TECHNOLOGY
Self-driving RV . A “ Hotel Rover ” for up to four people employs AI-powered digital assistance , guidance and entertainment options . It is designed for sleeping and can provide transport between partner hotels .
Guest preference wearable . A digital , encrypted wearable called a “ Journey Pebble ” stores guest preferences with a hotel . A clone of the pebble joins those of other guests behind the front desk , where it interacts using AI as a sort of networking device .
Robot service . A “ robot alliance ” deconstructs F & B , deploying robots to serve guests anywhere on a hotel property . Robots have warming and cooling units and double as dining surfaces ; others have audiovisual components for music , movies and gaming .
The actual costs to produce the five ideas weren ’ t determined . The project gave brands and designers a “ safe space to talk about how to solve problems without committing to them . “ The ideas are everyone ’ s ,” Swidler says .
“ Companies have a tendency to be siloed , and solutions that might be contemplated for one brand live within that brand . And yet , the franchisees operate hotels across multiple brands , and so there ’ s a disconnect between the desire to keep ideas to themselves and then to apply as many of the best ideas across brands as possible ,” he says .
“ People have a tendency to look at the most immediate needs and problems that are in front of them and address those first ,” Swidler says . “ We ’ re wired that way . We were trying to get this think tank to go beyond the cleaning protocols and safety standards that are a pandemic-based , shortterm solution and make sure that the solutions that we ’ re proposing had long-term benefits .”
The goal was to make sure that the teams had “ one foot in fantasy and one foot in reality . That gives us credibility and believability ,” Swidler says . “ I hope that ’ s one of the great things that comes from this challenge that we ’ ve all been going through is a bit of an opportunity to take a longer view and also to look at both the present and the past and say , ‘ How do I reprioritize based upon what I ’ ve learned now ?’ I think there ’ s been a lot of growth and a lot of rethinking of priorities and importance as a result of going through this . And we hope it carries forward .”
The “ Hotel Rover ” tested very well with survey respondents , Swidler says , perhaps because of the “ safe but mobile ” approach that travel-hungry consumers desire . “ It was a basic human need ( whose ) importance was raised as a result of our present conditions , but it is an idea that someone might be able to take and run with .” Sharing the idea may suggest a solution that is “ totally achievable right now from an existing RV company or travel company or manufacturer ,” Swidler says , “ and it could lead to something great .”
THE GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEAMS HAD “ ONE FOOT IN FANTASY AND ONE FOOT IN REALITY . THAT GIVES US CREDIBILITY AND BELIEVABILITY .”
- RON SWIDLER
62 hotelsmag . com November / December 2020