Robot helping with customer safety during hotel stays

THEY CAN'T

>>> CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

THAT WAS ONCE CONSIDERED A

NOVELTY IS NOW HELPING

CUSTOMERS SAFELY SOCIAL

DISTANCE DURING HOTEL STAYS .

HOW A ROBOT IS CHANGING THE

GAME.

>> Reporter: SHE DOESN'T EVEN

TOUCH THE DOOR, JUST A COURTESY

CALL . WHEN THE ROBOT FIRST

STARTED WORKING AT LAX, EMBASSY

SUITES HOTEL, SHE WAS MORE OF A

NOVELTY THAN ANYTHING ELSE .

>> IT WAS A WAY TO GET GET'S

ENGAGE .

>> Reporter: CUTTING EDGE

TECHNOLOGY, TOWELS, WATER, FOOD,

RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR .

>> KIDS, MOMS, DADS

ENTHUSIASTICALLY REACT TO THE

ROBOT .

>> ONLY ABOUT ONE IN THREE

GUESTS WOULD EVEN USE HER BUT

THAT WAS BACK IN 2016, YEARS

BEFORE COVID-19 CAME ALONG .

>> NOW THAT NUMBER HAS MORE

THAN DOUBLED .

>> Reporter: NOW EVERYTHING HAS

CHANGED .

>> WE KNEW IN THE FIRST WEEK OF

COVID-19 .

>> THEY SUDDENLY REALIZE THAT

SEVEN OF THE EIGHT CALIFORNIA

LOBBIES HAD ROBOTS ALREADY

WORKING . A BUILT-IN WAY TO

AVOID HUMAN CONTACT .

>> DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN

YOU CHECK INTO A HOTEL ?

>> I DO NOW, WERE THEY IN THIS

ROOM, DO THEY TOUCH ANYTHING

THAT I TOUCH ?

>> SHE IS SANITIZED FROM TOP TO

BOTTOM AFTER EACH DELIVERY .

HOTEL MARKETING USED TO BE

ABOUT LOCATION AND VALUE BUT

THAT HAS CHANGED AS TRAVELERS

TAKE BABY STEPS TO GET OUT OF

THE HOUSE DURING THE MIDST OF

PANDEMIC .

>> IT DOES RELAX ME, TAKE A

SELFIE WITH HER FOR SURE .

>> Reporter: WINNIE IS NOW USED

BY MORE THAN 70% OF GUESTS .

SHE CAN'T CARRY YOUR LUGGAGE OR

MAKE A RESERVATION BUT SHE CAN