Why Hospitality Sector Needs to Embrace Automation?

Automation has existed over the last few years, and rapidly increasing competition and the need to deliver valuable, personalized experiences have led businesses to leverage automation technology that create improved customer experiences. Automation technology has the ability to perform a large number of tasks that are complex for humans, freeing them to focus on valuable outcomes. This is why the hospitality industry needs to adopt automation technology into business functions. However, according to a survey report from Sage, just 16 percent of hospitality companies are on the way to leverage emerging technology.

The use of robotics is playing a significant role in the industry, delivering promising applications for individuals and businesses operating within hospitality management. The reason behind the increased use of robotics is automation and self-service that are providing an augmented customer experience. Also, robots have the potential to make improvements cost-effectively, with accuracy and speed.

Henn-na Hotel in Nagasaki, Japan, for instance, is the first hotel in the world that entirely staffed by robots. They have deployed robots throughout the hotel to provide information, front desk services, storage services, and check-in and check-out services, with technology including voice and facial recognition.

Pain Points Face by Hospitality Companies

With rapid changes in technology, companies within the hospitality industry face several common and digital challenges every time.

Data Management

Hospitality companies are now using automation technology rapidly to provide enhanced services to customers. This can even have a vast impact on revenue. However, the use of technology also brings some challenges including data management. Since integrations of hospitality systems are still not universal, data is often siloed when various teams at the same property practice diverse systems that do not allow the cross-channel sharing of information. This can restrain communication and collaboration, create inefficiencies, take over storage space, and pause overall efficiency. So, in this case, companies must integrate technology that enables data to be easily shared.

Lack of Skills

Using any technology requires proper knowledge and skills about that technology that can help make effective decisions. In the Sage report, 91 percent of hospitality executives consider they have automated some of their company processes. However, the digital skills gap among employees is one of the most troubling issues, the executives noted. Thus, implementing a single end-to-end platform or integrated solutions makes training, practicing, and optimization of that technology much easier.

Competitive Edge

In today's highly competitive business environment, it has become significant to don't overlook any opportunity to entice customers. So, reaching customers smartly by sending them timely, targeted offers in real-time can assist hospitality businesses to see guest engagement spike. Also, streamlining companies' internal processes by using a back-office dashboard that allows business leaders to organize and manage information in one central location help companies gain competitive advantages and drive enhanced guest interactions.

So, automation technologies such as AI, machine learning and robotics are such solutions that can make a big difference in the hospitality industry. Even, technological breakthroughs like autonomous agents, IoT devices and virtual reality have also deep influence in transforming the workforce and jobs in the hospitality sector.