In today's fast-paced digital world, the hospitality industry is constantly evolving to keep up with market demands and customer expectations. As hospitality professionals strive to deliver the level of service their guests expect, they are inundated with new strategic ideas and technological advancements, creating an ever-expanding set of features and tools to manage their day-to-day operations.
That's when "Without Thought" by Naoto Fukasawa came to my mind. Naoto suggests that people should not have to think about an object when using it actively. This promotes a smoother relationship between the user and the object. Fukasawa's philosophy involves observing people's spontaneous behavior and incorporating those observations into design.
He came to this philosophy after realizing that although designers often aim to create special and attention-grabbing products, the user's experience of the product is not necessarily improved by these characteristics. Instead, Fukasawa advocates for design that dissolves seamlessly into people's behavior, achieving an object “Without Thought."
Invisible technology.
At Mews, we think technology should be an invisible helper, allowing us to truly focus on essential tasks through awesome user experience, proactivity, automation, and AI.
The notion of invisible Design/Technology has become increasingly popular in the design field over the past few years. It pertains to creating products that blend seamlessly and perfectly with the user's interaction and workflow, that it’s imperceptible. In simpler words, the experience fades into the background, enabling users to concentrate on their objectives without being distracted by technology/product.
What is the best approach to designing and building invisible technology? The short answer is User Disengagement (UD).
User Disengagement.
At first glance, the term 'User Disengagement' may seem counterintuitive. After all, don't businesses want their customers to be engaged with their products and services? In most industries, the answer is yes. However, within the hospitality industry, Mews sees things differently. We believe that by reducing hoteliers' time interacting with their software and technology, hotels can focus on the more meaningful work that truly matters: creating rich and lasting human connections between hotel staff and guests.
¨Make Time for the Work That Matters.
The mission of Mews is to streamline hotel operations in such a way that hoteliers only need to use the provided technology when absolutely necessary: to make a decision or to take action. This proactive approach allows for a more intuitive user experience, guiding staff through each step with actionable insights and tailored solutions, even before the users realize they may be necessary. It does not involve adding new features or complex services but rather designing frictionless solutions that reduce cognitive load and learning curves and enable proactive and automated actions.
To ensure an optimal frictionless experience, a proactive and automated platform must possess the following key features:
- Intuitive Navigation: The platform must guide users from one step to the next without requiring conscious thought about their actions. This means clear prompts, suggestions for each step, and readily available help options when needed.
- Holistic Problem-Solving: Whenever an error occurs, the platform should automatically suggest ways to resolve the issue or, when possible, fix it on its own. By addressing problems proactively, the user can focus on achieving their goals rather than troubleshooting.
- Predictive Features: By offering relevant tools and information before users realize they need them, these platforms can create an almost symbiotic relationship, enabling more efficient decision-making and quick adaptation.
Summary:
In the current situation, with a surge in demand and a staff shortage, User Disengagement (UD) is the next game-changer.
That’s exactly Mews’ vision, moving away from the traditional format of screens acting as the user's primary method of interaction. Instead, businesses will have access to relevant information as it arises, such as a notification regarding increasing revenue opportunities rather than manually generating a report.
Hospitality is about moments!