August 11, 2022 by Beat of Hawaii 18 Comments

The Hawaii hospitality industry continues to evolve through an unprecedented transformation over the past three years. In this fascinating evolution, new innovating technology is replacing people. How will this work in terms of customer satisfaction?

Following Covid, we saw that hotels, airlines, and other parts of the industry could not replace workers who had quit or been laid off, even when the business wanted to. The staffing shortages are severe and unending. Not only that, but the cost of retaining hospitality workers has continued to rise steeply. With an industry unable and probably unwilling to provide traditional customer service as we once knew it, something had to give.

Outrigger, a once traditional Hawaii hotel brand started in 1947, is heading in a new direction that uses technology to replace face-to-face interactions. The company was founded by architect Roy Kelley, who worked on many of Honolulu’s iconic buildings, including the old Halekulani Hotel and the former Waikiki Theater. In the 1960s, Kelley bought the old Outrigger Canoe Club Queen Emma’s estate and built the famed Outrigger Waikiki. Then came Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, and, fifteen Hawaii properties later, the rest is history.

At the same time, they reported that 38 percent still wanting an entirely self-service model. Outrigger is an early adopter of new technologies coming to the rescue of an industry lacking customer service. The company is implementing technology to provide immediate customer service contact points via guests’ smartphones. That includes making changes to reservations, checking the status of reservations, obtaining a room refresh, getting fresh towels, or requesting a late check-out, among other things.

The Outrigger team will be able to connect with guests in real-time. That’s true no matter the method guests prefer, from texting, web chat, web apps, Facebook, and WhatsApp. A side benefit is that it doesn’t matter what language a guest chooses since translation is a natural part of the new digital communication.

Another benefit is that guests’ data can easily be gathered and analyzed. How many guests requested a late check-out or additional towels, and at what point in their stay did those requests occur? That helps hotels plan in advance for what guests are likely to want.

Other helpful features include weather updates, notifications of changes to restaurant hours or other amenities, and all other guest updates. Outrigger said, “We understand that first-class technology with a human touch plays a critical role.”

For us, it’s a toss-up. One large vacation rental management company we know moved all their customer service and reservation agents to a Philippine call center. We’ve spoken with them, and it wasn’t great. You also know of our recent experiences with the Hawaiian Airlines call center in the Philippines, and it simply wasn’t good either. Read $700 Fare Change On “No-Change-Fee” $100 Hawaii Airfare.

There’s no doubt that customer service in Hawaii travel isn’t what it used to be. Following the great resignation, the entire industry is just trying to keep its head above water.

Hawaii hotel company Outrigger, with 15 locations in four islands, is taking the lead in this area and has decided that the way to solve the lack of customer service dilemma is primarily to replace it. Their goal is to improve guest communications, improve efficiency, and provide a new high-quality guest experience.

Outrigger said, “The marriage of technology and travel has become paramount. Our growth and development strategy incorporates technology for both our guests and hosts as well as front- and back-end operations. This provides an ease in interaction while enhancing the guest experience.”

Our take: There’s no one to call. Customer service is dead, but we’ve still got you covered 24/7. Your editors have experienced high-quality hands-off hotels before and, honestly, the experience wasn’t bad. But how will it work here in Hawaii?

Can an industry founded on high-touch customer service succeed in a new all-technology paradigm? We’d say, as long-term technologists, that it won’t be easy, and there are bumps in the road ahead.

1. Use video communication as frequently as guests desire. When some anonymous chatbot can’t meet the guest’s expectations, Hawaii travel companies should make it fast and easy to go face to face with guests online.

2. Mu;ti-channel, easy-to-use customer service wherever guests want. Companies must be where guests are, no matter the technology they prefer. Some travel companies and Hawaii-centric airlines do great on Facebook direct messaging and Twitter, for example. But what about guests who don’t use those? Does your hotel have a FAQ section online? What about forums or a knowledge base? These are great adjuncts.

3. Email is waning; real-time is gaining. Guests don’t want to send an email without any idea when it will be responded to. They want to know that they are immediately being taken care of.

4. Don’t go too far, too fast. Chatbots can occasionally be helpful, but they are often frustrating. Make it frictionless to get from the help that doesn’t work for a guest to help that does. A balanced approach is indicated.

5. We like check-in kiosks and digital locks for hotels and vacation rentals. It’s great to check in at our convenience, unattended. But when it doesn’t go as expected, we want to have help nearby.

Disclosure: We receive a small commission on purchases from some of the links on Beat of Hawaii. These links cost you nothing and provide income necessary to offer our website to you. Mahalo! Privacy Policy and Disclosures.

Filed Under: Hawaii Travel News

I consent to receive communications and agree to Beat of Hawaii's Privacy Policy.

Comment policy: * No profanity, rudeness, personal attacks, or bullying. * Hawaii focused only. General comments won't be published. * No links or UPPER CASE text. English please. * No duplicate posts or using multiple names. * Use a real first name. * A "please" or "thanks" is required for a reply. * Comments edited/published at our sole discretion. * Beat of Hawaii has no relationship with our commentors.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your comment * Comments limited to 750 characters.

Your name * Please, use first name and last initial only.

Sign me up for Hawaii Travel News! ( I consent to receive communications and agree to Beat of Hawaii's Privacy Policy)

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

* Denotes required fields. By commenting you agree to our Privacy Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Aloha Rob and Jeff. Hope you are having a great summer and good travelling experiences.I totally agree with Julianna K’s comment. A real persons smile is way more satisfying than a tech solution. But I also appreciate the convenience of self check in and other amenities. I still am d school and print out my itinerary as a backup just in case. Easier to pull out of my wallet than scrolling through my phone to locate information. No pressure especially if lines are long. Printer ink has really gone up in price. Found out because it’s made from oil. Wow, never knew that!!! Mahalo for all your great info, as always.

