Checking in the hospitality industry
The travel and hospitality industry is undergoing a major transformation, driven by the rising expectations of tech-savvy travelers who demand exceptional experiences and seamless journeys. The industry is increasingly turning to automation to meet these evolving demands while optimizing operations and costs.
Most hospitality professionals agree that the staff is a hotel’s most valuable asset, and every leader wants to bring out the best in their team. However, the day-to-day job of a hotel manager poses many challenges such as staffing gaps and managing employees across multiple departments who are working different shifts.
A survey conducted by Duetto revealed that approximately 78% of hoteliers were expected to increase their hotel tech investments in the next three years. This surge in technology adoption within the hospitality industry indicates the sector’s readiness to embrace digital transformation. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is already a crucial link in the journey simply because automation lowers the cost of the entire itinerary and transaction processing, saving hospitality companies a lot of money in the long run.
As guest requests become more sophisticated, managing dozens of rooms while dispatching tasks to members of different departments is increasingly difficult. By automating workflows, or parts of workflows, hotels are looking to end the operational chaos for good and free up more time to focus on their guests.
Digital workers powered by Robotiq.ai platform can perform various tasks, efficiently and without smoking or sleeping breaks, completely error-free. From RPA-enabled chatbots that are capable of efficiently handling guests’ questions regarding room availability and room features to transforming the interaction into a conversational one, offering guests quick and accurate information. Our digital workers can automate the entire room reservation process.
Also, our digital workers can track check-in and check-out process for hotel guests and ensure guests are reminded through various channels. This helps prevent misunderstandings and additional charges due to overstaying while also optimizing room preparation for the next guests.
In finance within the hospitality industry, our digital workers capacity extends beyond industry-specific processes to encompass general financial tasks common across various sectors. These include revenue reconciliation, payment approval, report preparation, automated discounts for frequent guests, fiscalization , electronic invoicing and real-time addition of room service charges to guest bills.
Robotiq.ai platform presents a compelling opportunity for travel and hospitality organizations to optimize operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive revenue growth. From streamlining operations to enhancing guest experiences, the possibilities are vast.
While automation offers significant advantages in terms of efficiency and accuracy, it is important to remember that it is not a replacement for the human element in revenue management.
As we continuously recommend, digital workers play a critical role in streamlining processes, but they work best alongside experienced process owners and managers. For example, revenue managers are essential for interpreting data, aligning strategies with business goals, and making informed decisions that technology alone cannot achieve. Automation serves as a tool that enhances the manager’s ability to make strategic choices based on comprehensive, real-time data. Together, they are truly limitless.
Flexibility over productivity
In 1982, General Motors announced it was building a “factory of the future”.
The Saginaw facility would automate production, revitalizing GM’s business at a time of intense competition from Japanese automakers Toyota and Nissan. GM had posted a loss of $764 million two years earlier - only the second losing year in its 72-year history. When CEO Roger Smith returned from visiting a Toyota factory, he resolved that GM must automate to compete.
The Saginaw project envisioned an army of 4,000 robots running production. The goal was to increase productivity and flexibility. The robots would slash up to two years from GM’s five-year production cycle and be capable of switching between diverse GM models. Employee productivity would increase 300%. Manual systems and interfaces would be eliminated. The robots would be so effective that people would be scarce - it wouldn’t even be necessary to turn on the lights.
But GM’s “lights out” experiment was a mess. Production costs in the factory of the future exceeded those in plants employing thousands of workers. Amid chaotic futurism brought onto the business, GM shut the Saginaw plant in 1992.
Despite advances in automation technology, both hardware and software, the promise of lights-out, fully automated production is far from reality. Focusing only on maximizing productivity tends to limit the flexibility of the automated workforce primarily through rigid, non-adaptable environments in which businesses suffer the black box syndrome. Elon Musk has tried to implement a similar approach in 2017 to mass-produce Model 3. The company introduced automated lines to help boost productivity, but instead ran into production delays and struggled to navigate what Musk described as a “crazy, complex network of conveyor belts”. Like GM, Tesla had reversed the course and and decided to guide the future production with flexibility, creativity and some improvisation of his human workforce.
