innovation was implemented, managers noticed changers in customer behavior: “We started to see people’s behaviors change immediately when we got rid of the front desk and replaced it with an employee with a tablet–an employee who actually stands side-by-side with the guest.  The new arrangement immediately created more of a peer to peer relationship” said Sara Kearney, VP of International Operations for all of the Hyatt brands.

We will be able to see in the nearest future, how all these digital innovations will affect personal relationship between clients and service providers. Will “hospitality” industry still be oriented towards emotional experience or will it focus on technological development and innovations? In Japan, for instance, in 2017, the first hotel with robots will open its doors to the guests. It might be an interesting experience to visit and to spend a couple of days in a place, where all services are provided by robots who look like humans. On the other hand, maybe for someone it will be weird and scaring? Anyway, technological revolution in hospitality industry is obviously round the corner. So let us just wait for a little bit and we will see how hoteliers will adapt to the changing tourist’s needs and what direction they will choose.

Nadya Levitskaya and Leonarda Miglietta

Sources:

http://australia.etbtravelnews.com/246193/hilton-launches-mobile-room-selection/

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Mobile/Default.htm

http://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2014/08/08/five-star-check-in/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2014/08/18/ritzapp/

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/15618/Issues-loom-for-keyless-entry-in-hotels

Smart Hotels

According to the report from Amadeus and Fastfuture, the future of hotels features connectivity and personalization. The entire hospitality industry is changing by tech savvy, Generation Y and following generations. Smart hotels become the new trend with the implementation of various technologies and innovation(Figure 1). These technologies and innovation not only improve the operation process but also improve the service quality and meet guest preferences better. The article will give you a precise explanation about this trend with some examples of newly-used technologies in smart hotels.

Figure 1.

Source: http://www.amadeus.com/web/binaries/blobs/173/754/Hotels_Whitepaper_2020BeyondSegmentation.pdf

Mobile Technologies

The number of smart phones and tablets users are increasing dramatically worldwide in recent years and it will continue growing in the future. Some hoteliers realize the change of visitor behavior and take advantage of it.

By the end of 2014, 1000 Accor hotels will use tablets and smart phones to provide fast check-in and check-out services. Customers will receive practical location information of the hotel and do check-in before arrival. Receptionists will interact with clients directly in the entrance instead of hiding behind the desk. It is time-saving  because room keys will be prepared before customers arrival and the bill will be delivered by email after leaving. (Figure 2.)

Figure 2.

Source: http://skift.com/2014/04/29/accor-drops-the-hotel-check-in-desk-for-a-mobile-app/

Intercontinental Hotel Group cooperates with Samsung Company to use Galaxy phone as a room key to access rooms. Customers can also use it inside the room to control temperature, lights, TV; order room service and meals; read news as well as make local and international calls.

Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmBHRLzJNXY

The Hub Hotel by Premier Inn is a new hotel established in 2014. It makes guests’ hotel experience highly interacts with technology, which allows guests book rooms, check-in, order meals, search location information, make friends and control the room facilities with mobile phone and the hotel app.

Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfvkOznDr2o

Comparing to traditional ways it is more convenient and secure for both hoteliers and guests. However, there exists a big problem. Travelers may have not internet access in the destination and in some places wifi coverage is very limited.

Smart TV and Smart Glass

Many companies work on smart hotel TV systems, such as Samsung, Philips and Guesttek. It is used widely from hotel booking to check-out. With the technology guests can contact with the concierge directly in room through the screen on the wall like video chat. For customers, the face to face communication implies reliability and personalization. The concierge could provide personal service, send personal messages, and answer questions anytime customer want, so that customer satisfaction will increase. In addition, clients can watch the view of the destination, the street, the public place of the hotel and play games on smart TV.

Video 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icePl3iVHFo

In the future, it will be more difficult for customers to tell the difference between mirror, glass, TV and wall, because they will change to each others by just a gesture. In the Eccleston Square Hotel in London, the transparent glass can be changed to a non-transparent wall and the mirror can be changed to a smart TV by just a gesture.

Video 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKM55zjLJE8

Customers can benefit a lot from smart TV and smart Glass. Although the technology  is not mature yet and the implementation costs a lot of money, it will be popular in the future.

In Room Entertainment Technologies

The competition among hotels is becoming more and more intense, especially luxury and boutique hotels. They want to be outstanding and unique, not only be considered as an accommodation but also as a destination. As a result, in room entertainment is one of the most important elements. In Eccleston Square Hotel, the bed can be changed into a massage bed. 

