Picture this:

Hotel staffed by humanoid robots set to open in Japan this summer

The hotel industry is growing; at least for now (and there is good reason for my cynicism. But that's a matter for another blog). Industry pundits predict that the maximum growth will happen in the affordable segment - be it mid market or budget. Unlike airlines (that have succeeded for now); hotels have been unable to get away with the lean service and pay per use models - at least in Asia where a guest expects to be served irrespective of the hotel's price point. To counter the cost of high real estate, build cost and keep a competitive edge; a hotel has very little option other than to lower costs of operations while still maintaining the expected level of services desired by guests. By and large, hotels have succeeded in bringing down utility and marketing costs using technology. The industry has also succeeded in using technology to considerably reduce the staff to room ratio. Sourcing, training and maintaining skilled labour has over time become one of the most expensive propositions to consider.

Then would an army of robot not be every hotel owner's dream? A one time investment in a robot equals a year or two of wages paid to a human for doing the same job. After all, human labour too behaves robotic when it comes to performing a task. How many times have you heard a staff member say "It's not my job" when there is the slightest deviation to what that person has been asked to do or multitask? But a robot does what it is programmed to do - be it single or multitasking without a sound - well almost - if you ignore the mechanical and electronic sounds it will make during tasking. Robots do not require work breaks (except in case of a break down), holidays, leaves, shifts, subsidized staff meals. Robots can be updated (trained) through software upgrade in minutes; carry out multiple monotonous tasks with clinical efficiency; speak in multiple programmed languages; will not cheat or steal from the guest or till; insensitive to gratitude or brickbats from guests; and possibly prejudicial events that may become potentials for a law suit. Surely there will be some guests kinky enough to make a pass at a robot as well.

Impersonal; yes - but staff in general are becoming quite impersonal too when you consider the amount of outsourcing and self serving happening in this segment. In turn, guests would get efficient service from check in to check out for which they don't have to either tip or say thank you for. They can be sure of their own safety as much of their belongings. It maybe a novelty today but a practice tomorrow.

Efficient as it may sound; I am still old school and for me hotels are all about the human touch. Being greeted by a human with a genuine smile on check in and a genuine sounding "thank you and hope to see you again" will always win over an electronic voice. Guess robots will take over the menial tasks and maybe that's for the better as long as the toilet bowl sparkles and the bed is made to perfection. Artificial Intelligence to the degree required to anticipate and cure situations seems still in a distance - and praying that it comes after I am long gone. I would hate leaving a hotel saying "Domo Arigato Mizu. Roboto" and hope that by accident - it does not kill me.