Decoding the AI Hype: Why the Core Job of Hotels Remains Unchanged

The Jobs-to-be-done theory

1. The Fundamental Job: At its core, people "hire" music to enjoy melodies, rhythms, and lyrics. The primary job to be done is "I want to be entertained" or "I want to feel a certain emotion."
2. Early Solutions:
   1. Phonographs and Vinyl Records: In the early 20th century, consumers "hired" phonographs and vinyl records to bring music into their homes. The primary JTBD is still the same but also covers a new need: "I want to listen to music at my convenience."
   2. Radios: As radios became common, people could tune in to stations and listen to various music. The primary JTBD is still the same but now covers a new need: "I want to discover new music without buying every record."
3. Cassette Tapes and Walkmans: As technology evolved, the cassette tape allowed music to be portable. Sony's Walkman, for example, catered to the JTBD of "I want to listen to my choice of music on the go." The primary JTBD is still the same.
4. CDs and CD Players: These offered clearer sound quality and durability. The JTBD might be, "I want to listen to music with better audio quality."
5. MP3 Players: Devices like the iPod changed the game by allowing thousands of songs to be stored on one device. The JTBD was, "I want to have my entire music collection in my pocket."
6. Streaming Services: Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music offer access to millions of songs for a monthly fee. The JTBD could be, "I want access to a vast music library without having to buy or store each song."
7. Additional Jobs:
   1. Social Sharing: As people started sharing music playlists or discovering music through friends, a new JTBD emerged: "I want to share and discover music socially."
   2. Mood and Activity-Based Playlists: Services started curating playlists based on moods or activities. This answered the JTBD: "I want music that matches my current mood or activity."

The Job-to-be-done in hotels

The Fundamental Job

Secondary Jobs

• Business Needs: For business travelers, there's a JTBD of "I need a place to work efficiently." This translates to requirements like a desk, reliable Wi-Fi, business centers, meeting rooms, and proximity to key business districts or convention centers.
• Leisure and Relaxation: Some travelers hire hotels to "escape and relax." This might lead them to prioritize amenities like spas, swimming pools, luxurious bedding, or room service.
• Exploration: Tourists might have a JTBD of "I want to explore the local attractions." They might look for centrally located hotels, provide tour booking services, or offer local insights and recommendations.
• Dining: For some, dining is integral to the hotel experience. The JTBD might be, "I want to enjoy local or gourmet cuisine without leaving the hotel." This is addressed by hotels having in-house restaurants, bars, and breakfast services.
• Fitness: Health-conscious travelers may have the JTBD of "I want to maintain my fitness routine while traveling." This calls for hotel fitness centers, gyms, and even yoga rooms.
• Family Needs: Families traveling with children have unique requirements. Their JTBD might be, "I need to keep my children entertained and safe." Hence, family-friendly hotels might offer amenities like kid's clubs, babysitting services, and family rooms.

Tertiary or Emotional Jobs

• Social Status and Experience: Luxury hotels cater to the JTBD of "I want to be pampered and experience luxury" or "I want to elevate my social status." This encompasses everything from opulent decor to personalized butler services.
• Cultural Experience: Boutique or heritage hotels might cater to the JTBD of "I want to immerse myself in the local culture or history." They offer a unique, culturally rich experience that standard hotels might not.
• Networking: For some, especially at business conventions or seminars, the hotel serves as a networking hub. The JTBD is "I want to meet and connect with peers or potential partners."
• Safety and Security: Especially in unfamiliar destinations, the JTBD might be "I want to feel safe." Hotels address this by offering secure entryways, safes, surveillance systems, and concierge services to guide local safety norms.
• Environmental Consciousness: Eco-travelers might have a JTBD of "I want to stay at a place that aligns with my environmental values." This leads to the rise of eco-friendly or sustainable hotels.

The evolution of the overnight experience

Basic Accommodations and Safety

• Historically, inns and roadside taverns existed primarily to offer shelter to travelers. They were bare, providing a bed and perhaps a meal, with the primary JTBD being, "I need a safe place to rest during my journey."
• Early 20th Century: Many hotels lacked private bathrooms before the turn of the last century. Instead, communal baths or chamber pots were shared. En-suite bathrooms were included in 1910, signaling a shift towards personal comfort and privacy.

