Plato X Le Méridien Etoile Hotel

Le Méridien Etoile is a 4-star hotel located opposite the Palais des Congrès in the 17th arrondissement. Its location is very central as it is a stone's throw from the Champs-Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe which makes it a very privileged hotel in Paris. With 1,025 rooms and suites and more than 2,000 m² of event space, this makes it the largest Paris-intramuros hotel on the Parisian market.

 Historically, the Méridien Etoile is the flagship of the brand Le Méridien, mostly welcomes in an elegant atmosphere with a modern design, a business clientele related to the activity of the Palais des Congrès.

Since January 2023, this establishment has integrated into its catering team, 3 service cobiots, named Plato, to respond to a common issue in the hospitality sector: the carrying loads.

The Food & Beverage Director at Le Méridien Etoile, is constantly on the lookout for new solutions and innovations that are revolutionizing the hospitality sector. He is here sharing with us his early experience and his feedback following the use of Plato exclusively for clearing the hotel breakfast for a few months.

THE CHALLENGE

 “One of the problems encountered at the Le Méridien hotel and in all establishments today is carrying loads” states the Food & Beverage Director of the hotel. Due to the establishment's structure, with more than 1,000 rooms, the team delivers an average of 700 up to 800 breakfasts, which represents significant volumes. Most of the work was previously performed manually, sometimes with the use of trolley. Given the positioning of the hotel - 4 stars - there is an image to convey and to respect.

Until now, there was not sufficiently elegant and practical solution to solve this problem. “At Le Méridien, we are always looking to improve the working conditions of our teams. Sometimes the solutions do not exist or not yet and when they do, we examine them and see how well they can be integrated...” explains the manager. The Plato product is compatible with the needs of the hotel but also with its positioning and image.

The catering/cuisine team, including people from all points of sales, banquets, restaurants and event services, represents 120 people. "There are many faithful, which is the strength and the beauty of this organization. We offer many training courses for their development, but it is true that we encounter the same problems as our colleagues in this sector, recruitment, even if the turnover is not huge. There are positions open at all levels: from entry-level positions to management positions." develops the Food & Beverage Director.

PLATO'S ONBOARDING

Within the hotel, regardless of department or position, everyone can come up with a good idea. The manager followed the classic path to suggest this new project “integrating a service robot” at Le Méridien hotel. There was an initial approach to discussion at the level of upper management, then the project was introduced to the Social and Economic Committee (CSE). Both were attentive and supportive of this initiative.

The project then started with a trial. Plato was not imposed but proposed, which made it possible to overcome the reluctance and fears of employees who were less comfortable with new technologies. There are objectives that resulted directly from the installation of the Platos: to relieve the staff from difficult tasks such as clearing and to reduce the absence of staff in the dining room, who are often in the back office to clear.

After a few weeks, feedback was requested from the teams. The Food & Beverage Director specifies "I haven't heard-maybe it was the case, but I haven't witnessed any negative comments mentioning Plato replacing the staff".

THE SOLUTION

Since January 2023, Plato has been used in Espace Latitude every morning from Monday to Sunday from 6:30 am to 11:00 am exclusively for clearing the breakfast buffet. On average, from 200 up to 250 covers can be set up in this area and more than 600 breakfasts can be served. There are usually peak attendance between 7:00 am and 8:00 am.

The restaurant is large, and the distances are long. With the arrival of Platos in the organization, waiters spend more time with customers. "The more interactions with customers, the better we respond to needs and can offer our services. Among the clients, some do not have special needs, others like to discuss and still others do not wish to be disturbed... But we are here, more present than before if there are requests" explains the Food & Beverage Director at Le Méridien Etoile.

Today, catering staff perceive Plato as a support, an assistance during clearing tables. Besides the physical relief, Plato allows them to same time for service, the heart of their job/business.

THE OUTCOME

After only a few months, the three cobiots are considered full members of the team. Aware of the help they bring to the team, everyone pays attention to not to hinder them, stop them or slow them down, “like for a colleague”. By reducing heavy loads and round trips, the staff feels physically relieved, and the team's psychology gets better.

"In a team, it's not just one person who does, but the whole team that moves forward; and if something doesn't work well, then the whole will not work out. Indeed, Plato carries out tasks that were made exclusively by the staff until a few months ago. It is not a one shot but a permanent help all along the service duration. If it was just a help for the table setting, I could say crudely «I t is a trolley". Present during the entire service, Plato is the assistant of my team to whom they might like to ask more." explains the manager.

On the customer side, “It’s generally positive! We can notice that they are filming Plato, taking pictures and smiling when they see him! It Is still a real experience." rejoices the manager. A problem had been identified; it was solved with the integration of Plato. Today, the hotel may be experiencing a stagnation, the next step is to analyze what could be done to make Plato even more useful.