Pre-covid, hoteliers were reluctant to add data & analytical tools to their hotel because they thought that it would take away from the still important human touch.
The human touch will never go away, but given that hotels are understaffed, the need for AI solutions and some automation has become more important than ever. According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, 16,000 jobs were lost due to the pandemic, and only 3,700 of those jobs have been filled in my home state of Virginia.If we look at the data from a nationwide perspective, the unfilled to filled job ratio will be similar. Perhaps AI smart concierge and contactless check-in can’t solve the problem, but they can definitely help!
With revenge travel in full effect, hotels are relieved that revenue is flowing back, but they are now faced with the new challenge of high occupancy with a low number of staff on payroll. We are not certain, but in my opinion, hotels should not wait any longer to implement technologies that will save staff time and give the guest multiple choices for their hotel experience.
The pandemic showed us how disruptive to regular businesses it can be if you do not have the requisite technologies in place. For example, when the pandemic hit, we saw the forward-thinking companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Grubhub, & Best Buy actually improve the revenue of their businesses. The industries that were affected the most by the pandemic weren’t prepared as they chose not to adapt new technologies.
The thought process of not investing in critical technologies until an industry’s back is against the wall (Covid is a perfect example) is short sighted and needs to change. Both branded and non-branded properties need to begin replicating the models of the more successful sectors by investing in forward thinking technology. These successful industries have seen success in investing in technologies that focus on AI and analytics. Isn’t it time for the hospitality industry to follow suit?
If you would like to learn more about VenueLytics, and our digital concierge solution that is powered by AI and analytics, please visit VenueLytics.ai.
Justin Davis
Senior Account Executive VenueLytics.ai