Embracing self service technology for hotel productivity growth

Abstract

This paper explores the various ways in which self-service technology (SST), if employed by the hotel industry, can actually contribute to the productivity growth in Singapore. The study provides an understanding of customer’s technology acceptance and readiness by utilizing the two widely extended and accepted approaches, Technology Readiness Index (TRI) and Technology acceptance model (TAM). The study also evaluated the four common self-service technology channels: electronic kiosks, the Internet, mobile devices, and the telephone applications. From an investigation on past studies, it is found that Singapore is receptive to self-service technology. Self-service technology thus could bring a highly respectable return on investment (ROI) to the Singapore’s hotel industry, as illustrated by ROI models in this paper. Moreover, hotels could leverage on a number of Singapore’s government funding to optimize their investment on SST. With the government’s master plan (iN2015) platform to realize the intelligent nation by 2015, hotels could benefit from the self service technology features that this platform is offering. Various avenues to ride on this platform and recommendations are featured.