To achieve positive-sum automation, companies must design systems for both productivity and flexibility. They need to design easily comprehensible tools and invest in training, or rather let us at Robotiq.ai help them discover their processes and design intelligent automation to support agility and ensure smooth operations.
At Robotiq.ai, we ensure that the process is comprehensively understood in direct collaboration with people who perform these tasks regularly. We actively solicit feedback from line employees to share their closest perspective. With their input and ingenuity, we establish not only a perfectly ran process (with zero-errors over time), but we support employees’ insecurity over using the very automation in their own department. It is no longer a myth that one of the key challenges of introducing automation into companies is employee fear of losing their workplace. Throughout the process discovery and design, we warrant the knowledge transfer, up-skilling and build innovation capacity so that employees can further improve the processes and continuously monitor performance, thus becoming more productive in their respective departments, yet flexible at all times.
Many of our clients decided to pursue a bottom-up approach to automate administration and other repetitive, mind-numbing tasks. With a carefully designed and ISO-certified process, we collaborated on implementing the bots which ensured mundane tasks are done by digital workers who didn’t need breaks, vacations nor raises. The trust put into the line workers by their management was particularly encouraging and led to greater creativity, workplace positivity and overall productivity within departments, while businesses benefited with optimized costs, savings and growth.
GM’s vision for a factory of the future was productivity and flexibility without the need to light the way for workers. But the experience shows that marrying productivity with flexibility requires humans to be in the loop, learning where technologies are working well and where they can be improved. Companies are best served by a positive-sum automation that draws on the strength of intelligent machines, managers, engineers and line workers alike. The future is not one without human workers but one in which automated systems make humans more capable and more vital at work. This powerful dynamic is then absolutely limitless. And that is what we, at Robotiq.ai, strongly root for. We’re limitless together.
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Credits: Ben Armstrong, Julie Shah (MIT), Harvard Business Review
Automation Summit 2024 - Recap
It has been a solid few weeks of us at Robotiq.ai reminiscing about Automation Summit 24. We promised an out-of-ordinary, set-a-new-trend kind of a conference, and not only have we delivered on that promise, but we’re wondering why has it passed so fast. All those incredible talks, the people, connections, energy, knowledge, community, wonderful weather, praises all over.
One of the Summit’s primary goals was to bring a light and foster a stronger automation community of professionals and key decision makers across variety of industries in the South East Europe region and beyond. While there were other goals that were equally important and imminent, Automation Summit went above and beyond to achieve this incredible feat in its inaugural edition. After the avalanche of positive feedback and all those nudges towards year 2025, this is setting out to be a tradition. Who would’ve thought about this just 6 months back? Not us.
The amount of support we have received from the very outset was incredible. OTP Banka was our empowering first Automation Summit partner and it all went abundantly pleasant from that point forward. Soon after our friends at M&I Systems Group joined in, alongside Solvoyo, DNA Consulting, DEX, Telma.ai, Unitfly and the guys from Mtech (Mplus). As we continued talking to our inner circle, Aestus Group joined the AS parade, alongside Combis, Vizibit, Amplibit, Auclio and our friends at Economics Institute and Osiguraj.me, all vibrantly taken to the front of media world by Netokracija, Lider and tportal.
We passionately curated the program of the conference and we wanted it to be nothing short of excellent, exciting, energetic, entertaining, empowering and ever-so-remembered. Andrius Biceika at Revolut was an early-adopter of Automation Summit idea, and soon after so many giants of their respective industries followed in the footsteps. Would we have imagined a greater lineup than the one that took to the stage to share their experiences? Absolutely not. Opened by our mentor and one of Croatia’s famous physics professors, Mr. Ivica Puljak, mayor of Split and the master of digital transformation, Mr. Danijel Fatovic of OTP Banka, Automation Summit kicked off with a big bang and not just in theory. This two-day conference was a feast for the ever-present business process management and automation and all sorts of AI that goes along with it. What a parade of style, experience, knowledge, insights and networking that was.
