Robots and service delivery in hotels: preliminary insights from co-workers and supervisors

Abstract

In this research note, we analyze semi-structured interviews with hotel managers and co-workers of robots in Chinese hotel operations. We find that both managers and employees seem to be supportive of delivery robots in their operations, although managers and employees note that delivery robots have substantial limitations. The findings illustrate that management has a laissez-faire attitude toward the incorporation of robots, offering no formal robot training for the employees and establishing no rules about the use of the robots in operations. The findings suggest that hotels are in a ‘Wild West’ stage of the incorporation of robots into operations, where there is enthusiasm about the technologies but little strategic thinking about how such technologies will be implemented to reach organizational goals.