M Social snagged a double win at the International Data Corporation Asia/Pacific’s inaugural IDC Digital Transformation Awards for its efforts to address manpower shortages with innovative solutions.
The two awards – “DX Leader for Operational Transformation in Singapore” and “DX Leader for Operational Transformation in the Region” – were in recognition of the hotel’s introduction of the region’s first Front-of-House Autonomous Service Delivery Robot, or AURA.
AURA has been integrated with various subsystems in the hotel, such as networks, elevators, and telephony.
“I believe (such solutions) enables us to stay relevant in the face of manpower crunch and business disruptions,” commented Kwek Leng Beng, chairman of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (M&C).
“We have been heeding the government’s push for automation. After the success of AURA, M Social (more) recently debuted a second robot AUSCA, the world’s first robot chef that can serve up egg dishes for dining guests,” he added.
“Earlier this year AUSCA, the world’s first Front-of-House Autonomous Service Chef Robot prototype, started work at M Social’s Beast and Butterflies restaurant, making sunny-side up and omelette dishes for guests,” said Lee Richards, vice president of operations Singapore for Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
AURA will be rolled out to other M&C hotels in Singapore hotels next year, according to Richards.