The future of robotics and automation in the hospitality sector

Enhanced customer experience through autonomous serving and checkout assistant

In an era of constant technological advancement, it is no surprise that assistive robots are becoming more and more present in our daily lives. DDV Systems, an innovative company - operating in Belgium and Luxembourg - is raising the bar with their advanced serving robots. This revolutionary technology enables the hospitality industry to increase efficiency, reduce costs and most importantly: improve customer experience.

Johan De Vidts, Managing Director DDV Systems: "Serving and clearing robots offer a new dimension of efficiency in the hospitality and other service industries. Personally, I don't like to use the word robots. This is to avoid confusion with humanoid robots that come to your table bip-bip-wise. Our intelligent, autonomously navigating trolleys are equipped with advanced navigation technologies, such as laser sensors and artificial intelligence, allowing them to move independently in crowded environments without the intervention of human operators. This allows them to deliver and clear meals quickly and efficiently - in conjunction with a room assistant - helping staff and improving overall operational efficiency. We are betting especially hard on the HolaBot and the BellaBot, each of which has its own style."

The HolaBot is an innovative robot with a large semi-open waterproof cabin, a load capacity of 60 kilograms and a capacity of 120 litres. Designed primarily for cleaning up, it autonomously transports large quantities of items to the dishes. But with equal pleasure, it helps venue staff bring plates to the tables.

Johan De Vidts: "At Hilton Antwerp, a Holabot is active. Whereas the maître d'hôtel used to do 30,000 steps a day, he now does a third of it. Which means two-thirds of the available time is left for the customers. Thus, the experience is dramatically increased."

BellaBot is the latest robotic kelner with first-class human-robot interaction capabilities. The robot's head is designed to look like a cat to attract people's attention. BellaBot is a true multitasker. Specialising in guiding customers and delivering food to tables. That he/she can even sing 'Happy Birthday' in the process only makes it more fun for guests, big and small. The robot can also be used to return dirty dishes to the kitchen. Another capacity of Bellabot is its 'cruise mode'. During a reception, it spins tirelessly around serving snacks. Serving coffee, tea and water in the office or delivering documents or spare parts in an industrial environment are 'a walk in the park' for this sympathetic little helper.

Johan De Vidts: "Meanwhile, in dozens of restaurants across the country, 'our Bella' has been a great success. It takes over the heaviest tasks and accompanies staff to the tables, allowing more tables to be served or cleared at once. Putting ten plates on the table within a minute is a breeze for a garçon with Bellabot's assistance."

"Besides the automatic assistant robots, we also marketed call systems and audio systems for the catering industry," Johan De Vidts explains. "You undoubtedly know the coaster/pagers/biepers from in chip shops, snack bars and/or fast food restaurants. You place your order and then you are given a coaster that indicates when your order is ready. In restaurants, pagers are more popular. A push button in the kitchen and a pager in the garçon's pocket replace the old-fashioned and not always heard bell. Across a dyke, far out on a terrace, deep in the garden, on a floor? The pager always vibrates when the chief presses the button. Our audio systems are also becoming increasingly popular. This allows several employees to talk to each other, without necessarily arriving on site. Compare it to a modern version of a walkie-talkie. We offer everything that can make the hospitality sector more efficient. To save hard-to-find staff or support existing staff."■