The Changing Tide of Hospitality

An article from my inbox struck me this morning. It was from Axios and entitled “Unruly customers threaten economic recovery”. The article highlights the mounting aggression between customers and service workers over COVID protocols since the pandemic began. The restaurant industry has 1 million fewer employees than it did before the start of the pandemic, and the bad behavior of customers is partially to blame. We’ve already seen how worker shortages threaten to slow down the economic recovery as businesses can’t find workers to meet the rebounding numbers of travelers and diners.

After two weeks involving three domestic flights, I count myself lucky. I never encountered any altercation between a passenger and a flight attendant, seemingly an everyday occurrence based on the many viral videos of violent disputes and flight attendant sound-offs. As more people are traveling, there’s also a shift in the hospitality sector, as hotels are navigating to provide the best possible customer experience for guests while also upholding safety regulations that promise to keep doors open. This task is proving to be difficult for many in an industry defined by white-glove service and the “customer is always right” motto. 



Technology in the hospitality industry is taking root. Trends include a shift to contactless, cashless payments and QR code ordering and menus. Prospera Hospitality, a full-service hotel management group, takes it a step further by offering robotics in its hotels' dining areas and cleaning protocols. The group sells six varieties of hotel bots, including a bow-tied delivery robot for forgotten toothbrushes and extra towels, as well as the “Matradee X,” which will deliver meals without lingering for a tip. Savioke is a Silicon Valley startup making the bell boy robotic.

Others are incentivizing vaccines to curb infection rates among staff and travelers alike even before NYC became the first city to require proof of vaccination for all indoor dining. In July, Union Square Hospitality Group announced that it would require its customers to show proof of vaccine at its restaurants, including the Union Square Cafe, Porchlight, and Gramercy Tavern. While many welcome the added prevention efforts, enforcement can be an onerous task for beleaguered hospitality staff. Many hospitality groups fail to even mention the pandemic on their websites, signaling it’s not something they’ve come around to including in their management offerings. 

A company to watch might be Hello Alfred, as on-demand home services and an increased desire for fulfillment in the home is on the rise. The company offers a resident hospitality model for apartment dwellers with laundry, tidying, and pillow fluffing services. The start-up completed a $42MM Round C last year and acquired HOM, a community generating resource for tenant satisfaction, in May.

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