Alexa Smart Properties for Hospitality launches in Canada, increasing productivity
by Monica Ferguson
Alexa Smart Properties is a set of technologies that property owners and managers can use to deploy and manage Alexa-enabled devices.
Photo: Amazon Canada.
Amazon has launched Alexa Smart Properties (ASP) for Hospitality in Canada at the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, in Charlevoix, Quebec. This location is the first Fairmont property in the world and first hotel in Canada to integrate ASP.
Each room is equipped with an Amazon Echo, with this service visitors can ask Alexa for information that would previously be asked at the front desk. Alexa can perform tasks such as playing music, checking the weather, ordering room service or towels, controlling in-room temperature or lighting, and checking out.
Ultimately, ASP is a set of technologies that property owners and managers can use to deploy and manage Alexa-enabled devices at scale. The voice experience can help properties reduce costs associated with labour challenges and decrease wait times with the instant response device. For hotels, ASP provides hands-free engagement through a voice interface that allows for new ways to access services and amenities.
Canadian Manufacturing sat down with Evan Young, Principal Technical Business Development Manager at Amazon to discuss the device implementation at the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, in Charlevoix Quebec.
“These devices are a curated experience to the property itself,” said Young. “We work with solution providers, a third party, that builds a skill for the hotel – integrating all the information for the hotel. In terms of the Richelieu, it is information about the casino, pool and spa, local activities, and how to order room service — which is custom built for this specific property and any other property that is integrated.”
Alexa is available in French and English at Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu and can also be used to translate a word or phrase into one of 50 supported languages.
“With these devices, we reconfigure all the software on the back end. From a hardware perspective they are exactly the same as a consumer device that can be purchased in-store or online. From a software perspective we can customise the experience,” said Young.
A feature of ASP for Hospitality is the device fleet management, which allows property managers to add voice experiences to their rooms at scale. The solution provides the option of managing devices through a centralized console and works with most hospitality software solutions. Hoteliers can choose from select Echo Dot and Echo Show devices that are specifically designed and programmed for Alexa for Hospitality through Alexa APIs.
The Mercure Hyde Park Hotel in London, UK became the first European hotel to adopt Alexa for Hospitality in September 2021. Upon integrating the AI service, there was a 12 per cent uplift on room service revenue, 30 per cent increase on room service speed and a 25 per cent reduction in room calls, with an overall 20 per cent increase of guest satisfaction, according to HotelCloud data.
Visitors’ use of Alexa is optional. The device is automatically muted; there is a red line at the bottom of the screen and a red dot at the top of the screen that indicates Alexa is not listening for calls to action. To opt in, visitors must manually switch on the device.
All ASP interactions are anonymous meaning there is no data that links an individual with their interactions and all voice recordings are deleted daily. In addition, the camera is disabled in all ASP for Hospitality devices.
In addition to ASP for Hospitality, there is also ASP for Senior Living, ASP for Healthcare, ASP Core and ASP for Residential. Each of these platforms use similar devices with varying software systems and management.
