The Argument for Removing the Hotel Front Desk

In the past few years, technology has replaced various elements of travel where humans used to rule, including hotel room service robots, check-in kiosks at airports and mobile apps that serve as virtual tour guides, so it’s no surprise the next human position to go would be the hotel front desk clerk. But with this possibility (one already implemented in select hotels across the nation) comes uncertainty and arguments from both sides.

An argument for keeping human hotel desk clerks is the fact that they are, well, human. A smiling person greeting you upon checking in after an exhausting flight adds an element of hospitality a machine can’t emulate. Technology can be fast and efficient, but it can also be so varied in process that tired travelers aren’t always the most adept at operation. In these cases, having a human to walk sleepy arrivals through the check-in process is a welcome benefit to skipping the technological component and asking travelers to learn how to operate yet another machine. Asking a front-desk attendant for local recommendations is also when a human comes in handy as you can hold a normal conversation that may take detours in topic, but it beats having to troll through TripAdvisor to find the nearest supermarket that sells toothpaste.

Despite the helpful aspects of a human, there are technological features that make checking in more amenable, especially for introverts. Checking in via a mobile app, for example, means you can check in at any hour, even after a late-night flight. Virtual check-in also eliminates having to wait in yet another line to receive a key and simply confirm a credit card, steps a human doesn’t need to be involved in. Other services a hotel concierge offers are directions, but most frequent travelers don’t need assistance in finding the elevator or following signs to the dining room.

While both arguments have valid points, technology is making headway in the hotel check-in business, and the option of whether to check in via app or person may be left to the hotel.