Marriott Rooms Will Feature Amazon’s Alexa
I saw an article in Rueters this morning that Marriott will be adding Amazon Echo Devices to rooms in an effort to increase guest access to amenities with Alexa. The devices will feature “Alexa for Hospitality”. Alexa will assist guests with traditional operator like functions including ordering room service, contacting the concierge and requesting housekeeping. There are reports that Marriott also tested out Apple’s Siri, but no other information on why they went with Echo.
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It seems the introduction will happen slowly. The concept will launch at Marriott hotels in Charlotte, NC, and Irvine, CA, before expanding internationally. I’m willing to bet the plans to expand the service on contingent upon the success of the first few hotels. Though it’s unclear whether their contract is set in stone. This seems in line with the news we reported last week that Marriott will make efforts to modernize the Sheraton brand.
Eventually, Alexa for Hospitality will allow guests to temporarily connect their own Amazon account to play their music or listen to audiobooks.
Conclusion
This seems like it could be a really cool way for hotels to streamline processes for guests and decrease wait times. It would be really nice to access services that you normally have to call for without having to pick up the phone or wait on hold. Also, having on demand music and entertainment is a nice addition. I am however skeptical that it will actually work. I tell my own Alexa how much I hate her at least once a day, she seems kind of dumb to me and really only gets it right 60% of the time, which can be frustrating, but so can dealing with customer service agents at hotels.
I’m curious to see if the issues concerning privacy will deter guests from using them, it would probably be a good idea to offer the option of having it removed from the room for all the conspiracy theorists out there. 🙂
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Say Bethany, often much appreciate your posts (like your Feb. gem on retailmenot portal), but why did you have to trash those of us with serious privacy concerns as being a “conspiracy theorist?” Not funny.
Amazon must luv you…. making the knowing “smirk” about anybody with concerns as a “conspiracy” nut.
Reminds me of my all too deferential-to-authority (so standard post 9/11) family member for years trashing me for having privacy concerns with facebook. (along the lines of, “if you don’t have anything to hide, what’s the problem?”)
Happens I’m originally from the Poconos…. remember well back in the 70’s the scandal where sooooo many of the local glitzy (mob run) resort hotels there had cameras behind mirrors — and yes, then those films starring unsuspecting “guests” then became best selling you know what in the local video shops….
Some things haven’t changed, like human nature…. Sure, the technology is far more capable — for good reasons. But the downside capacity is also far worse too, to be a two-way bugging devise for both criminal and out-of-control “authority” types is beyond the stuff of science fiction. It’s here and now. Now if a trusted privacy “nut” in this realm, say like Krebbs, would swear out that we have nothing to fear from two-way capable bugs in our rooms, then I might….. nope, taking Marriott off my go-to-list, til they have rooms without bugs. (oh there’s a blogger headline coming!) 🙂
I was kidding…. tongue in cheek humor
Bethany, you’d benefit from reading a few of the articles linked below.
https://www.google.com/search?q=alexa+invades+privacy&oq=alexa+invades+privacy&aqs=chrome..69i57.7727j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Enters room. Unplugs alexa.
This.
Personally I’m done with Amazon and all Amazon related. They hit my debit card with a number of fraudulent transactions. When I call they say they can’t only see transactions under my email, so they can’t see the transactions they put through. Later they say they’ve closed the user’s account using my debit card number. You’d think they would also void any related transactions (pending at the time). But, no – they go through. So after an hour plus with Amazon I’m then and hour plus with the bank disputing getting charges credited back.
The bank also said there had been an Amazon breach and they were getting a lot of calls with similar situations with them. There was a long holds with the bank (Wells Fargo), but I will say within an hour I saw the pending credits to offset the disputes So for Wells Fargo – long holds, but they did then fix things in a very timely manner. I have nothing good to say of Amazon’s handling of the situation.
1. Debit Card.
2. Wells Fargo.