Skip to main content

Hospitality Companies Using Technology as a Marketing Tool (By Hayley Ho)

It has become a norm to hear about pieces of innovation take root to things we have never expected it to do. We always want something bigger and better and recent trends have made sounding impacts on things like virtual reality, financial decisions, and now has made its way into the Hospitality Industry. Hotels and restaurants are advertising the different pieces of technology as a marketing tool to draw guests in.

Moving Faster

I distinctly remember walking into the SJC airport two years ago and feeling excited to check my bag in. This was simply because I knew that I did not have to wait in a long line to give the airline clerk my photo ID, confirmation number, and wait for them to find me in their system. Rather, I was able to walk up to a touch-screen kiosk, enter a few letters and numbers, and get everything I needed for my flight in less than two minutes. Most hotels companies and food and beverage operations have adapted to this same type of demand in technology as quickly and cost-efficiently as possible.

Beginning a few years ago, hotels have implemented mobile check-in systems and installed Relay robots to deliver room service or any amenity your heart may desire. Relay the robot was exclusively used in Starwood hotels in 2016. In the Fall 2016 quarter at Cal Poly Pomona, Starwood utilized this fact and marketed their company to students using this unique technological advantage. I distinctly remember the Starwood recruiter mentioning that us students have a chance to work with a Relay robot if we externed or interned at one of their properties. Though the robot does not necessarily make the property better, it is still a factor that makes the property more attractive. 

Making it Easy

Our generation is transitioning to the use of “smart” hotels where kiosks and robots are placed throughout the hotel to give guests the service they demand without human contact. If the hotel or restaurant is smarter, humans in return do not have to do as much and will have it easier. Restaurants are increasing the use of Yelp tablets and reward systems that guests may utilize on their mobile devices. This virtually eliminates the necessity of hosts with the labeling of tables at some restaurants.

Recently, the use of robotic bartenders has been taking over the industry and has been pulling tourists into bars and cruise lines to experience it. Rather than fighting for the attention of a bartender, guests can now put their order through on mobile smartphones. Robotic arms can now pour wine, tap beer, brew coffee and mix cocktails for guests who pay by scanning a QR code on their phone. Now, a bar can be completely functional with only one human employee: a bodyguard at the entrance checking IDs and a robot bartender.

Guest Experiences

I believe that hotels, restaurants, and airlines are using these tools to market themselves because there is a high demand for speed, new concepts, and accessibility. I enjoy the face to face interactions I can experience with guests at the hotel I work at. 

Would you prefer interactions with a robot over a human being? Do you think the hospitality world should continue to integrate technology into service aspects?

About the Author

Hayley Ho is a third-year student at Cal Poly Pomona studying Hospitality Management with a minor in Marketing. She is serving her second year as the Marriott Campus Ambassador and is also the President of the club: Hotel, Resort, & Destination Professionals while being affiliated with Eta Sigma Delta, The Kellogg Honors College, and Cru. While pursuing her degree, also works in Food & Beverage at the Marriott Irvine Spectrum which recently won Hotel Opening of the Year. Hayley enjoys going on property tours, playing her ukulele, and playing board games with her friends and family. After graduation, Hayley plans to become a Voyager in Marriott’s manager training program in Room Operations and would like to work abroad in Singapore one day.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Luxury vs. Millennials and Their Technology: The Ritz-Carlton (By Julia Shorr)

Embodying the finest luxury experience, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC has been established since 1983. In 1998, Marriott International purchased the brand offering it more opportunity for growth while being independently owned and operated. They are known for their enhanced service level as the motto states, “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen”. The luxury brand now carries 97 hotels and resorts internationally and is attempting to keep the aspects of luxury while keeping up with the trends of the technologically improving generations. The Varying Demographics of the Target Market The Ritz-Carlton’s typical target market includes: business executives, corporate, leisure travelers, typically middle-aged persons and elders, and families from the upper and upper-middle class section of society .   This infers a large range of types of travelers in which all are similar in that they are not opposed to spending extra for the luxurious ambiance. However, with

The challenges of SB 93 (California Senate Bill No. 93) will impose on the employers and their human resource management team (by Brittany Schaffer)

The COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020, and it has caused massive changes within a short period of time. One of the most rememberable effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was that businesses had to come to a complete halt, forcing them to lay off employees. California's unemployment rates went up.  Now that the stay-at-home orders have lifted, people start to come out. Businesses are now reopening, looking to rehire their laid-off employees. Before the pandemic, employers had the option of recalling only a certain number of laid-off employees they would want to rehire based on employees' job performance. That option had been changed after Governor Gavin Newsome signed into law - Senate Bill 93, which went into effect on April 16th, 2021. The California Senate Bill No. 93 (SB 93) According to SB 93, companies in specific industries, mainly the hospitality industry, have the obligation to provide job opportunities in written form to qualified employees being laid off due to COVI

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P