| Panel of experts: |
| • Mahesh Pillai, Information’s System Manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai. • Adil Canteenwalla, Front Office Manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai. • Sudeep Jain, MD, SWA, IHG Hotels and Resorts. • Rakhi Purohit, GM – Revenue, Lords Hotels and Resorts. |
- As technology advances, how do hotels decide which technology will help enhance the value of their brand and property?
Mahesh Pillai (MP): In today’s ever-changing business world, individuals need to play dynamic roles and set new goals that impact an organisation technologically and culturally. Developing a technical vision for the organisation, digitalisation will remain a top priority in 2023 and beyond. The digital trend has grown incredibly during the global pandemic. As a part of the digital transformation journey, there will be an increased focus on new tools like artificial intelligence, workflow streamlining tools, and robotics.
Adil Canteenwalla (AC): One of the most progressive sectors in the world is ‘hospitality and tourism’. In a fast-paced world where people depend increasingly on technology, hotel industries must step up with the latest technological innovations. A person who has checked into a hotel should not feel like he has been alienated from the rest of the world. To enhance the comfort level of every guest, it is the hotel’s responsibility to coordinate with the latest technology.
Rakhi Purohit (RP): The recent pandemic has taught us that we need to be one with the times, and right now, the need of the hour is to be digitally savvy, which can foster a data-driven culture. The current trend is integrating technology, data, people, and process and; orchestrating change across all four of these dimensions. This will keep the organisation at the brim of the digital race.
- Which is one innovation that your company is planning to invest in that it believes will have a direct impact on its bottom line?
AC: In today’s time, the inclination towards technological support in any task we perform directly impacts the bottom line. These may primarily affect the labour cost, which in today’s time is one of the heaviest costs to any industry, especially to hotels where human intervention was used to a large extent. To throw light on the subject, a simple passport scanner that is automated in the current scenario allows us to save costs as we now do not need a data entry person on a shift.
As part of our investments, we believe integrating F&B outlet terminals with iPads and printers will have a direct impact on the bottom line. Some of the key benefits of this integration are less cable management required, highly cost-effective, easy maintenance, compact and attractive.
Sudeep Jain (SJ): The pandemic has accelerated technology adoption, and the hospitality industry has adapted at almost the same pace. Embracing technology across hospitality operations has been instrumental in enhancing guest satisfaction, while making them feel safer as well.
In the long term, we are investing in new-age technology, tools and solutions that make the biggest difference to our guests, owners and teams. Our intuitive, cloud-based solution, IHG Concerto, the first of its kind in our industry, is critical to the work we are doing in this space, serving as the foundation for how much digital advantage we are creating. IHG Concerto blends core hotel applications into one seamless, powerful platform capable of enhancing the guest, owner and colleague experience. It gives IHG the ability to add regular releases with new functionality at pace and scale, and ensures we continue to evolve how we enrich the guest stay and meet new expectations, alongside driving stronger returns for our owners.
We are also piloting other mobile-enabled improvements, such as in-room dining orders, real-time pay-with-points and guest requests.
RP: Most of the leading hotel chains are heavily investing on Revenue Management System (RMS). This application will change the rules of the pricing game and ensure enhancement of the bottom line, regardless of the size of the hotel group. Now, there is the ease of doing business, because it allows complex calculations to be carried out swiftly and allows for the kind of real-time tracking of market data that is virtually impossible to replicate physically.
Can emerging technologies like AI and machine learning help enhance guest experiences, especially when many hotel companies are still struggling with unresponsive or outdated websites, which are sometimes not mobile-friendly?
MP: AI/machine learning helps to predict customer behaviour, which assists in predicting personalisation’s for guests, thereby increasing wow moments. AI improves decision making, analyses user behaviour to uncover trends, quickly identifies problems and reveals what changes are required on the website or applications.
AC: Technology is one aspect of the tourism industry. Gone are those days when we used to see long queues to book tickets at stations or struggled with a travel agent to book flight tickets and hotels. Today, booking a stay and travel is carried at a click of a button. This enhancement has improved the experience of people. When we talk about the unresponsiveness of websites and lagging, this is one area which is continually improving. Altogether, there are more pros than cons here.
