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BULGARIAN CUSTOMERSВ’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN HOTEL SERVICE
Abstract
Hotel service in its essence is a dynamic process, stimulating appliance of various technological innovations, which in turn create convenience and real experience to hotel guests during their stay. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality, mobile applications, digital key and kiosks, voice assistants, chatbots, robots and many more modern technologies play essential role in achieving competitive advantages in the hotel industry. Their effectiveness and appropriate implementation rely entirely on end usersВ’ perception and decision to accept and apply during the stay at a hotel. The purpose of the research is to define Bulgarian customersВ’ attitude towards technological innovations in the hotel service. In the publication the following research methods have been applied: scientific analysis and synthesis, questionnaire survey and expertsВ’ evaluation, descriptive approach etc. The survey revealed that technological innovation implementation in the Bulgarian hotels is at a primary stage, and customersВ’ attitude is still vague, incomplete and limited. The reason following the statement is a result of the lack of sufficient experience and actual use of modern technologies in the process of hotel service. In spite of that, Bulgarian respondentsВ’ attitude correspond with the idea of fast, convenient, comfort and at maximum ease, self-executing of more of the accompanying stages and procedures during check in, period of stay and check out. However, complete automation and robotization in hotel service is declined by significant number of respondents. Their actual attitude is toward a combination of certain technological innovations and real human service. The combined service, using technologies and humans, is the optimal solution to customer experience improvement, in order to satisfy Bulgarian customersВ’ needs and expectations for hi-tech conveniences and integrant opportunities for interpersonal communication and socialisation.
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References12
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