Robot technology has advanced dramatically, even in the last decade. We now have robots carrying out tasks that previously might have been the plot of science fiction. In this blog post, we’ll be going through a few of the ways that robots are specifically being integrated into the hotel and service industry – and asking whether we should be excited, or see this as a temporary trend.
In some hotels, robot butlers are already being used as a novel way of delivering any required items to guests’ rooms. It could be argued that this is a great way to remove repetitive tasks from human members of staff so that they can focus on keeping guests happy. Others might have the viewpoint that working as a butler is a time-honoured tradition and not one that can be superseded by robot technology.
Robot luggage porters are also becoming increasingly popular in some hotels. These robots are able to efficiently take luggage up to the correct room. This is another instance of robot technology developers seeing the potential to remove a repetitive task from the human workforce. There are of course some security concerns though – will a robot luggage porter be able to protect valuables from those that theft, and does a programmed robot leave more room for error when the technology is so new?
At Hideo Sadawa in Japan, guests are treated to a hotel experience where robots make up almost the entire workforce. This technology is very advanced, even boasting voice and facial recognition – so service can be tailored to individual guests. Robot technology in Japan is more advanced than anywhere else in the world – there are also robot bars and restaurants in some of its bigger cities.
So, do we need to worry about robots replacing human beings yet? The answer is obviously no. Although robots in some instances can get the job done, we do not yet have the technology that means the efficiency is any greater than if a human being were to carry out the task. Customers also value the human touch that robots cannot offer. In a position in a hotel, robots obviously cannot hold conversations or ask how a guest’s stay has been with the same sincerity – and that’s something that will never change!
