The Wagyu Beef or truffle aioli in the $50 room-service hamburger were not what made it memorable. It was delivered by John, a room service attendant, to a jet lagged executive at 2 am. John replied with a small smile. “I noticed that you had ordered this meal last time when you were late.” I added more pickles and the spicy sauce that you like.”
In an age where algorithms can predict our every move, it’s this kind of thoughtful human gesture that defines the new currency of luxury in hospitality—something increasingly rare, incredibly valuable, and what truly separates exceptional properties from merely efficient ones.
Staffing shortages are accompanied by economic headwinds. Hospitality leaders must now answer a question that is urgent: How can we continue to deliver exceptional experiences even with less people? The answer is to focus on strategically redeploying human energy where it counts most.
The robot bellhops are a thing of the past. The real automation revolution is occurring quietly behind the scene. AI systems, autonomous agents, and robotic process automation now handle routine operational tasks—scheduling maintenance, managing inventory, optimizing room assignments—without a single guest interaction.
The twist is when everything works flawlessly You can’t have it without Guests don’t feel like special people. They don’t feel special.
Imagine the traveler exhausted after a long flight. An automated check-in kiosk might be efficient, but it’s the host who notices their fatigue and remembers their preferences who creates the kind of emotional impact that makes the stay memorable—and worth a premium.
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s about recognising that empathy, intuition and creativity create value beyond what machines can replicate. We could be entering a period where guests will pay more for human interaction. Luxury shifts away from material abundance and towards emotional connection
This shift doesn’t just change service delivery—it redefines hiring strategies. In luxury hospitality, emotional intelligence and adaptability will be more important than technical qualifications.
The future-oriented organizations have already begun to adopt futurist strategies Simone Puerto Calls “Humans-as-Luxury” framework. Human capital is being reallocated from transactional tasks towards transformational moments. Technology takes care of the predictable. People are the magicians.
What’s most exciting isn’t that machines are replacing people—it’s that technology is making room for deeper, more intentional human engagement. Imagine a concierge who is no longer bogged down with dinner reservations and can focus on creating unforgettable experiences for guests. Imagine a front-desk associate who is free from paperwork to focus on a warm welcome.
Automation is not about eliminating human interaction, but allowing it to flourish.
The staffing pressures driving automation aren’t eroding the essence of hospitality—they’re revealing an opportunity to rediscover it. Smart hotels don’t use technology to eliminate the human touch. The smartest hotels aren’t using technology to reduce the human touch. amplify it.
Your competitive edge won’t lie in what you automate—but in what you don’t. The irreplaceable moments of human life. Surprise. The surprise. The connection. The stories guests tell about their stay are based on these moments.
Here’s a challenge for every hospitality executive.
What if you measured the value of your next technology investment not by staff reductions but by the increased human connection? What if automation’s real purpose wasn’t just efficiency—but making room for empathy to breathe?
In a world in which almost everything is automated, a genuine moment of human recognition may be the most rare luxury.
And that’s worth far more than a $50 hamburger—no matter how good the pickles are.
What Infor
Infor, a leader in cloud-based business software, is highly specialized according to industry. We create complete solutions for the industries we focus on. Infor’s mission-critical enterprise apps and services are designed for faster time to value and to provide sustainable operational benefits. Infor’s employees help over 60,000 companies in 175 countries achieve their business objectives. Koch’s financial strength and ownership structure along with our long-term outlook enable us to create lasting relationships that benefit both parties. Visit www.infor.com.
Alan Young
Infor
Infor
