A Delhi-based CEO recently experienced a ‘futuristic’ check-in at a Bengaluru hotel. Ananya Narang, CEO of content-as-a-service tech company Entourage, encountered a virtual receptionist instead of the usual front desk staff, calling it a “Peak Bengaluru” moment.
A Bengaluru hotel has replaced its traditional front desk staff with a virtual receptionist.Narang shared her experience on LinkedIn after encountering this approach during her stay.
“Peak Bengaluru Moment – A Virtual Receptionist,” she said in a post on LinkedIn.
Narang highlighted this tech-forward solution. She said that upon checking in, she discovered that the hotel had minimal on-site staff, with only a few security guards and technicians present.
Instead of interacting with a physical receptionist, guests are greeted by a virtual receptionist on a laptop screen at the front desk.
“Once I checked in, I realised the hotel had no staff expect 2 security guards and 1-2 technicians. Everything was coordinated via trained hospitality staff sitting at their head office simultaneously managing multiple properties,” she added.
“You’ll see this nowhere in India yet, except the Silicon Valley,” Narang said
How the internet reacted
Some praised this ‘innovative approach’ as it eliminates the need for a physical receptionist at each property.
“Wow, that’s amazing! I guess the hotel staff is now just a click away. Who needs a physical receptionist when you can have a virtual one? Welcome to the future of hospitality!” one users said in response to Narang’s post.
“Now that’s some interesting and futuristic progress!” another one added.
However, there were others who said that this virtual receptionist will lose the personal touch of having a human.
“Progress. But I feel, the in-person touch in hospitality will always be a little more special.”
“This is interesting. Will be new normal but in-person thing is always special. You get to check the vibe and service priority.”
“This is zero hospitality.”
“People need to understand that the most crucial component of hospitality is the human connection. This is an example of shoehorning technology in a way that’s not a good fit.”