Business Needs

• Early 20th Century: Hotels began to cater to business travelers by offering telegraph services, meeting rooms, and business centers.
• 1990s and Beyond: With the advent of the internet, providing internet services became crucial. Initially, hotels added business centers with computers. Later, as laptops became ubiquitous, they started offering Wi-Fi — first as a paid service and then, due to demand, often complimentary.

Leisure and Luxuries

• 1920s and Beyond: With the rise of Hollywood and the global elite, luxury hotels started offering more lavish amenities, from opulent lobbies to gourmet dining, to cater to the JTBD of "I want to experience luxury."
• 1947 and Beyond: The introduction of in-room televisions, minibars, and air conditioning furthered the idea of comfort and leisure.

Fitness and Wellness

• 1980s: As fitness became a significant trend, hotels began adding gyms and fitness centers. The JTBD was "I want to maintain my fitness routine while traveling."
• 2000s: The wellness trend saw hotels incorporating spas, yoga studios, and even wellness retreats.

Dining and Cuisine

• Mid to Late 20th Century: Hotels began to realize that food was an integral part of the travel experience. They started to include restaurants and elevated their dining offerings by partnering with renowned chefs. Room service also became a standard feature in many upscale hotels.

Family and Entertainment

• 1970s – 2000s: Recognizing the increasing number of families traveling for leisure, hotels introduced amenities like swimming pools, game rooms, and kids' clubs.

Cultural and Local Experiences

• The 2000s and Beyond: As travelers began seeking authentic experiences, many hotels started incorporating local culture into their designs, food, and guest experiences. Boutique and heritage hotels became popular.

Environmental Consciousness

• Early 21st Century: With growing awareness of environmental issues, many hotels adopted eco-friendly practices, from waste reduction and energy-saving measures to full-scale eco-resorts.

Time travel - from 1850 to today

1. Innate Human Needs: The core purpose of a hotel room—providing shelter, a place to sleep, and personal comfort—has remained consistent over time. In 1850, travelers still sought out inns or lodging houses for these basic needs. Therefore, the foundational purpose of a hotel room would be immediately understood.
2. Physical Familiarities: Many elements of a modern hotel room would have analogs in the 1850 context. Beds, chairs, tables, mirrors, and windows might still be recognizable, although they might look different in style and materials.
3. Tangible Enhancements: While features like indoor plumbing, climate control, and electronic amenities would be novel and impressive, they are enhancements of concepts that existed in some form in 1850. For example, there's running water instead of a washbasin with a pitcher. Instead of a fireplace or a stove for warmth, there's centralized heating.

1. Intangible Storage: The idea that music doesn't need a physical medium like an instrument, sheet music, or a later phonograph but can exist as digital files would be challenging to grasp.
2. Invisible Connectivity: Streaming music over the internet, an intangible and omnipresent network, would seem like a concept out of fantasy.
3. Ubiquity: The ability to access almost any recorded song instantaneously would contrast sharply with the more limited and localized music exposure of the 1850s.

What will AI change?

Increase the value for the guest

• Room Customization: Rooms could already today automatically adjust lighting, temperature, or even the firmness of the mattress based on a guest's previous stays or set preferences. AI might be able to refine existing technologies.
• Tailored Recommendations: AI could suggest activities, dining options, or nearby events based on guests' interests.

• Seamless Check-In/Out: Facial recognition makes check-in and check-out processes instantaneous. No more waiting at the front desk. This technology is already available, but hoteliers are reluctant to implement it. AI will probably not change the minds of hoteliers. Guests need to stop by the front desk.
• Virtual Concierges: AI chatbots or virtual assistants in rooms can answer queries, provide information, or facilitate requests 24/7.

Increase productivity

• Predictive Maintenance: AI can predict when parts of the hotel are likely to need maintenance, ensuring that everything is in top condition and reducing unexpected breakdowns.
• Energy Optimization: AI can optimize energy use in unoccupied rooms or areas by analyzing usage patterns, leading to significant savings.

Final thoughts