Hailing from Split, but known all around Croatia for his benevolent smile, Josip Skiljo was the mood-setter, a par to Ron Burgundy when it came to stage announcements, witty introductions and all-round great atmosphere at the conference. Joining him on stage were all our amazing speakers and the legend among them all, Mr. Stipe Bozic, a conqueror of the world’s highest peaks and a true champion of kindness. These were the guys that kept everyone’s interest on high alert, ensuring that the seats were filled continuously, mobile phones lonely, and those food comas at bay. Those were the moments to cherish forever.
Reflecting on these two days of joy, we’re so grateful and have utter respect for all our incredible speakers, partners, supporters and attendees. If this was all a dream, then let’s keep dreaming about what comes next. Let’s keep on forging deeper connections, let’s keep on supporting each other in bringing automation to the forefront of the world as we know it, let’s educate, share, experience and embrace. Let’s meet again, let’s do this together. Because, truly, we are limitless together.
See you in 2025.
What's new in Robotiq.ai platform?
At Robotiq.ai, we're always striving to elevate your experience on our platform and make your way through it a smooth sailing.
Here are some upgrade highlights we've rolled out to make sure you're having a smoother, more efficient, and ultimately more productive experience with our platform.
Knowledge base
All the useful documents are now at your fingertips, and in one place. Knowledge base is a useful library and guide through every question you might have regarding our platform.
Ticketing system
Introducing Jira has mirrored positively on our workflow, communication, and overall efficiency across teams. Ticketing is now more orchestrated.
System cleanse
By upgrading our functionalities and features we refreshed our platform, enhancing its performance, user experience, and adaptability.
Dashboard
You can check the status of your jobs on the dashboard, and view monthly, weekly, or daily statistics for one or multiple processes.
Now relax, enjoy and remember – you can always reach out to us in case you need assistance.
Pioneering the future: story behind Automation Summit 2024
The idea was brewing for some time now.
Starting point – let’s gather people that share our passion for tech and automation, make a platform for exchanging ideas and insights, bring the expertise of some cool people from renowned companies, blend that all together in a wildly gorgeous setting, and have a memorable annual conference. And throw an amazing party. Of course.
Now it’s all coming together, and we can’t be more excited to share our vision and welcome you to the inaugural Automation Summit 2024 🎉
What?
This conference will be a showcase of cutting-edge automation solutions, fine tech, trends, products, insights and services. It will bring together industry leaders, technology enthusiasts and experts to explore the latest advancements and opportunities in the realm of automation. The visitors will experience first-hand the best practices of top level executives that will broaden their horizons and bring valuable insights to their own endeavors.
We will talk:
Business Process Management (BPM) | Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Natural Language | Processing (NLP)| Robotic Process Automation (RPA) |Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) | Optical Character Recognition (OCR) | Customer Experience (CX)
Who?
The summit welcomes a diverse array of participants, including visionaries and executives from leading companies, innovators, engineers, investors, policymakers,
entrepreneurs and disruptors seeking to to identify promising opportunities and redefine automation across various sectors.
With distinguished speakers from the US, Germany, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Croatia and Serbia, an ecosystem of experts is curated to share knowledge and experience in order to explore advanced ways of automating processes through the application of the latest technologies.
Inspirational talks by industry luminaries such as Nilufer Durak (Solvoyo), Marin Gugić (OTP Banka dd), Katie Trickey (Standex Electronics), Andrius Bičeika (Revolut), Caspar Jans (Software AG), Ratko Mutavdžić (Microsoft), Željko Anđić (SAP) and many more.
Confirmed guest list keeps growing:
BDO Grupa | Banka Intesa | Elektroprivreda Crne Gore | FINA | HPB | HT | CKB banka Crna Gora | Hipotekarna banka | Porsche eBike Performance | Maistra | BASF | HT | Orbico | NIS A.D. | Grad Zagreb | Transcom | Vuković Inteligent System | Docloop | Orbico | Standex | UniCredit Banka | SAP | Microsoft | Studenac Marketi | Revolut | Software AG | Gartner | Prosus Group | Robotiq.ai | Mindsmiths | Grad Split
When?
