{"id":22987,"date":"2017-11-15T00:26:57","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T05:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/reliance-on-robots-and-data-in-the-hospitality-industry-an-oxymoron\/"},"modified":"2017-11-15T00:26:57","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T05:26:57","slug":"reliance-on-robots-and-automation-in-the-hospitality-industry-an-oxymoron","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/reliance-on-robots-and-automation-in-the-hospitality-industry-an-oxymoron\/","title":{"rendered":"Reliance on Robots and Automation in the Hospitality Industry: An Oxymoron?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You enter your hotel after a long flight, skip check-in, and swipe into your room using your iPhone. Upon entering, you notice your favorite scented candle is awaiting you even though you have never expressed this preference. A moment later, a robot arrives at your front door to deliver the toothpaste you forgot.\u00a0Although this seamless customer experience may seem like a distant dream far removed from the current headache of travel, Marriott International is rolling out this experience across the globe thanks to the use of advanced analytics.<\/p>\n

Digital Disruption\u00a0in the Hospitality Industry<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Throughout the hospitality industry, there is an increasing reliance on digitization and advanced analytics to improve the customer experience. Hotels, airlines, and others are using data to delight customers and differentiate their experience by reducing the pain points associated with travel. Traditional hotel companies like Marriott have already been disrupted by AirBnB and other digital natives who use advanced analytics to radically rethink and reshape the customer experience,\u00a0delivering a higher level of service at a lower price [1]. Now these industry incumbents must refocus their attention on the next wave of innovation to capture growth and ensure survival [2]. However, critics suggest this focus on data could depersonalize the experience, losing that thoughtful touch travelers crave [3]. Does digitization inherently degrade the human connection that hospitality is based on? Or is it merely a medium to prioritize and provide higher-touch, personalized service?<\/p>\n

Marriott International: An Agenda of Innovation<\/b><\/p>\n

Marriott International is the world’s largest hotel chain and, as a result, is acutely feeling the industry\u2019s push towards digitization. Marriott International cites innovation as a top priority and has introduced a variety of digital solutions to improve stays [4]. At the Marriott Charlotte City Center, guests can swipe into their rooms using their iPhone [5]. At some Marriott hotels, VRoom Service lets guests explore the world from their room using virtual reality [6]. At The Residence Inn by Marriott in Los Angeles, Wally the Robot uses analytics to masterfully navigate the hotel, riding elevators and buzzing guests rooms to deliver everything from towels to toothpaste. Wally provides prompt service and delights travelers who frequently post about him on social media (albeit only when in service as guests have been known to put wet towels in Wally, causing him to short-circuit) [4].<\/p>\n