Thanks for the enlightenment. Appreciate hearing from you again.

Aloha and thanks for the continued topics. We’ve stayed in a few of these automated hotels. It’s the future. No doubt about it. At one place we stayed in Virginia, you accessed the entrance, your room and other features via cellphone application. It worked just fine. There were real bodies to speak to in the event you needed a question answered via phone. No bots. No overseas assistant. I think that this is an important aspect of this new wave of customer service for now, at least. Being able to speak to a real person. A lot of us are not 30 anymore and don’t always accept new ways of moving forward. Take little steps. It will be easier and better received.

Mahalo foir your continued updates!! Speaking to a real person makes a huge difference. I have always gotten better service w/a person than w/a bot!

They want more money for less services…. I don’t think so! This will drive tourists away in droves so if that is what they want, that is what they will get. Neither chatbots which I have found to be useless, or offshore customer service is an acceptable solution in my opinion. Good luck Outrigger and any other chain who decides to follow.

The e-services are great when they work and when your reserved services are correct. And, you don’t wait in line while someone argues with the desk person. Downside, I don’t the e-services handle issues where the consumer has gotten short-changed but understand the what they are entitled to. Off-shore CS has been spotty for me. As United elite for years, one of the perks was your CS calls were routed to a mainland agent if available and where an empowered supervisor was available. E-bot systems I’ve used generally end with call customer service. I had this AVIS where they said to call back in business hours. I like kiosk service at the airport, when it works. Recently, multiple machine failed and an agent took us to her desk.

I for one have a decent understanding of this problem. First off, the employee is the enemy of who employs them. Next, all those out of country Call Centers have no real power to do anything and they are difficult to use. I will not use any business that does not have a real person on the phone that can truly help me. Those big outfits are only interested in one thing and that’s their bottom line period! That formula will eventually put them out of business. Aloha

I get it that HI pays the bills with high volume tourism and that the locals have this fantasy that HI can move to only/mostly high-end visitors. The reality is that those customers want and can get elsewhere a full-service experience. Take get beach towels even in 5 start resorts guests have to get their own towels and in one case from a towel vending machine. In Bora the staff sets up your beach lounge chair including the umbrella table for your water for you, so you don’t have to do a thing. Clearly, if HI thinks that high-end guesses will be ok taking on the staff’s functions via phone apps then they have another thing coming.

As to offshore call centers the cost save bonus tactic of bad mangers just forget em custs have em

Would you rather get a foreign call center or speak with a chatbot?

D…None of the Above.

No hard sell for auto insurance when picking up the rental car? I like that. Making dinner reservations online? I can do that. Checking out of the hotel, no problem. But while we stay where we stay because it feels like a piece of heaven, we don’t want to feel alone there; we enjoy connecting with the staff, who also add to our experience. Mahalo!

I have had so many bad experiences with “foreign” call centers that, to my chagrin and embarrassment, have actually become rude myself. If needed, I will tell the rep that I cannot understand them and have actually hung up. That isn’t the real me! But if someone cannot understand or answer my question in an appropriate manner, that is their (actually their employer’s) responsibility not mine. However, bots Never seem to understand my question so it’s a No Win!

My problem with these computerized “customer service” systems is that when I call my problems are almost never on the menu. Just recently we had a dead car in Alaska. Called AAA. “What state are you in?” “Alaska” “You’re in Hawaii?” “NO. Alaska”. “Oh you’re in Florida”. It very quickly escalates.

I would probably not make a good business-person but it seems making more money trumps everything.

My wife’s boss in 2012 asked her why she didn’t return her text. We were at happy hour with her and I said I don’t believe in it it’s the start of the downfall of society. People need human interaction. Theres time for technology but then there’s a time to dial it back. I think a lot of the problems today stem from people feeling isolated and not knowing how to interact anymore. At a dinner a few weeks ago our friend brought his two kids. We were there 3 hours I can’t tell you what they look like as all I saw was the top of their heads as they stared at there phones. Then we complain the younger generation doesn’t want to work or doesn’t care or wants to work from home. Why would t they they have no people skills and so everything from tech

Juat another way we are losing The Aloha – what makes Hawaii.

One word, ‘Hospitality’, it’s the Hospitality Industry, the expectations of those staying in a Hostel are far different from those staying at a Resort, with Resort Fee’s, where there are expectations historically, measured against diminished experiences. It begins before Check-in where Loyalty is greeted digitally with an e-mail confirming one’s arrival, confirming their Category of Space. At Check-in, what if the Room assigned does not match the Request and one is a Returning Guest (possibly 20+ times), one cannot after a 6-12 hour trip want to state their case with an algorithm. It may be the bold new world, but $350/Rm. + before Tax, Resort Fee and Valet Park, The Outrigger is not the Moana Surfrider! A hui Hou.

The call center for Hawaiian Air was one of the worst customer service experiences I’ve ever run across. In trying to rebook a Covid cancelled flight, I ended up having to go online and tell her what flight/date/time, because she kept telling me that the flight didn’t exist. Unfortunately, the website sent me there, or I’d have been done in 5 minutes (instead of over an hour) doing the change myself. Not what I expected from Hawaiian.

I am sad to see People Go Away… it has always been about the People. The customs, the history, the mellow ..relaxing way of life..

There is no technology that can replace a smile and a true greeting of “aloha” when it comes to Customer Service. Nothing soothes frustration as much as a real person telling you they can help you solve a problem.

I consent to receive communications and agree to Beat of Hawaii's Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2022 · Beat Of Hawaii. All Rights Reserved.