April 25-26, 2024
Mark your calendars and get your ticket for two days packed with insightful presentations and networking, amazing views and an unforgettable night entertainment in the heart of Split.
Where?
Set against the backdrop of breathtaking seascape, Automation Summit will take place at the exclusive Le Meridien Lav Hotel in Split. We wanted our guests to experience all the comfort, beauty and inspiration of the Dalmatian coast with bespoke service.
How?
With the unwavering support from AS24 Partners who believed in our vision from the get-go:
Welcome.
RPA and the future of work
With technology galloping through all social and business aspects, we can just be in awe of its superspeed progress in the past few decades, and all the benefits it has brought. But some will argue that we are witnessing the beginning of the end - not just in the work arena, but in all things with a human touch. As experts on the RPA matter and creators of your digital teammates, let us assure you – we’re far away from the John Connor-esque robotic dystopia.
But one is for certain – changes are inevitable. In the context of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), the changes in the workplace will span across various industries.
First things first.
RPA technology is used for enhancing human capabilities and freeing up employees’ time and scope from repetitive time-consuming tasks, enabling them to shift to more important and strategic work. The digital coworker is not there to take anyone’s job, but to make it easier. We talked about it here.
Which leads to…
You guessed it - efficiency and productivity increase. When employees can focus on the important and mindful tasks, it will directly translate to better results throughout all the verticals within the organization. You can check out some of Robotiq.ai outcomes in our case studies.
Informed decision-making.
RPA generates huge amounts of data that can be analyzed to gain insights into business processes, customer behaviors, market trends, and any KPI parameter. This data-driven approach will enable organizations to make smarter decisions and adapt to changes faster.
Be prepared for the change.
Before embracing the RPA, management needs to set the scene. The employees may need training to understand how to work alongside digital coworkers, manage them effectively, and develop new skills that automation requires. So the skillset will need some upscaling and investment as well. But the reward will far outweigh the cost.
New careers?
The adoption of RPA opens new positions in areas such as development, maintenance, and governance. The RPA Consultant for example is currently in high demand. So continuous learning will most definitely pay off.
Sugar, spice and everything nAIce
The effect of RPA lies in its integration with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies. This enables robots to perform more complex tasks, handle unstructured data, and make autonomous decisions, further enhancing efficiency and effectiveness.
Cloud-based RPA solutions
This is an expected expansion since the cloud-based RPA enables greater scalability, flexibility, and accessibility, while allowing organizations to deploy automation rapidly without significant upfront infrastructure investments. Of course, we at Robotiq.ai offer this option and our flexible implementation plans do not require any advanced payment.
In conclusion, the future of work regarding RPA is likely to be followed by increased efficiency, job transformation, upskilling, and the integration of RPA with other technologies to further propel innovation and competitiveness in various industries.
Not too shabby, we might say.
Productivity and effectiveness with a byte of help
AI-ssistance
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology across various industries, revolutionizing the way businesses operate and empowering organizations to achieve higher levels of efficiency and productivity. As AI continues to permeate the workplace, it becomes essential for organizations to evaluate and measure its impact on employee productivity and effectiveness.
Known and, to a large extent, already deployed AI technologies, such as machine learning, natural language processing and automation significantly enhance employee productivity by streamlining tasks, reducing manual efforts and augmenting decision-making processes. However, quantifying the impact of AI on employee productivity requires a systematic approach to measurement and evaluation.
This is not the next tech bubble – it’s already having real business implications. As AI continues to disrupt every industry and role, it’s the responsibility of employers to help prepare their workforce for the jobs of the future.
AI-xperience
Employee experience refers to all employee interactions with their employer throughout their employment lifecycle. Companies’ concern is providing a positive employee experience as it can increase productivity, employee retention, and customer satisfaction. Employees look for a positive experience that includes a sense of purpose, opportunities for growth and development, and a supportive work environment.
Organizations can better understand their employees’ needs and create meaningful relationships by leveraging AI-powered communication and employee feedback solutions, primarily to get a new level of insight into employee engagement, allowing them to identify areas for improvement and act quickly.
