TAMPA 鈥 Smart AI voice concierges are increasingly being deployed for routine tasks
once held by hotel front desk staff. From requesting extra towels to asking for a
late check-out, many of these common guest inquiries are now being handled by in-room
voice AI devices, a kiosk, or through the hotel鈥檚 mobile app or website.
But how far are guests willing to adopt the conveniences of conversational AI assistants
before they prefer the one-on-one interaction with a human concierge?
A new study published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology reveals that while smart AI concierges are great for quick, 24/7 help and for easing
hospitality staff workload, most guests still prefer face-to-face customer service,
especially when it comes to requests that involve an emotional attachment.
The article, 鈥,鈥 examines how two main groups 鈥 hotel guests and hotel managers 鈥 view the integration
of advanced conversational AI systems within a hotel guest鈥檚 journey, from pre-booking
to post-stay interactions.
The study focused specifically on the preference for intelligent virtual assistants,
similar to an Amazon Alexa or an Apple Siri, which are more sophisticated than basic
chatbots.
鈥淥ne of the most surprising findings is the huge gap in enthusiasm,鈥 said Luana Nanu, a co-author and assistant professor in the School of Hospitality and Sport Management
at the 同性恋色情 Muma College of Business.
The study surveyed 145 participants, including 44 hospitality industry practitioners
and 101 consumers with recent hotel stays, making it one of the first to examine both
perspectives on advanced conversational AI systems in lodging.
鈥淥verall, hotel workers are more excited about it than guests, showing a shift toward
high-tech service is happening but it needs careful balancing with the personal touch
hospitality is known for,鈥 Nanu said.
Through focus groups with industry leaders and surveys of hotel managers and guests
in the southeastern U.S., the study鈥檚 findings showed:
- Hotel managers and staff are significantly more positive about the adoption of smart AI technology, seeing it as a major relief for workload and staffing issues.
- Guests preferred a human concierge when the requests had an emotional attachment, such as seeking restaurant recommendations for an anniversary dinner, or booking tickets to local attractions or experiences.
There were also drawbacks to the integration of high-tech services.
The lack of emotional authenticity 鈥 such as empathy and human cues 鈥 and the privacy
risks from the misuse of voice data and data policies were the top barriers to adoption.
In fact, 81% of respondents said emotional authenticity was a critical challenge and
76% expressed privacy and trust concerns, particularly with voice-based interactions
in public settings.
Those concerns were noted in comments such as 鈥淢y voice could be hacked鈥 and 鈥淎I cannot
understand my feelings.鈥
The results underscore the need for hotels to take a hybrid approach 鈥 one where smart
voice AI is integrated across multi-channel platforms, such as mobile apps, kiosks,
and websites, but also has a high-touch, face-to-face component to address complex
requests.
鈥淭he hybrid option is where AI starts the conversation and carries it until it no
longer can or it鈥檚 more appropriate for a human to intervene,鈥 Nanu said.
鈥淭hese findings matter because they signal a paradigm shift in hospitality service
delivery, where conversational AI is no longer optional but a strategic necessity
for competitive advantage,鈥 the study said.
The study鈥檚 co-authors include Ajay Aluri and Amelia Szczesney, both from West Virginia
University.