Additional Coverage:
- Hotel chain under fire for allegedly outsourcing check-ins to virtual front desk agent in India (irishstar.com)
Miami Hotel’s Virtual Check-In Sparks Outsourcing Debate
A Miami La Quinta by Wyndham hotel has found itself in hot water after a video of its unusual check-in process went viral. The video, posted on X (formerly Twitter) by user WallStreetApes, shows a guest interacting with a virtual front desk worker on a large screen. The employee, reportedly located in India, greets the guest and completes the check-in process, including providing room keys and having the guest sign a digital document.
The video has sparked a heated online debate about outsourcing. Some users criticized the hotel for sending jobs overseas, with some even invoking former President Trump and his policies. Others argued that outsourcing leads to lower consumer prices, questioning whether customers would be willing to pay more for local staffing.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which operates La Quinta Inn, has stated that the hotel in question is a franchised location and that the use of the virtual check-in system is not brand-approved and violates brand standards requiring on-site staff at the front desk. The company is currently investigating the situation.
Interestingly, a similar setup was observed at a Wyndham hotel in Bonita Springs, Florida, in a video uploaded to YouTube earlier this year. This raises questions about how widespread the practice might be.