DO’s and DON’Ts of Hotel Robots

INTRODUCTION

Increasingly, HOTEL robots are being considered For various hotel tasks, especially those that are repetitive and accomplishable by a machine, versus an ever increasingly difficult-to-find and costly human.

These AI-powered machines Can handle various tasks and inquiries, enhancing the guest experience to deliver prompt, accurate, and round-the-clock assistance, ensuring guests feel supported and well-informed throughout their stay.

Robots are taking care of all the physically demanding or painful and repetitive jobs, allowing your staff to focus on what is important, be that housekeeping, F&B, car parks, and so much more.

by no means is THIS an exhaustive list, but it goes some way to achieving goals, AND THROUGH THE USE OF BEST PRACTICES, WILL HELP ENSURE a positive, memorable GUEST experience - achieved through THE EFFECTIVE USE OF TECH.

DO’S

Understand Your Needs: Identify the tasks that the robot will be performing. This could range from room service to cleaning or even providing information to guests.
Thorough Testing: Before deploying the robot, make sure to test it thoroughly in a controlled environment to ensure it can perform its tasks effectively. Triple check the mapping of the robots suits the purpose you have intended for the robot to do, cleaning, bussing in
restaurants, meal and tray delivery, or room delivery robots. Mapping is key!
Train Your Staff: Make sure your staff understands how to interact with the robot and how to troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Some may see the integration of a robot as intimidating to their job. Promote the benefits to help
increase their efficiency and leave the tedious, monotonous roles to the robot so they can concentrate on items that require the human touch.
Consider Guest Interaction: The robot should be user-friendly and able to interact with guests in a pleasant and helpful manner.
Regular Maintenance: Robots, like any other machine, require regular maintenance to ensure they continue to function properly.
Have a Backup Plan: In case the robot malfunctions or is unable to perform its tasks, have a backup plan in place.
Assess Battery Life and Autonomy: The robot should have a reasonable battery life and be able to perform its duties without constant human intervention.
Update Software Regularly: Regular software updates can help improve the robot's performance and fix any bugs or issues.
Prioritize Security: Ensure the robot's software is secure to protect against any potential cyber threats.
Use Data Effectively: Robots can collect a wealth of data. Use this data to improve your services and guest experience.
Consider the Aesthetics: The robot should fit in with the hotel's decor and not be an eyesore.
Ensure the integration and full support top-down behind the use of the robot. It is all well and good to tell staff to use it, but you need to make sure it is part of standard operating procedures to ensure the use of it for tasks, or you've invested a lot of money into an expensive statue.
Consider Integration with Existing Systems: Check whether the robot can easily integrate with your hotel's technology infrastructure.
ALWAYS assign a staff member with sole responsibility and ownership of the project—a critical success factor in implementing robots.
Request a Demo or Trial: Have the vendor demonstrate the robot in your environment or provide a trial period.
Prioritize Reliability: Opt for vendors with a proven track record. Look for reviews, case studies, or references from other hoteliers.
Ensure you have set out your requirements and how you will measure success; this is essential if you are doing a “Proof of Concept” (POC); otherwise, how will you know if you have arrived at success and want to move forward with robotics?
Consider safety: Ensure the robot has safety features that prevent it from causing harm or accidents, especially when interacting with guests or navigating the hotel.
Ensure your network is in great shape and the robots can receive high-quality WiFi signals everywhere they are to be deployed, including inside the elevators. Some robots also use the 4G/5G mobile cellular network, which should be a high-quality signal throughout the hotel.
Consider the Total Cost of Ownership: Beyond the initial purchase price, consider ongoing costs such as maintenance, support, training, and potential upgrades.

