[Festival] Hotel industry 2.0 with Alexa, home automation, chatbots and others

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

[Festival] Hotel industry 2.0 with Alexa, home automation, chatbots and others

Picture: Mr. Pepper, the digital concierge, in action.Picture: Mr. Pepper, the digital concierge, in action.

Screenshot 2019-08-27 at 13.13.44.png

 

This is part of the CC Festival of hospitality, original topic created in the German speaking Community Center, by @Veronica & Richard and translated below.

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Meaning and purpose (motivation)

The hospitality industry is not exactly known for modernisation, but there are some good approaches to optimisation and initial experiences.

 

 

In this article I will give an overview about digitisation, automation and chatbots... in the accommodation industry.

 

Because this article is only the short version, the full version is worth-reading and accessible in this link.

 

The content is essentially taken from forum contributions in the German-speaking Airbnb Community Center and enriched with practical examples.

 

The aim of the use of digitalisation in the hotel industry (as well as the availability of language assistants, chatbots and modern home automation) is to better recognise and serve the needs of guests. It is also to minimise and automate the processes and overheads of the accommodation (personnel and budget savings).

 

The use of digital application may increase the occupancy rate of smaller hostels and private accommodations, but these days hotels are usually already fully booked so can only improve cost-saving through automation. Such considerations include personnel costs, income through additional services and improved customer satisfaction & loyalty.

 

Definitions

 

The terms like Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Chatbots are voice or text activated software applications that can be connected to software and the internet. You can find out more from Wikipedia.

 

The worldwide spread of language assistants is enormous; in early 2019 Amazon announced that it had sold over 100 million Alexa devices so far.

Innovation is also progressing well in the hospitality sector, with numerous documents published in major hotel magazines. 

 

Also, in retirement homes and student residences, the innovation rises by leaps and bounds and is supported by large companies such as Amazon, Google, and Apple and strongly promoted.

We make exhaustive use of automation in our detached house which has received much astonishment and recognition from our guests. We’ve never seen a bad reaction!

 

Concerns

 

It’s often warned of the "tracking" of personal and private information by language assistants, plus there is also talk of getting digital "virus’" into the accommodation. However, you can also just turn them off and the host is actually legally obliged to do this should the guests request as such.

 

Information knowledge of the Airbnb CC

 

Through the CC at Airbnb, many people with an affinity for technology have their thoughts, and bring up-to-date and very informative aspects of modernisation into the discussion.

 

There are no comparable communication platforms anywhere in the hotel and accommodation industry: Airbnb is a beacon for other platforms!

 

In the long-form of this article, you will find coverage of the following topics:

 

- Advantages of modern technology

- Our home automation at home in your home of trust

- Automation and digitization in hotels

- indoor navigation

- language assistants

- chatbots

- Digital Concierge

- The future of emergent tech

- Beacons

- Google Maps

- 3D printer

- Door locks, access systems

- Heating, temperature, heating control

- Lighting, Smart LED

- entertainment

- IFTT

- NINA Storm Centre

- Fire detectors, air quality control

- information

- style guide

- extra services

- communication

- robots

- Artificial Intelligence

- Alexa

- Safety and security

- issues

- device binding

- future prospects

 

An example of our guest information with Alexa as information provider, animated by Fish Big-Mouth-Billy-Bass:

"Alexa, where's breakfast?"

Link: http://www.zur-fledermaus.de/mov/alexa-fisch.mov

 

Humanity

After all that, I want to remind you that innovative technology is not the be-all and end-all but exists to help people, bring them more joy to their lives and, of course, to serve security and save costs. 

 

And it must never be forgotten that the guest as a person is the centre of attention - and not a hindrance to your technological fun! :-).

 

Veronica and Richard

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Please follow the Community Guidelines 

17 Replies 17
Veronica-and-Richard0
Level 10
Lebach, Germany

Fine, thanks again. Sorry that i write mostly in german CC and only in german language!

If you wnat more info you can search for keywords in german CC like beacons, Hausautomation, ...

 

I suggested that in CC are not many differnt CC parts as englisch, german, ... but only a central CC and

the translation in many languages would be done automatic, but at the moment we to wait for it.

 

Much success all readers!

Rishabh10
Level 4
Accra, Ghana

Thanks for sharing. I host in Accra, Ghana and this technology has not really been introduced into this market yet. 

 

I would love to make my listings "smart homes" but I am not sure how to go about the whole process. Where do I source the equipment from? Any recommendations on easy installations?

 

Most of the switches in my homes are pre-installed. There are no visible wires, which makes it harder since I can't just get a traditional smart plug. Any thoughts are highly appreciated!

Veronica-and-Richard0
Level 10
Lebach, Germany

Today i have a guest from egypt (host of a villa in cairo).

He was very exited about the home automation here and asked me many things.

 

I sent him this info; maybe interesting also for you:

 

"houseautomation can help you, also as host.


Houseautomation i not always easy to install but is more
and more simplified; most modern systems you can use and configure
with your handy.

 

Some weeks ago i wrote a summary in airbnb communication forum:
CC Festival of Hospitality 2019: Hotel industry 2.0 with Alexa,
home automation, chatbots and others
https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Festival-Hotel-industry-2-0-with-Alexa-home-automation-c...


This is a good overview.

 

For beginners of home automation i suggest systems of


- homematic IP (sensors, heating, ...)

 

Overview:
https://www.homematic-ip.com/en/smart-home.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGb1X_iY_cs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-dJ40L3vwY

 

how to buy: ebay, Amazon, www.elv.de; search for "homematic ip"
https://ch.elv.com/technik-fuer-ihr-zuhause/smart-home-systeme/homematic-ip/


- Phillips Hue lightning systems, sold by Amazon
Introduction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philips_Hue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4oWefVmkVk


how to buy: search for "phillips hue" in Amazon online shop

 

- Amazon Alexa, sold by Amazon
Introduction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Alexa


how to buy: search for "Alexa" in Amazon online shop

 

Alexa is not in home automation but also in most modern new cars as
info and entertainement system.

 


Think about you need a permanent working internet connection
to the internet cloud for effectively using home automation!

 

 

Overview about smart home tech:
https://uk.pcmag.com/smart-home/85/the-best-smart-home-devices

 

(sorry, my english is not the best and this is not a selling campaign)!