AI-powered workplace can enhance the overall employee experience through:
Automation:
- Workflow Optimization: AI allows companies to optimize their workflows, ensuring they run efficiently and effectively. In the process optimization, companies identify improvement areas but often lack the internal capacity and tools for resolution. Integration of RPA tools, like our Robotiq.ai platform, emerges as a technologically driven strategy, enabling businesses to automate and streamline targeted operational challenges.
- Predictive Models: AI can be used to create predictive models that forecast potential issues with internal processes before they arise, allowing companies to take proactive measures to prevent costly mistakes or delays. This will enable organizations to increase efficiency while reducing manual labor and error costs.
Improved work-life balance:
- Prioritization: AI can help employees prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency and provide real-time feedback on how much time they spend on each task.
- Time Management: It can also help employees manage their schedules more efficiently by suggesting the best times for meetings and other activities.
- Remote Work: AI can help enhance remote work by providing better communication tools and collaboration platforms.
The value of AI to organizations is multifaceted and already includes improved efficiency and productivity, new capabilities and business model expansion, better customer service, improved monitoring, better quality and reduction of human error, better talent management, and so much more. AI can also help companies address urgent and immediate business priorities quickly and at scale. With its value-expanding impact on both sides of the financial equation, the essentiality of AI is clear.
AI-nnovation
Going forward, artificial intelligence is expected to significantly impact the future of work, improving productivity and creating a competitive edge in business. AI will transform the nature of work and the workplace itself, with machines being able to carry out more tasks done by humans and even perform some tasks beyond human capability. However, AI is not expected to replace human labor entirely but rather drive innovation and create new sectors for growth, ultimately leading to more jobs and potentially revolutionizing employee experience.
One thing is certain: the presence and foreseeable future is automated, but people still fear being replaced by robots and AI. At Robotiq.ai we strongly believe that robots complement people in routine, repetitive and time-consuming tasks, not replace them.
As our co-founder and CEO, Darko Jovisic, lamented in a recent interview for tportal, OTP bank saved the equivalent of 25 employees (FTE) in two years of implementing the solution. “We say equivalent on purpose because no one has ever been let go because of our technology - by freeing up employees' time, we enable them to engage in more creative and smarter work that brings greater value to organizations” Darko pointed out.
Inside info to propel your business: KPI feature
Let’s talk RPA numbers.
Better yet, let’s talk some real, meaningful, valuable insights, tailor made to your priorities and metrics. The important ones.
This is exactly what you will get with Robotiq.ai customizable KPI feature. A unique driver of your decision-making process, trusty compass in the jungle of data.
How it works
This hyper-pragmatic functionality allows you to define and track KPI values through a seamless API integration. Meaning – you set the KPI parameters, your digital coworker diligently gathers and delivers all relevant data in the most convenient format for you – Excel, PowerBI, Tableau, QlikView, or another reporting tool. At time, any device, any data.
Why it works
The KPI functionality is designed to import predefined data directly into your internal reporting applications by eliminating the need to extract data from the Robotiq.ai Dashboard and then rewrite it to fit your specific reporting requirements.
Your whole business will appear in front of your eyes in the form of:
- relevant business data
- real time dashboard
- fast, accurate and agile digest of your KPIs
This will mirror on your business by improving customer experience (faster delivery), synchronized internal processes, data saving, time saving, and – immediately visible ROI through tangible, real-time data, allowing for strategic decision-making and resource optimization.
What type of data can you track?
Any kind of data that circulates inside of your company’s ecosystem:
- vertically – on a single task, team, department, or company level
- horizontally – on a single parameter, cluster or the whole process
Here are some KPI screenshot examples you can create:
Our dashboard provides essential KPI data related to the utilization of each robot.
Also, this feature can include metrics such as time saved, money saved, robot work time, and other relevant business data like the number of loans, tickets, invoice amounts, average contract duration and everything and anything else relevant to your business navigation.
Farsighted business
In conclusion, our RPA functionality transcends traditional limitations, offering a tailored and dynamic approach to KPI tracking. By providing companies with the tools to define, retrieve, and manipulate data seamlessly, we empower them to unlock the true potential of RPA, driving efficiency, informed decision-making, and measurable success.