DON’TS

Ignore Guest Privacy: Ensure the robot respects guest privacy and does not intrude into their personal space.
Rely Solely on the Robot: Robots should complement your staff, not replace them. Human interaction is still a crucial part of the hospitality industry.
Forget About Noise Levels: The robot should operate quietly to not disturb guests, especially at night.
Neglect Safety: The robot should be safe to interact with and not pose any risk to guests or staff.
Ignore Long-Term Viability: Consider how the vendor's roadmap aligns with your long-term goals and the future of the hospitality industry. Avoid vendors that may not have a clear plan for future developments.
Ignore Feedback: Consider feedback from guests and staff about the robot's performance and make necessary adjustments.
Overcomplicate Tasks: The tasks assigned to the robot should be Overcomplicating tasks can lead to errors and inefficiencies.
Forget About Accessibility: The robot should be accessible to all guests, including those with disabilities.
Rush the Decision: Take the time to thoroughly research, evaluate, and consult with various stakeholders to ensure the best decision for your hotel.
Ignore Local Laws and Regulations: Make sure the use of the robot complies with all local laws and regulations.
Avoid Closed Systems: If a robot's software or parts are proprietary and prevent third-party integrations, it might limit its usefulness in the long run.
Neglect Connectivity Issues: Ensure the robot can maintain a stable connection to perform its tasks without interruption.
Expect Perfection: Robots, like humans, can make mistakes. Be prepared for occasional hiccups and have a plan to address them. Don't expect the robot to perform flawlessly and DO continual workflow reviews and make appropriate changes; the robot is to help.
Underestimate Space & Infrastructure Needs: Some robots might require specific docking stations, storage, or pathways. Ensure you have the space and infrastructure to accommodate them.
Overlook Security Concerns: Assess the security measures to protect data and ensure the robot cannot be easily tampered with.
Neglect Training Needs: Staff must be trained to interact with and possibly maintain the robot. Avoid vendors that don't offer adequate training resources.
Don’t make the robot do things it is not designed for, as failure will be upon you quickly.
Ignore User Experience: Ensure guests and staff are comfortable interacting with the robot.
Avoid Impulse Purchases: Don't buy a robot simply because it's trendy. Make sure it aligns with your hotel's specific needs and goals.

Glossary

Actuator: A component of a machine that is responsible for moving or controlling a mechanism or system.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): The capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior.
Autonomous Robots: Robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance.
Collaborative Robots (Cobots): Robots designed to work alongside humans in a shared workspace.
Degrees of Freedom (DoF): The number of independent ways a robot can move, defined by the number of axes of motion they have.
Deployment: The process of setting a robot to perform its tasks in the real world after design, testing, and validation stages.
End Effector: The device at the end of a robotic arm, designed to interact with the environment. The exact nature of this device depends on the application of the robot.
HRI (Human-Robot Interaction): A field of study dedicated to understanding, designing, and evaluating robotic systems for use by or with humans.
Industrial Robots: Robots used in manufacturing environments for assembly, painting, inspection, etc.
Machine Learning (ML): A type of artificial intelligence that allows software applications to become more accurate in predicting outcomes without being explicitly programmed.
Mapping: Robotic mapping is an essential computer vision and cartography discipline. The goal for an autonomous robot is to be able to construct a map or floor plan and to localize itself and its recharging bases or beacons in it.
Path Planning: Creating a route the robot can use to achieve its task.
Payload: The weight that a robot arm can lift or move.
Robot: A machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer.
Robot Operating System (ROS): A flexible framework for writing robot software, providing tools and libraries for simplifying the task of creating complex and robust robot behavior.
Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS): A cloud computing unit that facilitates the seamless integration of robots and embedded devices into Web and cloud computing environments.
Robotics: The field of engineering and science that involves the design, construction, operation, and application of robots.
Sensor: A device that detects or measures a physical property and records, indicates, or responds to it.
SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping*: A technology used in robotics to produce a map of the environment and to localize the robot at the same time.
Swarm Robotics: A field of robotics that designs and deploys many relatively simple robots and coordinates their activities.
Teach Pendant: A handheld control and programming unit. They are used to manually control a robot's movements and program it to perform tasks.

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Terence Ronson
Managing Director
Pertlink Limited