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Meet the Jetsons Written By: Roger Wong They can rocket to the moon for morning tea, spend an afternoon shopping in Jupiter, and be back in time for the evening news at the touch of a button. Ladies and gentlemen, please meet the Jetsons. Now, remember the episode when George and Jane visited Las Venus for gambling and entertainment? Most likely not, but the point is George and Jane certainly did. With the world changing so drastically and at such high-speed, customers are now more than ever demanding the best and newest of what�s to offer. Likewise, providers of these products and services are looking for ways to expand their deliveries more conveniently and to a greater scope of markets all while striving to become more efficient. In recognizing the need to successfully provide an intangible product to its guests, many hotels worldwide have refocused their thinking and have strategically learned through various means what their guests really want, and how to ensure that their desires are met efficiently and timely. In a recent example, the new Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn, located in Denver�s posh Cherry Creek area, went so far as to introduce free long distance service to its guests, in addition to a wealth of complimentary amenities that were already offered at the hotel property, ranging from personal phone lines and voice mail to a 24-hour business center that has all the services a business traveler could ask for. While providing guest satisfaction has always been the core ideal of the hospitality industry, the notion of utilizing technology to better a guest�s experience is still rather new and untested. Imagine yourself as a hotel guest waking up to an alarm clock that knows your schedule for the day and is able to update you on any changes in your calendar? What about an alarm clock that can check on flight times, traffic reports, and is even capable of providing you with alternate routes to your destination before you even step foot outside your room? Perhaps one that will wake you up when it recognizes that you have had enough sleep? Sounds great, right? Of course! The hotel of the future will undoubtedly become more personalized to its guests, be more environmentally conscious, have greater means of communications, and offer a variety of technology amenities for its guests, employees, and the outside world. In general, people of the 21st century welcome technological improvements and anticipate changes, however, how they feel about the transition process is a common question that often yields uncertainty. If I was to say to you that by inserting this tiny microchip into your head, you will no longer need to carry around your passport, credit card, social security card, frequent flyer membership cards, and as a matter of fact, any paper or plastic items since all your personal information will be stored electronically inside your body and can be retrieved by external devices, would you jump right on it? Clearly, your decision to act will be based on a general consensus of the total population and an overall acceptance of this new way of life. In other words, if your neighbors and friends are doing it, wouldn�t you? For a hotel property and its guests, this will mean that check-in time will be virtually non-existent, costs of operation will be significantly lower as a result of a lesser need for manpower, and guests could arguably enjoy themselves without stressing over losing very important personal items. Now add to this microchip the ability to track a guest�s preferences and history. What do you have? A near perfect stay! However, what if you decide to travel abroad and do not speak the native tongue and would like to request something not previously tracked in your historical profile? No worries, the hotel of the future will have an Automated Language Translator System throughout its property. The system will help decode the language barrier between guests and hotel employees as messages will be translated in real-time and delivered through miniature hearing devices. Say hello to more international travel and adios to foreign language requirements. Based on a hotel�s availability, a guest will have his or her most preferred choice of room in which the settings will be precise to each individual�s preferences. At the sound of the guest�s voice, various elements of the room�s environment can be altered including its air temperature and quality, humidity level, and ability to create a day- or night-time ambiance. If a guest is feeling ill, he will be able to use a �Smart Toilet� to perform a health analysis which will accurately test his bodily functions and further send the data directly to a nearby doctor on-call. Should an analysis discover troublesome results, medical personnel will notify the guest immediately, or otherwise, come to the individual�s aid depending on the seriousness of the situation. In addition, an interpretation of the analysis along with a guest�s preferences will be linked to the food and beverage department where proper meals will be made to his liking and well-being. For those who are diabetics, this technology will help bring about new ways of life, thus improving their lifestyles immensely by reducing constant worries. Even though the concept of a personalized experience is certainly rewarding in many ways, hotels will carry a heavy burden in protecting the confidentiality of their guests� personal information, as well as the guests themselves. The issue of security becomes a vital issue in protecting both the assets of a hotel and its guests. In ensuring safety to both parties, a guest�s hotel room will be secured by an �Automatic Face Identification� device, which will require a guest to face a screen to be scanned for face variations. Other security-type gadgets will include finger points matching, voice detection systems, and body heat sensors. Electronic key cards will be a thing of the past. While the lifestyle of the Jetsons are in the stars, certainly, that way of life is nonetheless quite distant. In the meantime, a great deal of work and incalculable layers of improvements are still much needed. Hotels will continue their quests for a more efficient information management system, look for ways to reduce costs and resources, and refocus on various means to embody the true meaning of customer service. Undeniably, information alone will be a primary commodity of the future. Technology will certainly change how games will be played and how business will be conducted. Everyone will be connected to anyone and everything else. How fast we process tasks will depend on how quickly the information is related and sent. In the end, no final answer will be the solution, only more questions will be asked, and far greater advances will be made.
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