A South Florida hotel is facing backlash, after a guest reported that their check-in was processed remotely, via an outsourced video call…
La Quinta by Wyndham remote check-in experience
There’s a video going viral about a practice used by the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sunrise, Florida (much of the coverage incorrectly refers to this as a hotel in Miami, but that’s not the case). In a video that has been viewed millions of times, a man films the setup in the hotel’s lobby, where there’s a monitor with a sign above it, reading “Check In & Out Here.”
An outsourced representative appears on the screen, who conducts the check-in by video call. The representative is heard asking how many room keys the guest wants, and then asks the guest to sign on the screen with his finger. As he signs, an automated voice mentions that the hotel has a policy of no smoking, no pets, and no visitors.
Interestingly, the hotel’s website has a picture of a reception desk, though either that’s just not staffed anymore, or the area has been redesigned.
Recent TripAdvisor reviews of the hotel are overwhelmingly negative. The most recent review gives the hotel a one-star rating, and reads as follows:
DO NOT STAY AT THIS PROPERTY! The hotel is dirty inside and out and you will not be able to find an employee at the property. Had to check in and out via kiosk with an agent in Sri Lanka.
The next most recent hotel also gives a one-star rating:
Hotel is a pigsty. NOT HANDICAP ACCESIBLE IN ANY WAY- starting with the hotel front door that would not open and was super heavy and hard to keep open. The whole bathroom with broken tiles for a handicapped accesible room, room door didn’t close without forcing. No frontdesk clerk- just a machine. Curtains in a first floor would not close- had to use a hanger to close. No rack to place luggage- had to place them in the floor. When asked for manager… worst customer service!!! This is a first and last time for me… NOTHING GOOD about this place- only nice person was a cleaning lady!!!
Wyndham has commented on this situation, claiming that this is a franchised property, and that this practice doesn’t meet brand guidelines:
“We are aware of this matter and are actively investigating. This is a franchised location, meaning the hotel is independently owned and operated, and as such, we don’t control staffing. That said, this franchisee’s use of this equipment is not brand approved nor is it being marketed to other franchisees. Further, our brand standards require hotels to have a team member physically stationed at the front desk at all times.”
Despite that claim, this isn’t the first time that a Wyndham property has done this. Earlier in the year, a guest at the Baymont by Wyndham Bonita Springs reported a similar setup. So if this is in violation of Wyndham’s policies, the company isn’t doing a good job enforcing rules.
Does this cross the line for the hospitality industry?
There’s no denying that so many travel companies are always looking to cut costs, especially with staffing, and at times it can be hard to decide what’s a reasonable cost cutting exercise, and what isn’t.
For example, it’s incredibly common to deal with outsourced call centers when interacting with travel brands, including hotels. As a World of Hyatt Globalist member, I recently shared my awful experience with Hyatt’s new outsourced call center, where the representative was beyond clueless (which wasn’t her fault, but it’s due to a lack of training).
Similarly, we’ve seen some hotels introduce self check-in kiosks, where guests go through the check-in process themselves, and multiple kiosks are just supervised by an agent. It’s basically the same as the airline check-in model.
What we’re seeing at this La Quinta property seems to be a combination of those two practices — you have an outsourced agent overseeing a (mostly) self check-in experience.
Personally, I think the biggest concern with this kind of situation is safety. Is there actually someone on-property who could assist guests in the event that there’s an emergency? What happens if you call the front desk? I would assume (hope?) that the property still has 24/7 security to oversee everything, or else this seems like a major liability.
Obviously I’m not a fan of this policy, and I think this is terrible service. At the same time, we’re talking about a two-star La Quinta, which is just about the most basic accommodation you could get, while still getting a (hopefully) clean room.
Bottom line
A La Quinta hotel in Florida is getting quite a bit of negative publicity for its check-in experience, whereby an outsourced agent on a video monitor virtually checks in guests. Wyndham claims that this practice violates the company’s policy, though it also appears that this isn’t the only Wyndham property to be doing something like this.
What do you make of this outsourced, virtual check-in concept?
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