RETHINKING HOSPITALITY TRANSPORTATION
Auto dispatch system works like a ride-hailing app to pick up Marina Bay Sands’ guests
Near the entrance of a VIP arrival lounge, Marina Bay Sands parks a fleet of limousines that will turn the heads of even the most jaded luxury traveller.
An eye-catching line-up of Rolls Royce Cullinan and Mercedes Maybach S680 V12 sedans lead the range, alongside Lexus LM500s, multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) and electric cars.
But even the most impressive fleet matters little without efficient dispatch and timely arrivals.
So, in September last year, in an industry first, Marina Bay Sands deployed an auto dispatch service that helps match guests to its cars on the road. Guests are automatically picked up by the nearest available car, unless they have requested a specific driver.
Using a system that is designed with the ease of ride-hailing platforms, guests get a great experience while efficiency is greatly improved at the resort’s dispatch command centre.
This auto dispatch system is part of a recent upgrade of Marina Bay Sands’ limousine fleet management system, which now enables the seamless addition of new vehicles to simplify operations.
World-class guest experience
Marina Bay Sands’ Paiza members and hotel guests staying in the Paiza Collection can call on the limousine service. They simply launch the integrated resort’s mobile app and request a pickup, whether they are coming from the airport, in town shopping or leaving the hotel for a dinner elsewhere.
Alternatively, they can call their hotel host or book in-person at a counter in the hotel. For guests staying at the hotel, the service offers an easy way to explore the rest of the city, experiencing a stay that is like a home away from home.
The app works like a ride hailing service in linking up a nearby limousine, which is tracked with an Apple iPad that accompanies the vehicle wherever it goes. This is fully automatically without manual intervention from the dispatch team.
The use of the iPad means the vehicles themselves do not have to be customised with new software. This is especially useful with vehicles that Marina Bay Sands leases.
Developed by a local vendor specialising in providing mobility intelligence solutions, the auto dispatch technology was rolled out gradually. More precise parameters were introduced over multiple phases to ensure guest experiences remained seamless while adding new ways to deliver service.
In the initial phases, drivers were picked purely based on proximity – the driver nearest to the client would be matched to him or her. Over subsequent phases, other criteria such as language abilities, requirements for wheelchairs and baby chairs, were layered on top, allowing the system a more nuanced search for the most suitable driver.
Streamlining operations with technology
At a time when Singapore’s service industry continues to face a labour crunch, such a system greatly facilitates and smoothens processes for Marina Bay Sands.
With no human intervention required, the system automatically dispatches a vehicle to a guest, for example, in Orchard Road, within stipulated parameters, says Matthew Bartholomeusz, the integrated resort’s Hotel Manager for Hospitality Transportation.
“Instead of a manager and four staff members at the limousine command centre constantly manning the phone to dispatch these rides, there are now only two persons involved,” he explains.
Notably, the auto dispatch service is also part of an earlier upgrade of Marina Bay Sands’ fleet management system. It can now add vehicles to its fleet dynamically without system restarts and downtime.
The flexibility is particularly important when the integrated resort has to draw on an outsourced fleet of vehicles during busy periods, say, during a popular concert or holiday seasons. With approximately 90 drivers, there is a limit to how many trips they can take up each day.
So, on days where there can be as many as 1,000 trips, as much as 75 per cent of them are taken up by outsourced partners who bring in their cars and drivers.
They are also integrated into the limousine command centre system, giving Marina Bay Sands a real-time view of demand and supply to ensure a seamless guest experience.
The system’s impact has been significant: eligible jobs assignments are now dispatched in just 30 seconds, down from 10 minutes, and average guest waiting times have dropped by 42 per cent.
Drivers also benefit, spending 83 per cent less time waiting for their next assignment – cutting down idling for a more fulfilling day. Marina Bay Sands now enjoys substantial cost savings, with adjusted vehicle utilisation rising by 90 per cent.
Without a dynamic system, a huge surge in demand for vehicles would have made it difficult for the transport team to fulfil.
Constant pursuit of excellence
The transport system upgrade is also a testament to the culture of constant innovation that underpins both heart-of-house operations and ultimately the guest experience at one of the world’s iconic destinations.
“With technology, we believe people can do more in their jobs, especially the day-to-day mundane tasks which we can automate more,” says Bartholomeusz.
For example, hourly reports can be automatically generated now instead of having a team member manually pore through the data to present them on a document for a supervisor, say, to view the bookings for the day.
“Bots now come in to streamline the process,” explains Bartholomeusz. “What normally takes up to half an hour is now done within a minute.”
Does technology, being frictionless and seamless, take away the personal touch offered by a human?
“Sometimes, luxury can be offered by people. For example, a butler who curates itineraries for guests and remembers their preferences,” says Bartholomeusz.
Yet, in other scenarios, the seamless experience enhanced by technology goes a long way to delivering a luxurious experience, especially if a vehicle arrives quickly to pick up a guest, he adds.
“If I can now book on my app in a seamless way rather than calling and asking somebody for a car, that is also a great experience.”