Welcome to a future where your data works for you.
Experience the difference.
When it comes to customer experience, becoming our client is not just a matter of technology choice. Of course, you can definitely brag you have a fancy new supersmart digital coworker who does all the redundant stuff you once had to, and cuts the process time in half. But that’s not the whole picture. You are actually making a game-changing strategic decision to redefine your operational trajectory and elevate your business to new heights.
With that in mind, we treat your business like a precious cargo. With constant care, dedication, security, and continuous improvement.
All it takes is one introductory meeting, and we’ll make sure that RPA seamlessly integrates to your system, suits your specific needs, grows with your business, and doesn’t burden your IT department.
This is how we do it.
License to choose.
We offer 4 licensing tiers, carefully crafted to suit your needs. This segmentation aims to provide you with flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
ISO-certified security.
This one is non-negotiable. Our commitment to ISO-certified security ensures that your sensitive data is handled with the utmost care. You can rest easy, knowing that it is shielded by industry-leading security protocols.
Free discovery process.
Before we embark on a journey together, we need to explore and start the discovery process. In 1-2 weeks max we will understand your unique challenges, and identify opportunities where RPA can make a significant impact. This assessment is free.
Navigating the winds of change together.
We are aware the transition to a different workflow and process can be tricky. That’s why our support in change management goes beyond the technical aspects, as we guide your team through this transformative journey, ensuring a seamless transition and maximizing the positive impact.
Free training and RPA academy.
To harness the full potential of RPA, your team needs the right skills. We offer free training and access to our Robotiq.ai academy, that will make sure your team is well-versed in the implemented solution. Consider it an investment in the long-term success of our collaboration.
No vendor lock-in and no upfront payments.
We believe in earned loyalty, not contractual obligations. You have the freedom to explore and evolve. Also, the financial commitment aligns with the value you receive.
We got your back.
RPA implementation is a big step for your business. Even after the process is in production, we are fully devoted to your success on that path. We believe in a constant dialogue with your team, understanding evolving needs, and crafting solutions that seamlessly integrate with your business vision.
The pursuit of happiness in customer experience is not a matter of strategy but culture. Maybe we’re born with it.
Stefanini and Robotiq.ai join forces to accelerate digital transformation
Robotiq.ai, a platform that harnesses the power of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and AI solutions joins forces with Stefanini, a global service and software provider, for data processing and consulting.
Robotiqi.ai’s technologies seamlessly integrate into Stefanini’s portfolio, solidifying a strategic partnership that adds significant value to Stefanini’s offerings. This collaboration empowers Stefanini to provide clients with an extensive range of innovative AI-driven solutions. By leveraging Robotiqi.ai’s cutting-edge capabilities, Stefanini enhances its capacity to deliver intelligent automation, fostering operational efficiency and driving business process optimization.
Daniel Amarandei, Product Manager for Financial Industry at Stefanini EMEA comments, „We are excited to partner with Robotiq.ai to help our clients accelerate their digital transformation journeys. Robotiq.ai provides our clients with the tools they need to automate and optimize their business processes, improve decision-making, and create new products and services. Together, we can help our clients achieve their business goals faster and more efficiently.”
He continues, „Our goal is to venture into the mature markets of traditional banking with focus on medium-small-sized banks in the European region, providing innovative solutions for the increased complexity of back-office operations.”
Our CEO, Darko Jovišić, adds „Partners are one of the corner stones of Robotiq.ai go-to-market strategy as they are the ones delivering solutions and adding a human-touch to the technology. Having a strong partner like Stefanini with a broad market reach, industry experience and technical know-how helps us to deliver on a promise of a more creative and efficient workplace. We look forward to our collaboration in creating a limitless world. Together!”
About Robotiq.ai Solutions and Technologies
Robotiq.ai is a versatile, enterprise-grade platform that harnesses the power of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and AI solutions. It elevates businesses with software designed to transcend industry boundaries through Intelligent Automation (IA) process that makes a positive ripple effect on the whole business ecosystem. These timesaving and cost-cutting solutions can streamline the entire back-office operations and enhance operational excellence.