The $50 room service hamburger wasn’t memorable for its Wagyu beef or truffle aioli. What made it extraordinary was the moment it arrived at 2 a.m., delivered to a jet-lagged executive by John, the room service attendant. With a quiet smile, John said, “I noticed you ordered this same meal during a late arrival last time. I’ve added extra pickles and that spicy sauce you liked.”
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.
As staffing shortages meet economic headwinds, hospitality leaders face a pressing question: How do we continue delivering exceptional experiences with fewer people? The answer should focus strategically on the redeployment of human energy where it matters most.
Forget the attention-grabbing robot bellhops. The real automation revolution in hospitality is happening quietly behind the scenes. 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.
But here’s the twist: when everything runs flawlessly without people, guests don’t feel special. They feel processed.
Take the exhausted traveler arriving from an overseas 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 about nostalgia. It’s about recognizing that empathy and intuition create value in ways machines can’t replicate. Could we be entering a new era where guests are willing to pay more for meaningful, human interaction? Where luxury shifts from material abundance to emotional connection?
This shift doesn’t just change service delivery—it redefines hiring strategies. In the luxury hospitality of tomorrow, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and interpersonal skills will be more valuable than many technical qualifications.
Forward-thinking organizations are already leaning into what futurist Simone Puerto calls the “Humans-as-Luxury” framework. They’re reallocating human capital from transactional tasks to transformational moments. Technology handles the predictable. People deliver the magic.
What’s most exciting isn’t that machines are replacing people—it’s that technology is making room for deeper, more intentional human engagement. Picture a concierge no longer buried in dinner reservations, free to curate unforgettable guest experiences. Or a front desk associate, unburdened by paperwork, focused on offering a heartfelt welcome.
That’s the true promise of automation: not eliminating human connection, but giving it space to thrive.
The staffing pressures driving automation aren’t eroding the essence of hospitality—they’re revealing an opportunity to rediscover it. The smartest hotels aren’t using technology to reduce the human touch. They’re using it to amplify it.
Your competitive edge won’t lie in what you automate—but in what you don’t. The irreplaceable human moments. The surprise. The care. The connection. These are what turn stays into stories that guests share for years.
So here’s my challenge to every hospitality executive:
What if your next technology investment was measured not by staff reductions, but by how much more human connection it enables? What if automation’s real purpose wasn’t just efficiency—but making room for empathy to breathe?
In a world where almost everything can be automated, the rarest luxury may soon be a single, genuine moment of human recognition.
And that’s worth far more than a $50 hamburger—no matter how good the pickles are.
About Infor
Infor is a global leader in business cloud software specialized by industry. We develop complete solutions for our focus industries. Infor’s mission-critical enterprise applications and services are designed to deliver sustainable operational advantages with security and faster time to value. Over 60,000 organizations in more than 175 countries rely on Infor’s 17,000 employees to help achieve their business goals. As a Koch company, our financial strength, ownership structure, and long-term view empower us to foster enduring, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers. Visit www.infor.com.
Alan Young
VP, Hospitality Strategy, Infor
Infor
