Question and Answer Session was conducted during 15th lecture organized on 13th June 2020 by the experts Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas and Dr. Andy Nazarechuk. Some of the questions remained unanswered during the lecture here are the replies to those questions:
Q1. In your opinion was it the right time to open the hotels for the guests as cases are rising every day with special reference to India and USA?
Answer: We cannot keep our industry closed indefinitely. The economic impact is too great. Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses need to start reopening slowly and carefully. New practices must be put into place that will reduce the risk of catching the virus for both the customers and the staff. With enhanced cleaning, more touchless operations, social distancing, and contact tracing we can reopen. The responsibility will fall on owners and managers to establish policies and procedures. They must also be willing to invest in training their staff so that everyone knows that “doing things the right way” is more important than ever before. Short term thinking will result in long term loses.
Q2. Do you think artificial intelligence will play a big role post covid 19 in the service industry?
Answer: Artificial Intelligence will definitely play a role in the future service industry. Reservations, Check in and out, and any automated type of service will be handled by AI. Will this happen as a result of COVID19? There will be a higher sense of urgency in those areas where there is contact between a guest and a staff member. If a hotel can eliminate the front desk operations, they will. While technology use will expand in the future, I believe that our guests will seek the “human touch”. In fact, the human touch may become a sought after competitive amenity in the the future. Of course, only those large multi-national companies will be able to afford such technology and it will be a long time before it becomes affordable for the smaller hotels or restaurants.
Q3. Kindly suggest any important piece of advice to the young hoteliers working in the industry?
Answer: The hospitality industry, in the future, will be seeking a different type of employee. As experienced by the current COVID19 crises, everyday will present new challenges. Those employees and managers who can, not only identify and understand the issue, but who can quickly adapt new solutions to resolve issues will be in high demand. Students today must learn the industry, but also must develop their own critical thinking skills. They must see beyond the textbook and combine everything they have learned with their own experience, and be unafraid to implement new ideas.
Q4. What are your suggestions regarding the ‘’Home delivery post covid will be the new normal’’?
Answer: Home delivery services will expand in the future. Will it replace restaurants or other activities, I don’t think so. Until society is comfortable and confident in going out then home delivery will be popular. But, once a vaccine is developed, or the virus fades away on its own, people will look forward to going out. In today’s, experience based world, sitting at home, most of the time, is not going to a popular way to live. There are certain risks we take everyday we go out, car accidents, theft, random issues with bacteria and other viruses, and we adjust our personal actions to minimize the risk so we can enjoy our lives to the best of our abilities.
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