Front office managers tire of technology

Hotels are at risk of losing their “personal touch” amid an increased reliance on technology, gadgets and online applications, especially in the front office.

Speaking at a Hotelier Middle East roundtable, Moevenpick Hotel and Apartments Bur Dubai front office manager Dan Benzaquen said “there is enough technology” on the market already.

“Hospitality is one of the oldest businesses and if you add more technology, you’ll lose the personal touch,” said Benzaquen.

“It will never replace that personal touch and it will never create that guest retention,” agreed The Address Dubai Mall front office manager Frank Motzkus.

Despite the introduction by many hotels of virtual concierge systems, for example, Benzaquen and Motzkus said that guests would always choose to use a real concierge if one was available.

Motzkus explained: “While our clientele like to see progress and new designs, and are fairly new kids on the block who like to try and test things, they also really enjoy the human touch. If you have someone qualified and professional and polished who provides the requested service, and interacts with it and can be creative and find solutions, the guest will use the concierge.

“There are so many requests that would be impossible on a computerised, automated system.”

Media One Hotel director of front office Steven Mueller added: “For years, many hotels and companies have provided these pages on the internet where you can look up everything from weather to restaurants, and it’s actually proven that nobody uses them. If it’s available, they’re definitely going to use the concierge”.

At Marriott Dubai Harbour Hotel and Suites, front office manager Murat Askin said he spent three and a half months setting up a virtual concierge, whereby prior to arrival guests can use it for everything from requesting a special type of pillow to booking an excursion.

“When they book they are sent an email with the virtual concierge, then you have a wish list and different options where you can choose certain amenities for your room, arrival time etc,” said Askin.

“It’s been going for two months and the only thing the guest updates is the arrival time and adds a request for an early check in. The guest comes in and then goes to concierge to ask ‘can you arrange me a safari, can you arrange me a tour, where is the nearest shopping mall?’”

Motzkus said that at The Address Dubai Mall, only 1% of guests complete the guest profile attachment sent with every reservation email confirmation made through the CRS.

“It is very small. In terms of getting to know your customers the best way to do it is to get them in the hotel and then get to know them. Before that, it’s literally impossible, which I think falls back to the personal touch and the personal interaction,” said Motzkus.