Why Has Technology Remained Stagnant in Hospitality?
Some might say Ken Patel, CEO of EV Hotel, is the next Elon Musk of the hospitality industry. Patel began his journey in hospitality as a child, helping his father in his hotel and working his way from the desk to roles with more responsibility. Now, he is heading the convergence of AI and hotels, which he discussed with Host Katie Steinberg.
Patel believes the main issue with hotels in 2021 is the lack of the key digital experience. Technology has remained relatively stagnant in comparison to other sectors. While the non-technological experiences may be comparable, such as the mattress, mirror, and general room setup, this is not the case for technology. Smart TVs, Google Homes, Alexas, and other AI technology that enhance home life is absent, and EV hotels seek to amend this.
The first EV hotel is set to open in Phoenix at the end of 2022. The Phoenix location was selected because the 2023 Superbowl will be hosted there. Hospitality and sports go hand in hand.
EV hotels will allow employees to focus on serving customers. “EV is focused on automation and automation is creating less task-driven systems,” Patel stated. Because of that, employees such as housekeepers have less administrative tasks. An EV Experience desk will also contribute to this by allowing front desk to focus more on customer-oriented services.
Patel predicts that for travel in 2022, hotel stocks come down harder than they go up. This is because as people begin to travel more, businesses will charge four to five times typical rates, resulting in plummeting stocks. Patel’s advice to businesses: “Don’t look at your short-term gains. Look at your long-term vision with maximizing the gains.” He added, “2023 second quarter is when we will see the comeback.”
