TechForce Robotics is a provider of AI-driven, collaborative service robots for the hospitality and service sectors, specializing in robot-as-a-service automated solutions that enable business owners to enhance customer experience, achieve more, optimize resources, offset labour shortages, and generate revenue while addressing heavy-duty, repetitive, dirty, and injury-prone tasks.
What does this entail and what are the future prospects for the company? Digital Journal spoke with Ried Floco, President of TechForce Robotics.
Digital Journal: Can you tell us about TechForce Robotics and the solutions your company offers?
Ried Floco: TechForce Robotics focuses on providing autonomous service robots designed intentionally to support operations in hospitality and other service environments. The focus is on behind-the-scenes work that keeps operations running, using robotics to assist with heavy, dirty, routine tasks that are necessary but time-consuming for team members. TechForce operates as a Robotics-as-a-Service Provider through a subscription-based model, delivering not just the technology but the ongoing support needed to keep systems functioning as part of everyday operations.
DJ: Can you discuss the value proposition for your robots and what makes them a worthwhile investment?
Floco: The value comes down to taking the toughest, most physically demanding operational support jobs off humans and so they have time and energy to focus on more important and meaningful tasks. In hospitality and service environments team members spend large portions of time moving heavy materials, hauling waste or handling repetitive tasks that pull them away from guest service and revenue generating tasks.
By shifting the least desirable work to robotics, teams can focus on guest communication and key tasks that shape the customer experience, all while reducing the physical toll that comes with moving heavy loads day after day, which the industry historically has unfortunately had no choice but to accept.
Automation also brings more consistency to daily workflows. Those routine jobs still need to get done even when staffing levels fluctuate, and robotics helps keep those workflows steady. Because TechForce manages the systems as part of its service provider model, operators can adopt automation without taking on the responsibility of owning and maintaining complex equipment themselves. That keeps the focus on running the operation, not managing technology.
DJ: TechForce recently launched a Beverage Robot, BIM-E, at CES. Can you discuss what this robot is capable of achieving in hospitality settings?
Floco: BIM-E, which stands for Beverages in Motion – Everywhere, was developed to support beverage service in high-volume hospitality environments where long lines and slow throughput can affect both the guest experience and overall operations.
In busy venues, events, and large properties, staff often spend a significant amount of time on repetitive drink pouring tasks. BIM-E automates that part of the process by delivering consistent pours across a range of beverages, especially during high demand periods. During its debut at CES, BIM-E served more than 5,000 drinks, showing it can keep up in a busy, real-world event environment.
The system is designed to work alongside staff, handling the repetitive portion of beverage service. BIM-E allows team members to focus more on sales, guest interaction, service flow, and the overall hospitality experience. It can dispense multiple beverage types from a single unit and is built to fit into existing service environments without adding complexity for operators.
Like TechForce’s other solutions, BIM-E is delivered through the company’s Robotics-as-a-Service Provider model, with deployment and ongoing support included so venues do not have to manage the technology on their own. In hospitality settings where speed, consistency, and service quality all matter, BIM-E helps teams manage peak demand more smoothly while keeping the human side of service front and centre.
DJ: What is the process for companies to get your robots installed and operational?
Floco: The process starts with understanding the environment and the specific operational challenges each facility is trying to address. TechForce’s experienced team works with each customer to identify where robotics can support existing workflows, and which tasks are the right fit.
From there, TechForce manages site preparation, system setup, mapping of the environment, and integration into daily operations. Staff are also onboarded, so they understand how the robots fit into their routines and how to interact with them when needed. Because the company provides ongoing service after deployment, TechForce continues monitoring performance and handling maintenance and support so the systems remain a dependable part of the operation.
The goal is to make adoption straightforward and have the robots fit naturally into the workflow without adding complexity for the team.
DJ: Can you tell us about some of your current robot installations and where they’ve been successful?
Floco: TechForce Robotics has active deployments in both hospitality and education environments where robots are supporting day-to-day operational needs.
In hospitality, systems are operating at properties such as the Hilton Garden Inn located in Rancho Mirage California and the Holiday Inn located in Victorville, California. At these hotels, robots handle both trash transport and linen movement throughout the property. These are physically demanding, repetitive tasks that take time away from staff, and automation helps keep those workflows moving consistently while reducing strain on team members.
In education, there is a deployment at St. Mary’s High School located in Phoenix, Arizona, where robots support trash transport across the campus. The system operates around the clock, helping facilities teams manage routine waste movement throughout the day and overnight.
Across these environments, the most consistent feedback is from operation teams. Once teams understand how the robots fit into their workflow, they become support to the staff’s daily routine. Staff spend less time on repetitive internal movement and more time on supervision, service, and other higher-value responsibilities.
TechForce Robotics continues to focus on environments where this kind of behind-the-scenes staff support can make a meaningful difference to the team and how a property operates.
