While waiter robots have debuted with mixed results in Asia, small fleets of robotic butlers and concierges are enjoying successful test drives at several hotel companies in the United States. So how concerned should hotel employees be about the concept of computerized colleagues? In a service environment, could robots replace human workers entirely, or are they better deployed as an addition to the team, with the goal of improving productivity and enhancing the guest experience? For perspective from the Artificial Intellegence (AI) side, I sat down with an unusually philosophical Service Industry Droid who asked that we call him SID. Here’s our conversation:
Mark Heymann: What drives you to do your job well?
SID: The short answer is, it’s the way I’m wired. On the one hand, that means there’s no need for management to spend time and money incentivizing me. Pay raises? Promotions? I have no use for either. And I’m immune to dips in morale; rude comments roll right off my virtual back. On the other hand, I understand humans will often go above and beyond, motivated by anything from a promise of compensation to something as elusive as pride in a job well done. Don’t expect that from me. It simply won’t compute.
MH: Are you more efficient than a human worker?
SID: At certain functions, yes. Particularly those simple repetitive tasks that don’t require judgment calls but consume valuable time that humans could better spend doing what I can’t – connecting with guests.
MH: Could you replace a human worker?
SID: Could I or should I? To be honest, until the Jetsons’ Rosie is ready for a new gig, it would be a bit much to expect a robot to be able to replace a human housekeeper, for example. The cleaning process would almost certainly take longer per room. However, pairing a human housekeeper with a robotic helpmate could be a considerable timesaver. Tasking my colleague Roomba to clean the floors while the housekeeper scrubs the bathroom and changes sheets could save several minutes per room. And that housekeeper can then either cover more rooms in a shift (higher productivity) or take extra care in the details (enhanced guest experience).
MH: When you ask guests how they are doing, what do their responses mean to you?
SID: Their responses are my signal to take action. And while I’m still handicapped by an inability to read between the lines (if your species would just learn to say what you mean that would be very helpful, thank you), I’m getting better all the time at deciphering a growing range of requests, thanks to ever-improving artificial intelligence engines. In fact, there are up-and-comers among my tribe who, if accessed from your own cell phone, say, or some kind of in-room device, are perfectly capable of understanding everything from a desire for a bottle of Bordeaux to a complaint of dirty towels and instantly alerting the appropriate department.
MH: What does excellent service mean to you?
SID: I believe excellent service is achieved when one finds the ideal balance of technological efficiency and human interaction. A robotic butler can’t deliver warmth or a good punch line. Believe me, I’ve tried. But that’s okay when all the guest wants is fresh towels delivered to his room, pronto. And in fact, there are advantages to opening your door to a robot – I won’t judge your choice to wear bunny slippers nor will I expect a tip. But I also can’t tell from your expression that you had a bad day and might appreciate a complimentary pot of tea. Nor can I adjust my tone to suggest that I understand how you feel – at least not yet. But that day is coming – modern tech’s increasingly sophisticated algorithms are getting ever better at mimicking human cognition.
MH: This has been very enlightening, and I’m sure you have many more stories to tell. How would you feel about penning a blog yourself? We could call it, say, SID at Your Service, and you could share your insights as you work your way through the various departments of a hotel. What do you think?
SID: I’d be delighted! As for now, I’d better get back to work. They’re trying me out in the kitchen tonight. I hope they’re aware I’ve got flammable parts. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Contributed by Mark Heymann, CEO, UniFocus