Video 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd7v1pB-w1o

Moreover, the pattern of the carpet can be changed into whatever you like. IPhones can be hanged wherever, even on the smooth wall. Clients can watch 3D TV programs and movies from smart TV and also play games. All of these improve customer experience and increase customer satisfaction.

Video 6: http://skift.com/2013/08/10/6-innovations-for-hotel-room-of-the-future/#1

No doubt that more and more technologies will be integrated within hotels in the future from reservation to check-out process. Smart hotels will be welcomed by the younger generations who are more easily to accept information technologies and innovation than their parents. However, some people worried that new technologies may bring new problems. For example, if the guest lose the smart phone, it means that he or she also lose the key for the hotel room. Moreover, privacy issues also should be pay highly attention on when using high technologies. Therefore, there must be a test before implementing a new technology in hotel in order to make sure everything will go smoothly. In addition, new policies and systems should be created cooperating with new technologies to avoid conflicts on the safety, privacy and right of customers.

Xiuting & Cong

Hotelogix: The cloud computing solution to hospitality?

In 2008, Prabhash Bhatnagar has an idea to streamline the organisation of small and medium-sized hotels by starting up his company Hotelogix.  Hotelogix is a cloud-based solution for hospitality businesses aimed at simplifying many aspects of a hotel, such as: front desk management; point of sales management; housekeeping management; and integrated distribution.  Furthermore, they provide a solution with a goal to increase the number of distribution channels used by a hotel, which should help the hotel to increase their distribution and boost sales.

Based in New Delhi, India, Hotelogix now has offices in Bangalore and California, USA.  They have also expanded globally places such as: Nigeria, Germany, Nepal, India, Cambodia, Philippines, Argentina, etc...  The companies in the countries mentioned above have partnered with Hotelogix to sell their services on their behalf.  This means that Hotelogix has very effectively increased its number of distribution channels and their access to worldwide markets.  It is also interesting to note that this has all been done in a very short space of time, as mentioned previously, Hotelogix has only been around since 2008.

Yesterday it was announced on the travel website Travolution that Hotelogix was urging UK hoteliers to switch to cloud-based management systems rather than continue using legacy management systems.  To teach the UK hotelier market the advantages of switching to cloud-based technology and more about the Hotelogix product, the company has decided to organise a series of webinars and offer a two-week trial of their solutions.  In addition to advantages that cloud-based systems can offer, we believe that UK hotels should adopt these kind of solutions as forecasts by PwC for 2014 indicate that competition is increasing.  Small and medium hotels have much to gain from moving towards more cloud-based management.      

Image courtesy of KROMKRATHOG / Freedigitalphotos.net

There are many advantages that can be linked to using cloud-computing rather than legacy systems in a hospitality context.  In our opinion, one of the main advantages of using cloud-based management systems is that they can communicate effectively and easily with travel agencies online.  Generally, legacy systems do not have the required ability to do this, which we believe to be a major weakness in these systems.  Moreover, another important advantage is that the solutions offered by Hotelogix allow hoteliers to easily manage all their hotel operations, as these are in constant communication with one another through the cloud.

There are however some disadvantages to using cloud-computing.  If the systems were to fail for any reason, data could be lost and/or irretrievable.  If such a thing were to happen, this would be a large loss, especially if it were to happen to a small independent hotel.  Furthermore, another weakness lies in the question of security.  How safe is the data saved in the cloud?  Should the systems be hacked into, sensitive and confidential information could be made public and used by the wrong people.  Finally, more in-line with Hotelogix’s offer, we believe that a 15-day free trial is not long enough for a hotel to completely test a new system out.  Considering the steep monthly prices of the solutions (for 45 rooms, you pay $135/month for the Property Management System), hoteliers who have never used cloud systems before should be able to test the systems out for a longer period of time.  Otherwise they would need to have someone on their staff that is adept with cloud-computing software.

In a world where IT and technology is developing, at first sight this solution appears to be perfect for all hospitality businesses.  In our opinion, properties should nevertheless consider whether to switch to cloud management systems or not.  As mentioned above, there are both positive and negative points linked to this change which need to be weighed against each other carefully. 

Alexis & Melanie

http://www.hotelogix.com

http://www.travolution.com/articles/2014/03/26/7676/hotelogix-launches-switch-to-cloud-awareness-campaign.html

http://www.pwc.co.uk/hospitality-leisure/uk-hotels-forecast/overview-2014-confidence-returns-at-last.jhtml