SJ: In a world where we all expect seamless experiences, our digital capabilities form crucial aspects of our offer for guests and owners. For guests, our brand proposition is as much about our booking experience, marketing and app functionality as it is about the hotel destination and our brand hallmarks. For owners, our offer is as much about our ability to create revenue advantages through data and technology as it is about our scale and expertise.
In our constant desire to innovate by harnessing the latest technological advances, we support AI interactions to engage with guests on their preferred channels and improve the booking and stay experience.
As an example, at the property level, the company has deployed IHG Voice Cloud, which uses AI technology to automatically handle calls and reduce the workload of reception teams. It helps us drive better guest experiences, boost enrolment for IHG One Rewards, and improve revenue up-sell.
RP: AI is the future; companies should look forward to investing in innovative technologies that will enhance a guest experience. In fact, in Kerala, there is already a restaurant which has employed robots as waiters, who take orders as well as serve the customers. AI or voice-activated assistants are seen as USPs (Unique Selling Points) by the respective hotel unit. It is successfully driving the hospitality industry and accelerating customer experiences.
- Which are the areas in the hospitality business where AI will play a significant role?
MP: The implementation of AI and ML in the travel and hospitality industry has wide implications for enriching the end-user experience of guests and offers the option for dynamic pricing. An application powered by AI and ML enables the Travel and Hospitality industry to personalise services, analyse user reviews, and offer virtual assistance.
AC: Booking structures, liberty to select the right hotel, and reading through reviews are the areas where AI has proven to provide a friendly advantage to travellers. Even as hoteliers, these help us to review pricing and also look at the demand strategy. Accordingly, we can position ourselves in the market.
RP: The social norms of the pandemic have made us rely heavily on the advantages of employing AI, because of its ability to carry out all human functions with ease and at any time of the day. Today all the leading hospitality businesses are relying on the power of AI to provide seamless experiences to their customers and staff members. AI will play a significant role in the areas concerning guest experience, a guest’s journey from start to end, their preferences, and guest assistance, e.g., travel tourism, hotels, meeting/events, and aviation.
- What are the more prudent technologies that hotels should concentrate on to have a robust infrastructure that will help them provide a better guest experience?
MP: An ‘intelligent virtual assistant’ that communicates with guests and suggests services, offers, travel ideas, tips, and alternate plans. The Chabot will reduce the utilisation of call centres and offer hyper-personalised self-service.”
AC: Direct connect applications where guests can chat with the hotel team directly without the intervention of a human call and follow-up. These applications will help resolve a lot of guest requirements simultaneously.”
- The hospitality industry is experimenting with voice-activated technology. Is this a fad, or will it become a mainstay in the hotel space?
MP: Possibilities with AI are endless. Enterprises are moving away from rote, rules-based automated solutions such as Chabot and toward intelligent cognitive agents that process unstructured data, engage in more human-like interactions, and constantly learn. By combining AI with advanced analytics Principles, the Travel and Hospitality industry can ensure personalised service resulting in better value, and memorable experiences for their guests.”
AC: Nothing is impossible with the advancement of AI. Honestly, though the human touch cannot be replaced in hospitality which we call ‘personal touch’, the advancement with voice-activated technology is improving day by day, and it is adapting the human touch with the experiences and examples that there evolve with. In the long run, human intervention may decrease largely, as AI voice intervention will capture a significant percentage of the industry.
RP: This is yet to be evaluated. Since the hospitality industry is very sector-based, sample voice may not work. Accent plays a major role in connecting with guests, and voice-activated technology may not be an answer to the same.
- How can technologies like virtual and augmented technology help in enhancing guest experience?
MP: AR helps customers understand what they’re buying and how it will work for them. This will provide them with more in-depth information. Mixed reality creates an environment where the digital and physical elements are merged to facilitate interaction among the virtual and the real world.”
AC: Today, before we step out of the house, for anything that we would like to do, the first help is AI. Our phone and the search engine will decide our preference and also allow us to engage in their responses. This is all about preference. Once a preference is typed into the search engine, it will capture your preference and help you browse through it more easily. This is the experience AI gives. This is directly related to the travel industry as well.”
RP: AI has the power to immerse consumers and provide them with new and enhanced guest experiences. Also, these technologies help gather guest behaviour, choices, and preferences, which in turn helps the hospitality industry to understand their own shortcomings; and assists them in adapting or developing better services and offers to maintain guest loyalty. It’s as simple as give and take but customised.
